Historical Dates and Events

The Gupta period is called the Golden Age due to significant advancements in science, literature, art, and architecture. While the issuance of gold coins is a sign of economic prosperity, it is not the sole or primary definition of a Golden Age.

1. The first oil well in India was dug in 1867 AD in Makkum in Assam (This was the first oil well dug in Asia).

Indus valley civilisation identified as urban settlement is believed to flourish during 3000-1500 BC. It's chief characteristics were permanent settlement and practice of settled agriculture, Trade was a prominent feature of its urban areas. Their accomplishment in art and culture ia also to be noted. This whole Indus valley civilisation can be divided into Early, Mature and later phases given their progress and expanse.

Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese sailor who successfully discovered the sea route to India in the year 1498 AD. He sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and crossed the Indian Ocean. He landed on the Calicut (Kozhikode) port and sought trade concessions from King Zamorin. 

Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and was a centre of Greek and Roman cultures. It had the valuable manuscripts of the Greek and the Roman writers. But Constantinople fell into the hands of the Turks in 1453. Many Greek and Roman scholars were thus forced to shift to Rome and other parts of Europe with their manuscripts. 

The Battle of Haldighati was a battle fought on 18 June 1576 between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber.

Durgadas Rathore (13 August 1638 – 22 November 1718) is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar, following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century. 

Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople on May 29, 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.

The East India Company was formed in 1600 in England and later it set up a trading post at Surat with the permission of Mughal Emperor, Jahangir.

In Europe, the modern period began around fifteenth century, while in India it began in the ${18}^{th}$ century.

The British were different from Indians in race, religion and sentiments. In the 18th century, the British showed a friendly attitude towards Indian religions. They had no particular zeal for their own religion and the Company even acted as a trustee of some Hindu temples.

The Dutch United East India Company was a multinational corporation was founded in 1602 and lasted till 1799. The Dutch government had granted it a 21-yr monopoly on the spice trade which led to the trade between the company and India. Socio-economic changes in Europe, the shift in power balance and less successful financial management resulted in its slow decline.

Francis Day served the Company's factory at Masulipatnam from 1632 to 1639. In 1639, he negotiated the purchase of a strip of land south of the Dutch factory at Pulicat from the Raja of Chandragiri, where the town of Madras was built.

Sir Thomas Roe was an English diplomat who presented his credentials to the emperor Jahangir as the Ambassador of the King of England in 1615. Jahangir granted him permission or 'firman' to trade in Surat. This led to the establishment of the English factory at Surat which was was set on a permanent basis.

French East India Company was established to oversee French commerce with India, eastern Africa, and other territories of the Indian Ocean and the East Indies. It was established in the year 1664 by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, finance minister to King Louis XIV. In February, 1701, Pondicherry was made the capital of the French settlements in India. In 1668, the first French factory was established in Surat.