HISTORY OF ASSAM

A detail discussion……………
# The history of Assam is divided into four broad categories- a) Ancient b)Medieval
c) Colonial d)Post-Colonial Assam.
ANCIENT ASSAM (350 -1206 or 4th Century -12th century)
# The historical account of Assam begins with Varman dynasty.
# Varman dynasty was established by Pushyavarman in 4 th Century in KAMRUP.
# It extend from the Karatoya in the west to Sadiya in the east.
# Varman dynasty reached its height during Bhaskarvarman’s rule in 7 th century.
#During Bhaskarvarman’s rule Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited his court and wrote
a significant account of Assam.
#After Bhaskarvarman’s death the control of the dynasty went to Salastambha and
he established a new dynasty called MLECHA DYNASTY.
#The Mlecha dynasty rule Kamrupa from 650-900 .
#Their capital was at HADAPESHVAR (TEZPUR).
#In 9th century theie downfall started and a new ruler came up.
# This new ruler was BRAHMAPALA who established PALA DYNASTY.
# Their ruler was elected like the Palas of Bengal .
#But the Palas of Bengal were Budhhists ,the Pala’s of Kamrup were Hindu.
#Their capital’s are HADAPESHVAR(TEZPUR),DURJAYA (NORTH-GUWAHATI)
,KAMRUPNAGARA(GUWAHATI)
# Their kings are Ratnapala,IndraPala, Gopala,Harshapala,Dharmapala,Jayapala.
#Pala kingdom came to an end when Kamrupa was invaded by Gaur king Ramapal(Bengal )
(1072-1126)
#The work of Pala dynasty is reflected in Madan Kamdev sculpture.
# After this Kingdom the Ancient history of ASSAM DECLIE and a new histroy period begins.
 MEDIEVAL ASSAM(1206-1826)
# In the 13th century Sandhya ,a Kamrupnagara king moved his capital to Kamatapur as the
TURKS OF BENGAL were attacking and he established KAMATA KINGDOM.
# The last kings of the Kamata kingdomwere removed by Alauddin Hussain Shah(Sultan of
Bengal) in 1498.
# Although Shah started ruling but they could not established a kingdom because of BHUYAN
CHIEFTIANS.
#BHUYAN CHIEFTIANS were local warrior or landlords of Assam who protected the land.
# In the beginning of the 16th century Vishwa Singha (Koch tribe)established The KOCH
DYNASTY in KAMATA kingdom.
#During the periodof NARANARAYAN AND CHILARI,son of Vishawa singh this dynasty reached
its height.
# Similarly in eastern paert THE KACHARI AND THE CHUTIYA kingdom arouse with some
BHUYAN CHIEFTIANS.
#BIRPALA was the founder of Chutiya kingdom and he formed his first kingdom in Swarnagiri
(Swansiri river) in 1187.
#Ratnadhaajpal ,son of BIRPAL later shifted the capital to RATNAPUR(majuli) and sbsorbed the
Pala dynasty and finally moved to Sdiya in1248.
# The founder about KACHARI kingdom is not known .
#They are also known as DIMASA KINGDOM.
# In this period only a SHAN GROUP from CHINA entered ASSAM and they established AHOM
KINGDOM.
# The 16th century was very crucial for ASSAM as the AHOM defeated the indigenous groups of
ASSAM CHUTIYA KINGDOM ,KACHARI KINGDOM .
#It was also the period of the growth of EKSARANA DHARMA of SRIMANTA SANKARDEVA.
# During this period the KOCH king NARANARAYN died and the KAMATA KINGDOM was
divided into two Parts-KOCH BIHAR (WEST)AND KOCH HAJO(EAST)
# There started the conflict between the the groups which resulted in the entry of MUGHALS
and extension of AHOM KINGDOM.
# The 17th century was important for the conflict between AHOM-MUGHAL and the most
important BATTLE OF SARAIGAHT took PLACE in 1671 which finally ended in 1682
defeating the MUGHALS at ITAKHULI in Guwahati.
# Mughal empire was led by (KACHWAHA KING RAJA RAMSING I )
#Ahom Kingdom was led by LACHIT BORPHUKAN at Brahmaputra river ,Saraigaht.
#Ahom army was weaker then Mughal’s but with brilliant tactics they won the battle.
# Battle of Itakhuli was fought in 1682 between AHOM and MUGHALS.
#In this battle the AHOM pushed back then Mughal to the west of the MANAS river .
#The Main battle was fought between MUGHAL FAUZDAR MANSUR KHAN and the AHOM
COMMANDER DIHINGIA ALUN BORBORUA..The Mughals were defeated.
With this AHOM recovered Sarkar KAMRUP from MUGHALS.
# In 18th century AHOM KINGDOM lost its power under the hands of MOAMORIA REBELLION.
# The MOAMORIA REBELLION (1769-1805) was the 18th century conflict between Ahom and
the MOTOK(CHUTIYA and MORAN ) .
# The Ahom kingdom was entering a crisis as the PAIK system on which the state was based
was unable to adapt to the changing economy and emerging social classes.
#The rise of the Sattras was one of the reason for the leakage of manpower from the Paik
system .
#Under the Paik system adult and male between 16-50 years of age were obliged to render
 services to the state and forms its militia and in return they received a piece of land for
cultivation.The structure was designed by MOMAI TAMULI BORBORUA in 1608 and
implemented extensively during the reign of JAYADDHWAJ SINGHA.
# So there arose conflicts between the AHOMS and those who were building sattras and the
MOAMORIA REBELLION took place.
#The rebellion started during the days of Swargadeo Lakshmi Singha and ended during the reign of
Kamaleshwar Singha.
#The AHOM king failed to retake the entire kingdom ,the paik system was abolished and the
economy was totally destroyed .
#The weakened AHOM kingdom fell to a BURMESE INVASION which ultimately led to colonization.
# With the defeat of the BURMESE in the first ANGLO- BURMESE war and the subsequent TREATY
OF YANDABOO ,control of Assam passed into the hands of the BRITISH.
#The TREATY OF YANDABOO was a peace treaty that ended the first ANGLO-BRITISH war.
#It was signed on 24th Feb,1826 nearly after the war was broken out on 1824 between Brtish and
Burmese .
#The BURMESE accepted the British terms to without discussion and they agreed on British
interference on ASSAM .