List of Indian monarchs
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History of South Asia

(Indian Subcontinent)

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Mehrgarh Culture • 7000–3300 BCE
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Chola Empire • 250 BCE–1070 CE
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Kushan Empire • 60–240 CE
Gupta Empire • 280–550 CE
Pala Empire • 750–1174 CE
Rashtrakuta • 753–982 CE
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Kakatiya Empire 1083–1323
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The following list of Indian monarchs is one of several lists of incumbents.

Rulers and dynasties who ruled a portion of the Indian subcontinent and were based in South Asia will be included in this list.

For more information, see History of South Asia.

Contents

Mythical Sun Dynasty (c. 1700 BC - 1500 BC)

  • Vivasvant - the Sun God, who commenced this clan
  • Akash - the Sky God, the ruler of this clan and protector of mankind
  • Manu - the King of all mankind and the first human being
  • Ikshvaku - first prominent monarch of the Ikshvaku dynasty and the son of Manu.
  • Kukshi - the only son of King Iksvaku
  • Vikukshi - According to the Brahma Purana, Vikukshi was sent to fetch meat for the sacrifice to be performed by his father. While hunting game, the prince was overcome by hunger and ate some of the meat destined for the sacrifice. This was an act of sacrilege, therefore, Vashistha ordered King Kukshi to banish him from the kingdom. He is also known as "Sashada", one who has eaten the meat of a rabbit
  • Bana
  • King Anaranya
  • Prithu
  • Trishanku - His original name was Satyavrata. His son was Dhundumara. Satyavrata committed three sins, and hence he got the name Trishanku. First, while a prince, he misbehaved in the kingdom and was temporarily exiled. Next, he killed the milch cow of his perceptor Vasishta. His third sin was that he used the unsanctified meat of his kill as food. He also had a quench to ascend heaven in his mortal body. Since, Vashistha denied him this right, since it is against nature to ascend heaven as a mortal, Vishwamitra created a heaven for him, called "Trishank's Heaven", which is located in mid-air
  • Dhundumara
  • Yuvanashva - He is referred to as the "speediest charioteer" (Rama 1.70.25)
  • Mandhata - One of the most illustrious monarchs. He was very powerful who was equally in power to the Lord of Lanka, Ravana. He wanted to attain the Kingdom of Heaven, ruled by Lord Indra, whoever, he was sent to fight Lavnasur, who eventually defeated him through his Trishul granted by Lord Shiva

The Bengali idiom Mandhatar amol ('time of Mandhata') refers to something held antiquated.

