British Raj

British Raj was a colony in Gangetic plain and Nepal (South Asia) that lasted from 1858 to 1947 CE, about 89 years. Its people spoke Germanic languages (Gothic, Frankish, English, German, Dutch, Norse).

Direct Crown rule after the 1857 rebellion, run by a viceroy over British provinces and about 560 princely states. Railways, famines and a mass nationalist movement led by Congress and Gandhi marked it until independence and partition in 1947.

See British Raj on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1858 to 1947 CE

Duration

89 years

Type

Colony

Region

Gangetic plain and Nepal, South Asia

Language family

Germanic

Capital

Calcutta, New Delhi from 1911

Came from

• Mughal Empire 1526 to 1857 CE
• Company rule in India 1757 to 1858 CE

Became

• Republic of India 1947 CE to the present
• Pakistan 1947 CE to the present

Events in South Asia during its time

• 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre
• 1930 Gandhi's Salt March
• 1947 Independence and partition

Neighbours in South Asia

• Republic of India 1947 CE to the present
• Kingdom of Mysore c. 1399 to 1950 CE
• Kingdom of Nepal 1768 to 2008 CE
• Hyderabad State 1724 to 1948 CE
• Company rule in India 1757 to 1858 CE
• Pakistan 1947 CE to the present
• Kingdom of Mewar c. 728 to 1949 CE
• Kingdom of Manipur c. 1110 to 1949 CE
• Kingdom of Marwar c. 1226 to 1949 CE
• Twipra Kingdom c. 1400 to 1949 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Qing dynasty 1636 to 1912 CE, East Asia
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe
• Haiti 1804 CE to the present, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Russian Empire 1721 to 1917 CE, Europe

Questions