Bengaluru through the ages 4000 BC to 1803 AD

Middle stone age – Stone implements found at Jalahalli,  Sudasandra, Siddhapura, Jadigenahalli (outskirts of Bangalore)

Iron age – Burial grounds found at Koramangala and Chikkajala (24 km). Pre-historic sites found near Anekal, Tarabanahalli and other places

Coins of Roman emperors Augustus, Tyberius, Cladius found at Yeshwanthpur and HAL indicating the Bangalore region’s transoceanic contacts

The name Bengalooru occurs for the first time on a 9th century stone inscription at Begur. Part of Gangavadi 96,000, a village in the Ganga kingdom. (The suffix is a numerical code of those days)

Became a part of the Chola empire which conquered the Ganga kingdom. The south Bangalore region was called Nikarilacholamandala

Kempegowda I (1513-1569), a local chieftain in the Vijayanagar Empire, builds the town of Bangalore in the Yelahanka province. His son builds the famous four watch towers

In the midst of turmoil in the wake of the great empire’s fall, Kempegowda continues to rule the town and the Yelahanka province

• Led by Ranadulla Khan with Shahaji Bhonsle, father of the great Shivaji, as second in command, captures the Bangalore fort
• Mohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur, gifts Bangalore and surrounding areas as Jagir to Shivaji

• Shivaji, his mother Jijabai and teacher Dadaji Kondadeva visit Bangalore.
• Shivaji’s marriage takes place in Bangalore

Venkaji, step brother of Shivaji, inherits Bangalore. Venkaji usurps the Tanjore principality, and decides to sell Bangalore to Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar, King of Mysore. In the meantime, Mughal ruler, Aurangazeb
sends his general Khasim Khan to take Bangalore

Mughal Army captures Bangalore. For three years, Bangalore is under the rule of the Mughal subedar of Sira province

The Sira subedar sells Bangalore to Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar for 3 lakh pagodas (1673 – 1704). Bangalore becomes a part of Mysore kingdom

Hyder Ali receives Bangalore as jagir from Krishnaraja Wodeyar II. Hyder Ali fortifies the southern fort and makes Bangalore an army town.

Hyder Ali plans Lalbagh gardens with an expanse of 16 ha, importing plants from Delhi, Lahore and Multan. Tipu Sultan expanded the gardens and added exotic plants imported from Kabul, Persia, Mauritius and Turkey

Tipu Palace by Hyder Ali (started in 1761 completed in 1791)

British under Lord Cornwallis defeat Tipu Sultan, occupy Bangalore for a year. As per the treaty of Serirangapatam, Bangalore returned to Tipu Sultan

• Tipu Sultan dies in the Fourth Mysore War. As per the Partition Treaty, Bangalore is restored to the Mysore Kingdom under the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, British resident functions from Bangalore
• Bangalore a part of Tipu Sultan’s postal network comprising Srirangapatna, Bidanur, Gutti, Gurramkonda, Chitradurga and Sira

• British encourage trading in Bangalore but discourage manufacturing
• Bangalore G.P.O. (then Imperial Post Office) opened

A runner line of postal service between Bombay, Madras and Bangalore established