  • Sushandi - He had two sons, Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit
  • Dhruvasandhi
  • Bharata
  • Asita - He was defeated by rival Kings from the clans of Haihayas, Talajanghas and Shashabindhus in battle. He fled to the Himalayas with his two wives. While there, he fell ill and died. At the time of his death, both his wives were pregnant. One of the wives, named Kalindi was given poison by the other, with the intention of inducing abortion. However, when both went to the hermitage of sage Chyavana, he blessed the poisoned wife, saying, "A highly illustrious son shall be born to you. He shall be born with the toxin in his body, but shall live a full life." He then gave her asylum. Sagara, was born to her, with poison in his body as foretold by the sage
  • Sagara - When he grew up, Sage Chyavana told him of how his father had to flee from his enemies, three Kings from the clans of Haihayas, Talajanghas, and Sashabindhus. Sagara, who by then had become an accomplished warrior, amassed an army and succeeded in defeating his father's enemies and regained his kingdom. Due to his kindness, sea was given a vast place on Earth from the netherworld. Therefore, the sea is also known as Sagar, taken from the donator
  • Asmanjya
  • Amshuman
  • Dilip
  • Bhagirath - The ancestors of King Bhageeratha had been burnt to ashes by the great sage Kapila in the netherworld. Since no one had performed their funeral rites, they could not ascend to heaven. When Bhagirath came to know of this, he sought the advise of learned men, as to the means by which his ancestors could be freed from this state. Their advice was unequivocal, "Only the Sacred river Ganga, that flows in the heavens can wash away the sins of your ancestors. Unless you bring her down to the earth to wet the ashes of your ancestors, they will be eternally cursed". Accordingly Bhagirath started to perform a terrible penance. He underwent many agonizing trials and set-backs, but he persevered. At last he obtained the boon that Ganga would flow on earth. However, the earth could not stand the force of her flow, so he sought the help of Lord Shiva to control the river's flow. Shiva arrested major portion of the river in his matted locks and let only a small portion flow to the earth, thereby making it possible for the earth to bear the burden. Ganga washed away the sins, and helped the ancestors of Bhagirath to ascend to heaven. Since she was brought to earth by the efforts of Bhagirath, she is also called Bhagirathi.
  • Kakutstha - son of Great King Sagar
  • Raghu - Due to his extreme kindness and supreme valor, the Sun Dynasty is also known as Raghu Dynasty (Raghuvansha).
  • Pravriddha - Once, he angered his perceptor Vasishta, who cursed him. Pravriddha wanted to curse him back, and took water from his vessel for that purpose. However, his queen Madayanti restrained him. The magical water fell on his feet, that became blemished as a result. From that day, he was known as Kalmashapada ('one of blemished feet'). Later, he got into an argument with Shakti regarding right-of-way in a forest lane. Vishwamitra, who was the rival of Vasishta, seized this opportunity and caused the spirit of a flesh-eating demon to enter the body of the King. Thus possessed, the King devoured Shakti alive. He also killed the other ninety-nine sons of Vasishta in a similar fashion. Later, he was freed from the curse, but could not father a child due to the curse uttered by a Brahmana woman. So, Vasishta went unto his queen Madayanti and begat Shankana
  • Shankana
  • Sudarshana
  • Agnivarna
  • Shigragha
  • Maru
  • Prashushruka
  • Ambarisha
  • Nahusa
  • Yayati
  • Nabhaga
  • Aja - father of King Dashrath.
  • Dashrath - father of Lord Ram, Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan. He is very well known for his encounter with the Asuras in the Deva-Asura Sangram (God-Demigod Fight) in which he helped Lord Indra
  • Ram

Mythical Puru-Bharata-Kuru-Pandava Dynasty (c. 1700 BC - 1026 AD)

Please note that these dates are debated among scholars of Indology.

Mythical Bharata Dynasty (c. 1700-1400 BC)

  • Manu Vaivasvata (from c. 1600 BC)
  • Sudyumna
  • Yayati, great-grandson of Sudyumna
  • Dushyanta, father of Bharata
  • Bharata, son of Dushyanta, India's native name Bharatavarsha (Bharat) is named after him
  • Bhimanyu, son of Bharata
  • Sudas
  • Rsabha
  • Srestha
  • Vidura
  • Bharata Muni
  • Artha-Vinirnayah (until c. 1400 BC)

Mythical Puru Dynasty (c. 1400-1200 BC)

  • Puru-rava Aila (from c. 1400 BC), descendant of the Bharata dynasty
  • Ayu
  • Yayati Nahushya
  • Dauhshanti Saudyumni
  • Ajamidha
  • Riksha
  • Trasadasyu
  • Samavarana (until c. 1200 BC)

Kuru Dynasty (c. 1400-450 BC)

Pandava Dynasty (c.1200-1100BC)

Janjua Shahi Dynasty (964-1026 AD)

  • Jayapala (964-1001), son of Asatapala deva, descendant of the Pandava dynasty
  • Anandapala (c. 1001-1011), son of Jayapala
  • Trilochanpala (c. 1011-1022), son of Anandapala, assassinated in 1021-1022
  • Bhímapála (c. 1022-1026), son of Tirlochanpala.

