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| 753–973 |
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| The Rashtrakuta dynasty of Canarese kings, already enthroned in North Berar (631) and in Gujarat (c. 700), was elevated to empire by Dantidurga, who soon overthrew the Chalukyas. | 1 |
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| 758–72 |
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| Rashtrakuta Krishnaraja I cut from the cliff and decorated with Saiva sculpture the Kailasa (natha) temple at Ellora to rival that of Kanchi. To the same Canarese dynasty, if not to the same reign, belong the equally classic Saiva sculptures of the cave-temples at Elephanta (an island in Bombay harbor). The successors of Krishnaraja were Govinda II (779) and Dhruva (783), who defeated the Pallava Nandivarman II and the Gurjara Vatsaraja. | 2 |
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| 774–13th Century |
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| The Eastern Gangas ruled Kalinga, waging constant war with the Chalukyas of Vengi and the princes of Orissa. | 3 |
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| c. 788–c. 850 |
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| Samkara of Malabar revitalized the Vedanta, creating an unobtrusively new but consistent synthesis of tradition. His doctrine became accepted as orthodox Brahmanism. He taught a rigorous monism (advaita). For those engrossed in worldly phenomena (maya), he recognized that a simpler kind of knowledge was necessary; and for them he was a practical apostle of Saivism. Although he denounced Buddhism, he imitated its moral teaching. He founded four scholastic monasteries (maths), which still survive at Sringeri (Mysore), Puri (Orissa), Badrinath (the Himalaya), and Dwaraka (western Kathiawar). Ramanuja (c. 1055–1137) of Kanchi (Conjeeveran, near Madras) also interpreted the Vedanta. For him, souls are distinct from Brahman, whose representatives they are, and from the material world with which they are entangled. It is through piety toward Vishnu and his saving grace that they may recover their divine nature. | 4 |
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| c. 790 |
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| The Chalukya Vikramaditya II was defeated by the Rashtrakuta Dhruva (779–94). | 5 |
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| 794–813 |
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| Rashtrakuta Govinda II seized Malwa with Chitor from the Gurjaras, and enthroned his brother as head of a second Rashtrakuta dynasty in Gujarat (till c. 900). He took from the Pallava (c. 800) tribute and territory as far as the Tungabhadra. | 6 |
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| c. 812–44 |
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| Pallava Nandivarman III helped Govinda III to crown Sivamara II as Ganga king of Mysore. At the same time (c. 812) Pandya Varaguna I imposed suzerainty on the Pallavas. | 7 |
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| 817–77 |
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| Rashtrakuta Amoghavarsha I moved the capital from Nasik to Malkhed, the better to carry on war against the Vengi. He abdicated and died in saintly Jain fashion. The last of his line found death in Jain starvation (982). | 8 |
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| c. 825–1312 |
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| The Yadavas, early suzerains of a score of petty vassal kings, occupied in turn three capitals: (modern) Chandor and Sinnar (1069), both near Nasik, and the fortress of Devagiri (c. 1111), renamed Daulatabad (1327). They fell heir to the northern possessions of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. | 9 |
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| 843–1249 |
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| The Silaharas, another petty dynasty, under Chalukya or Rashtrakuta suzerainty, provided 45 kings in three different areas along the west coast north of Goa. The Parsis (Parsees), refugees in Kathiawar, had probably already reached Thana near Bombay during the 8th century. | 10 |
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| 844–88 |
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| Gunaga Vijayaditya III fought successfully against western and northern enemies, and by the defeat of the Pallava Aparajita and the Pandya Varaguna II helped the rising Chola to supersede both. His association of two brothers as kings-consort led ultimately to succession struggles that placed eight kings on the throne in ten years (918–27). | 11 |
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| c. 844–70 |
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| Pallava Nripatungavarman recovered Tanjore and obtained the submission of Varaguna II (862) and of Ganga Prithivipati I. | 12 |
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