History of Gujarat from Vedic age to Gupta Period in Brief | Gujarat State PSC (GPSC) Preparation: All subjects - GPSC (Gujarat) PDF Download

Introduction

• Gujarat, located on the western coast of India, boasts a rich historical heritage that spans several millennia. Summarizing its extensive history, we divide it into three main periods: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern.
• The Ancient period encompasses pre-history and proto-history, covering the influence of various dynasties including the Mauryas, Indo-Greeks, Kshatrapas, Guptas, Maitrakas, and Chalukyas up to 1297 AD. The Medieval period covers the era of the Delhi Sultans (1297-1307 AD), the Sultans of Gujarat (1307-1572 AD), the Mughal period (1572-1758 AD), and the Maratha period (1758-1818 AD).
• The Modern period, beginning in 1818 AD, is further divided into sections: Gujarat before 1857, Gujarat's role in the 1857 uprising, the pro-Gandhi era (1858-1915), Gandhi's period (1915-1948), and the post-independence era.

Ancient Period

• The name "Gujarat" originates from "Gujaratta" or "Gujartra," meaning the land protected by or ruled by Gujars. 
• This term became widely used during the Chalukya period (942 – 1299 A.D). Prior to this, parts of Gujarat were known as Anarta, Lata, and Surastra.

Pre-History Period

• Pre-history refers to the time before writing systems were developed. The pre-history of Gujarat starts with the early human presence along the banks of the Sabarmati, Mahi, Orsang, Narmada, Bhadar, Vadi, and Thebi rivers during the Pleistocene era, also known as the Old Stone Age. 
• These rivers have preserved remnants of early humans who lived along their banks, using pebbles from the riverbeds to make tools and sustaining themselves through hunting and gathering.

Proto-History Period

• Proto-history is the transitional phase between pre-history and recorded history. For Gujarat, this period spans from 2500 BC to 500 BC. During this time, the Harrappan culture and Yadav rule were prominent. The Harrappans initially arrived as sea traders in the third millennium BC, settling in Lothal around 2450 BC and later at Prabhas. 
• Excavations in Gujarat reveal that Harrappan culture was highly advanced and developed. According to Vedic, Purana, Buddhist, and Jain sources, Lord Krishna established the Yadav dynasty in Dwarka around 1000 BC, which played a key role in spreading Aryan culture in Gujarat.

Maurya, Indo- Greeks, Kahatrapas, Gupta, Maitrak & Chalkuya Period upto 29 A.D.

• End of Krishna's Era: Following the end of the era of Lord Krishna, historical records become scarce for nearly 3000 years. The true political history of Gujarat begins with the Mauryan Empire's establishment in the region. Chandragupta Maurya asserted his rule from Pataliputra in 319 B.C., including Saurashtra and Gujarat within his domain. His successors, Bindusara and Ashoka, continued this rule. Emperor Ashoka is known for his stone inscriptions, one of which is found at the foot of Girnar.
• Greek Incursion and Saka Rule: After the Mauryan Empire's decline and before Gujarat came under the control of the Samprati Mauryas from Ujjain, there was a Greek invasion led by Demetrius. For nearly 400 years starting from the first century, Saka rulers were prominent in Gujarat’s history. A weathered rock inscription at Junagadh provides details about Rudradaman, a Saka ruler from around 100 A.D.
• Gupta Conquest: The Saka dynasty was succeeded by the Gupta Empire when Chandragupta Vikramaditya conquered Gujarat. Both Anarta and Saurashtra became part of the Gupta Empire. Vikramaditya's successor, Skandagupta, left an inscription at Junagadh in 450 A.D.
• Maitrakas and Decline of Gupta Empire: By the mid-5th century A.D., the Gupta Empire began to decline. Senapati Bhatarka, a Maitraka general, took advantage of this decline and established the Maitraka Kingdom in 470 A.D. The Maitrakas, particularly in Vallabhi, became very influential. During Dhruvsena Maitrak's reign, the Chinese traveler Huien Tsang visited Vallabhi in 640 A.D. During this period, Gujarat was divided among three powerful dynasties: the Gujars in the north, the Chalukyas in the south, and the Maitrakas in Saurashtra. After the Maitrakas fell, the Pratiharas from the north took over, establishing control in Mandol and taking Broach from the Maitrakas.
• Chavadas Dynasty: The Chavadas, initially vassals of the Vallabhi rulers, became independent after the fall of Vallabhi and founded their own dynasty. This Chavada dynasty lasted just under a century.
• Solanki Dynasty: In 942 A.D., Mulraj, the adopted son of the last Chavada ruler Samant Singh, overthrew him and established the Solanki Dynasty. Mulraj expanded his territory, gaining control over Saurashtra and Kutch. His reign marked a golden age in Gujarat’s history, characterized by flourishing Gujarati culture, art, architecture, language, and script. It was during this period that the name "Gujarat" was officially adopted.
• Sack of Somnath: During the Solanki rule, the sacred Somnath shrine was raided by Mahmud Ghazni, who plundered the shrine and killed 50,000 Hindus.
• Fall of the Solanki Dynasty: After the Solanki dynasty fell, the Vaghelas, who had served the Solankis, established their own short-lived but significant dynasty. Karandev of the Vaghela dynasty was the last Hindu ruler of Gujarat, defeated by Alauddin Khilji in 1297. With this defeat, Gujarat became part of the Muslim empire, and Rajput control over the region ended permanently.