Magadhan Kings (c. 1700 BC - 550 AD)

Brihadratha Dynasty (c. 1700-799 BC)

  • Brihadratha
  • Jarasandha
  • Sahadeva
  • Somapi (1678-1618 BC)
  • Srutasravas (1618-1551 BC)
  • Ayutayus (1551-1515 BC)
  • Niramitra (1515-1415 BC)
  • Sukshatra (1415-1407 BC)
  • Brihatkarman (1407-1384 BC)
  • Senajit (1384-1361 BC)
  • Srutanjaya (1361-1321 BC)
  • Vipra (1321-1296 BC)
  • Suchi (1296-1238 BC)
  • Kshemya (1238-1210 BC)
  • Subrata (1210-1150 BC)
  • Dharma (1150-1145 BC)
  • Susuma (1145-1107 BC)
  • Dridhasena (1107-1059 BC)
  • Sumati (1059-1026 BC)
  • Subhala (1026-1004 BC)
  • Sunita (1004-964 BC)
  • Satyajit (964-884 BC)
  • Biswajit (884-849 BC)
  • Ripunjaya (849-799 BC)

Pradyota dynasty (799-684 BC)

  • Pradyota
  • Palaka
  • Visakhayupa
  • Ajaka
  • Varttivarddhana

Shishunaga Dynasty (684-424 BC)

  • Shishunaga (684-644 BC), established the kingdom of Magadha
  • Kakavarna (644-618 BC)
  • Kshemadharman (618-582 BC)
  • Kshatraujas (582-558 BC)
  • Bimbisara (544-491 BC), founder of the first Magadhan empire
  • Ajatashatru (491-461 BC)
  • Darshaka (from 461 BC)
  • Udayin
  • Nandivardhana
  • Mahanandin (until 424 BC), his empire is inherited by his illegitimate son Mahapadma Nanda

Shakya Dynasty (c. 650-500 BC)

  • Suddhodana Gautama (c. 600-500 BC), king of the Shakyas, father of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
  • Maya (c. 600-500 BC), queen of the Shakyas, wife and cousin of Suddhodana, mother of Siddhartha
  • Suprahuddha (c. 600-500 BC), lord of Devadaha Castle, brother of Maya, father of princess Yashodhara (wife of Buddha)

Nanda Dynasty (424-321 BC)

  • Mahapadma Nanda (from 424 BC), illegitimate son of Mahanandin, founded the Nanda Empire after inheriting Mahanandin's empire
  • Pandhuka
  • Panghupati
  • Bhutapala
  • Rashtrapala
  • Govishanaka
  • Dashasidkhaka
  • Kaivarta
  • Dhana (Agrammes, Xandrammes) (until 321 BC), lost his empire to Chandragupta Maurya after being defeated by him

Maurya Dynasty (324-184 BC)

Shunga Dynasty (185-73 BC)

  • Pusyamitra Shunga (185-149 BC), founded the dynasty after assassinating Brhadratha
  • Agnimitra (149-141 BC), son and successor of Pusyamitra
  • Vasujyeshtha (141-131 BC)
  • Vasumitra (131-124 BC)
  • Andhraka (124-122 BC)
  • Pulindaka (122-119 BC)
  • Ghosha
  • Vajramitra
  • Bhagabhadra, mentioned by the Puranas
  • Devabhuti (83-73 BC), last Sunga king

Kanva Dynasty (73-26 BC)

  • Vasudeva (from 73 BC)
  • Successors of Vasudeva (until 26 BC)

Gupta Dynasty (c. 240-550 AD)

Western Kshatrapas

Bana Dynasty rule Magadaimandalam (c.1190-1260 AD)

Kadava Dynasty (c. 1216-1279 AD)

Pandya Dynasty (c. 550 BC - Present)

Central Pandya Dynasty (c. 550 BC - 1311 AD)

