The history of Uttar Pradesh, a state in India, stretches back several millennia. The region shows the presence of human habitation dating back to between 85,000 and 73,000 years ago. Additionally, the region seems to have been domesticated as early as 6,000 BC.
The early modern period in the region started in 1526 after Baburinvaded the Delhi Sultanate, and established the Mughal Empire covering large parts of modern Uttar Pradesh. The remnants of the Mughal Empire include their monuments, most notably Fatehpur Sikri, Allahabad Fort, Agra Fort.
Rama portrayed as exile in the forest, accompanied by his wife Sita and brother LakshmanaDashavatara Temple at Deogarh was built by the Gupta Empire.
The kingdom of
Painted Gray Ware culture and the beginning of the Iron Age in North-west India, around 1000 BC.[9]
Middle Kingdoms (c. 200 BCE – 1206 CE)
Most of the invaders of south India passed through the Gangetic plains of what is today Uttar Pradesh. Control over this region was of vital importance to the power and stability of all of India's major empires, including the
Gurjara-Pratihara (650–1036 CE) empires.[11] Following the Huns invasions that broke the Gupta empire, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab saw the rise of Kannauj.[12]
Many communities in various parts of India claim descent from the migrants of Kannauj.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty from the 8th century to the 10th century.[15][16]
The decline of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty saw the rise of independent Rajput dynasties such as the
Gahadvala Rajputs who ruled over present-day Uttar Pradesh. The long-term social order of the area was established under the Rajput dynasties. Besides Rajput kingdoms, there existed a number of localised dynasties belonging to Bhumihar Brahmin, Rajbhar and Pasi
The Mughal Emperor Akbar firmly consolidated power in Uttar Pradesh during his rule
Akbar ruled from Agra and his newly established city, Fatehpur Sikri.[25] He was succeeded by his son Jahangir. Jahangir was succeeded by his son Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan is famous for building the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum for his queen Mumtaz Mahal located in Agra. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most significant examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. Shah Jahan was succeeded by his son Aurangzeb, who did not share the religious tolerance of his ancestors, and was infamous for the destruction of temples. In the decades that followed the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, Mughal rule in the region largely collased.
Maratha Era (c. 1737 – 1803)
A portrait of Mahadji Shinde
After the fall of Mughal authority, the power vacuum was filled by the
British East India Company defeated the Maratha Empire, much of the region came under British suzerainty.[26]
British East India Company accession over the state's territories.[28]Ajmer and Jaipur kingdoms were also included in this northern territory, which was named the "North-Western Provinces" (of Agra). Although UP later became the fifth largest state of India, NWPA was one of the smallest states of the British Indian empire.[29] Its capital shifted twice between Agra and Allahabad.[citation needed]United Provinces in 1909
After the revolt failed, the British attempted to divide the most rebellious regions by reorganizing the administrative boundaries of the region, splitting the Delhi region from 'NWFP of Agra' and merging it with
Punjab, while the Ajmer- Marwar region was merged with Rajputana and Oudh was incorporated into the state. The new state was called the 'North Western Provinces of Agra and Oudh', which in 1902 was renamed as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh.[31] It was commonly referred to as the United Provinces or its acronym UP.[32][33]
In 1920, the capital of the province was shifted from Allahabad to
zamindari landlords attacks on their occupancy rights, thus sparking the Farmers movements in India.[36] During the Quit India Movement of 1942, Ballia district overthrew the colonial authority and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey. Ballia became known as "Baghi Ballia" (Rebel Ballia) for this significant role in India's independence movement.[37]
Post-Independence (1947 – present)
1950 – 2000
After India's independence, the United Provinces were reorganized as Uttar Pradesh in 1950. The state has provided seven of India's prime ministers and is the source of the largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Despite its political influence, its poor economic development and administrative record, organised crime and corruption kept it amongst India's backward states. The state has been affected by repeated episodes of caste and communal violence.[38]
triggered massive protests across the state as well as nationally and internationally.
2000 – present
In 2000, northern districts of the state were separated to form the state of
Rama Janmabhoomi
temple took place on 5 August 2020.
Uttar Pradesh has improved its performance considerably in the recent times witnessing lowest crime rate in 2020.[40]
The state has also made strides on various economic parameters in the recent times, doubling its
GSDP to Rs 21.73 lakh crore (2020–21) in four years from Rs 10.90 lakh crore in 2015-16.[41] Under its Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state also became the second most favourable destination in the country for doing business.[42]
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1995. "Have Aryans been identified in the prehistoric skeletal record from South Asia?", in George Erdosy, ed.: The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia, pp. 49–54.
For Cemetery H culture:
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Harmatta, János, ed., 1994. History of civilizations of Central Asia, Volume II. The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 BC to AD 250. Paris, UNESCO Publishing.
Hill, John E. 2004. The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. Draft annotated English translation. "The Han Histories". Depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 AD. Draft annotated English translation. "Weilue: The Peoples of the West". Depts.washington.edu. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
Liu, Xinru (2001). "Migration and Settlement of the Yuezhi-Kushan: Interaction and Interdependence of Nomadic and Sedentary Societies". Journal of World History. 12 (2): 261–292.
Faccenna, Domenico (1980). Butkara I (Swāt, Pakistan) 1956–1962, Volume III 1 (in English). Rome: IsMEO (Istituto Italiano Per Il Medio Ed Estremo Oriente).
Falk, Harry. 1995–1996. Silk Road Art and Archaeology IV.
Falk, Harry. 2001. "The yuga of Sphujiddhvaja and the era of the Kuṣāṇas." Silk Road Art and Archaeology VII, pp. 121–136.
Falk, Harry. 2004. "The Kaniṣka era in Gupta records." Harry Falk. Silk Road Art and Archaeology X, pp. 167–176.
Goyal, S. R. "Ancient Indian Inscriptions" Kusumanjali Book World, Jodhpur (India), 2005.
Hill, John E. 2004. The Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. Draft annotated English translation. "The Han Histories". Depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 AD. Draft annotated English translation. "Weilue: The Peoples of the West". Depts.washington.edu. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press.
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