Mediaeval Period

Sultans of Delhi & Gujarat and Mulsim’ Period upto 1758 A.D.

• Early Muslim Contact and Establishment of Rule: Prior to 1298 A.D., Muslim presence in Gujarat was sporadic. However, following the defeat of Karandev Vaghela by Alauddin Khilji, Muslim rule was firmly established in Gujarat. For nearly 400 years, the region was under either the viceroyalty of Delhi or various Muslim Sultanates.
• Rise of the Sultanate: Zaffar Shah, a Delhi viceroy in Gujarat, capitalized on the political instability in Delhi to declare his independence, becoming the first Sultan of Gujarat. His successor, Ahmed Shah, founded a new city named Ahmedabad, which became the capital of subsequent regimes and developed into a thriving metropolis. Under Mahmud Shah, the region enjoyed renewed prosperity, and Patan, once a center of Hindu learning, became a prominent center of Islamic scholarship.
• Decline of the Sultanate and Mughal Ascendancy: The Sultanate's decline began with the assassination of Skinder Shah. The end of Bahadur Shah, the last Sultan, at the hands of Mughal Emperor Akbar marked the beginning of Mughal rule in Gujarat, which lasted approximately 185 years. The end of Mughal control in Gujarat came in 1758 when Momin Khan surrendered to the Marathas.

Modern Period

The Marathas and the British Rule upto 1947 A.D.

• Maratha Entry into Gujarat: In the mid-17th century, as the Mughal Empire began to weaken, the Marathas were strengthening their position in the west. Chhatrapati Shivaji, a prominent Maratha ruler, launched two attacks on Surat, first in 1664 and again in 1672, marking the Marathas' entry into Gujarat. Before these Maratha incursions, European powers, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and English, had established a presence in Gujarat.
• Peshwa Rule and Maratha Administration: The Peshwas established control over Gujarat, including Saurashtra, and administered the region through representatives. Damaji Gaekwad and Kadam Bande divided the Peshwa's territories, with Damaji Gaekwad establishing the Gaekwad's dominance over Gujarat and making Baroda his capital. The internal conflicts among the Marathas were exploited by the British, who began interfering in the affairs of both the Gaekwads and the Peshwas.
• British Influence and Subsidiary Alliance: The British implemented a policy of Subsidiary Alliance to establish their supremacy over various princely states. Madhavrao Gaekwad aligned with the British in 1802, leading to the gradual end of Maratha rule in Gujarat and the establishment of British paramountcy by 1819.

Pre-Independence

• Gujarat played a crucial role in India's freedom struggle, particularly after Mahatma Gandhi assumed leadership of the movement. Besides Gandhi, Gujarat was home to prominent figures such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, Vithalbhai Patel, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, all of whom made significant contributions to the fight for independence. 
• Notably, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in persuading the princely states to join the Indian Union following the British withdrawal and the partition of India and Pakistan.