  • Kulasekara (c. 550-450 BC)
  • Pandion (c. 50 BC - 50 AD), known as Pandion to Greeks and Romans
  • Kadungon (c. 600-700 AD), revived the dynasty
  • Pandalathu Thampuran (from c. 1102)
  • Punjattil Thampuran (from c. 1102)
  • Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251-1268), revived Pandyan glory, considered one of the greatest conquerors of Southern India
  • Maravarman Sundara Pandyan
  • Maravarman Kulasekaran I (1268-1308)
  • Sundara Pandya (1308-1311), son of Maravarman Kulasekaran, fought with his brother Vira Pandya over the throne
  • Vira Pandya (1308-1311), son of Maravarman Kulasekaran, fought with his brother of Sundara Pandya over the throne, Madurai was conquered by the Khilji dynasty

Pandalam Dynasty (903 - Present)

  • Raja Rajasekhara (c. 1200-1500), descendant of the Pandya Dynasty, father of Ayyappan (often regarded as a Hindu deity)
  • Punartham Naal Ravi Varma Thampuran (c. 1950-2002)
  • Revathi Nal Rama Varma Raja (2002 - Present), currently the Raja of the Pandalam dynasty, living in Kerala at present

Foreign Emperors in North-Western India (c. 538 BC - 750 AD)

These empires were vast, centered in Persia or the Mediterranean; their satrapies (provinces) in India were at their outskirts.

Persian Achaemenid Dynasty (c. 538-330 BC)

Argead Dynasty (326-323 BC)

Seleucid Diadochi (323-321 BC)

Arab Umayyad Caliphate (711-750 AD)

Chera dynasty (c. 300 BC - 1314 AD)

Ancient Chera Kings (c. 300 BC - 397 AD)

Kulashekhara Dynasty (825-1314 AD)

  • Rama Varma Kulashekhara (1020-1102), descendant of the Cheras
  • Ravi Varma Kulashekhara (c. 1250-1314), last of the Cheras

Satavahana Dynasty (c. 230 BC - 199 AD)

  • Simuka (c. 230-207 BC)
  • Kanha (or Krishna) (207-189 BC)
  • Satakarni I
  • Hala (20-24 AD)
  • Gautamiputra Satakarni (106-130)
  • Vashishtiputra Pulumayi (130-158)
  • Vashishtiputra Satakarni (c. 158-170)
  • Sri Yajna Satakarni (c. 170-199)

Hellenistic Euthydemid Dynasty (c. 221-85 BC)

Unlike the far larger empires of Alexander the Great and his Seleukid diadoch, centered in the region

Chola Dynasty (c. 100 AD - 1279 AD)

Sangam Cholas (c. 100 AD - 240 AD)

Chola Emperors (848-1279 AD)

Indo-Scythian Rulers (c. 85 BC - 45 AD)

North-western India (c. 90 BC - 10 AD)

Apracharaja Rulers (12 BC - 45 AD)

  • Vijayamitra (12 BC - 15 AD)
  • Itravasu (c. 20 AD)
  • Aspavarma (15-45 AD)

Mathura area (c. 20 BC - 20 AD)

  • Hagamasha (satrap)
  • Hagana (satrap)
  • Rajuvula (Great Satrap) (c. 10 AD)
  • Sodasa, son of Rajuvula

Minor local rulers

  • Bhadrayasha Niggas
  • Mamvadi
  • Arsakes

Indo-Parthian Rulers (c. 21-100 AD)

  • Gondophares I (c. 21-50)
  • Abdagases I (c. 50-65)
  • Satavastres (c. 60)
  • Sarpedones (c.70)
  • Orthagnes (c. 70)
  • Ubouzanes (c. 77)
  • Sases or Gondophares II (c. 85)
  • Abdagases II (c. 90)
  • Pakores (c. 100)

Kushana Dynasty (80-225)

Pallava Dynasty (275-882)

Early Pallavas (275-355)

  • Simha Varman I (275-300 or 315-345)
  • Skanda Varman I (345-355)

Middle Pallavas (355-537)

  • Visnugopa (350-355)
  • Kumaravisnu I (355-370)
  • Skanda Varman II 370-385)
  • Vira Varman (385-400)
  • Skanda Varman III (400-438)
  • Simha Varman II (438-460)
  • Skanda Varman IV (460-480)
  • Nandi Varman I (480-500)
  • Kumaravisnu II (c. 500-510)
  • Buddha Varman (c. 510-520)
  • Kumaravisnu III (c. 520-530)
  • Simha Varman III (c. 530-537)

Later Pallavas (537-882)

  • Simha Vishnu (537-570)
  • Mahendra Varman I (571-630)
  • Narasimha Varman (Mamalla) (630-668)
  • Mahendra Varman II (668-672)
  • Paramesvara Varman (672-700)
  • Narasimha Varman (Raja Simha) 700-728)
  • Parameswaran II (705-710)
  • Nandi Varman II (732-796)
  • Thandi Varman (775-825)
  • Nandi Varman III (825-869)
  • Nirupathungan (869-882)

Kadambas of Banavasi (345-525 AD)

  • Mayura Sharma (Varma) (345-365)
  • Kangavarma (365-390)
  • Bagitarha (390-415)
  • Raghu (415-435)
  • Kakusthavarma (435-455)
  • Santivarma (455-460)
  • Mrigeshavarma (460-480)
  • Shivamandhativarma (480-485)
  • Ravivarma (485-519)
  • Harivarma (519-525)

Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad (350-1024 AD)

Chalukya Dynasty (543-1156)

Chalukyas of Badami (543-757)

  • Pulakesi I (543-566)
  • Kirtivarman I (566-597)
  • Mangalesa (597-609)
  • Pulakesi II (609-642)
  • Vikramaditya I (655-680)
  • Vinayaditya (680-696)
  • Vijayaditya (696-733)
  • Vikramaditya II (733-746)
  • Kirtivarman II (746-757)

Chalukyas of Kalyani (973-1156)

  • Tailapa Ahavamalla (973-997)
  • Satyasraya Irivabedanga (997-1008)
  • Vikramaditya V (1008-1014)
  • Ayyana (1014-1015)
  • Jayasimha II (1015-1042)
  • Someshvara I (1042-1068)
  • Someshvara II (1068-1076)
  • Vikramaditya VI (1076-1127)
  • Someshvara III (1127-1138)
  • Jagadekamalla (1138-1151)
  • Tailapa (1151-1156)
  • Someshwara IV (1183-1189)

Shashanka dynasty (600-625)

  • Shashanka (600-625), first recorded independent king of Bengal, created the first unified political entity in Bengal

Harsha dynasty (606-648)

  • Harsha Vardhana (606-648), unified Northern India and ruled it for over 40 years, he was the last non-Muslim emperor to rule a unified Northern India

Rashtrakutas of Manyaketha (735-982)

  • Dantidurga (735-756)
  • Krishna I (756-774)
  • Govinda II (774-780)
  • Dhruva Dharavarsha (780-793)
  • Govinda III (793-814)
  • Amoghavarsha I (814-878)
  • Krishna II Akalavarsha (878-914)
  • Indra III (914-929)
  • Amoghavarsha II (929-930)
  • Govinda IV (930-935)
  • Amoghavarsha III (934-939)
  • Krishna III (939-967)
  • Khottiga Amoghavarsha (967-972)
  • Karka II Amoghhavarsha IV (972-973)
  • Indra IV (973-982),only a claimer for the lost throne.

Shahi Dynasty (c. 890-895)

Brahmin Shahi Dynasty (c. 890-964)

  • Lalliya (c. 890-895)
  • Kamaluka (895-921)
  • Bhima (921-964), son of Kamaluka

Janjua Shahi Dynasty (964-1026 AD)

  • Jayapala (964-1001)
  • Anandapala (1001-1011)
  • Trilochanpala (1011-1022)
  • Bhímapála (1022-1026)

Parmaras of Malwa

Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri ((850 - 1334)