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The British Raj refers to the British rule of the Indian subcontinent, present-day India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Myanmar, during which period these lands were under the colonial control of Britain as part of the British Empire.
Although Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) is peripheral to the Indian subcontinent, it is not counted part of the Raj, as it was ruled as a Crown Colony from London rather than by the Viceroy of India as a part of the Indian Empire. French India and Portuguese Empire India (Goa being the capital) consisted of coastal territories governed by France and Portugal respectively; they were integrated into the newly formed Republic of India after Indian independence in 1947.
Since the independence of these countries their pre-independent existence has been loosely termed British India, Portuguese India depending on the context. Although prior to independence that term British India or British Raj referred only to those portions of the subcontinent under direct rule by the British administration in Delhi and previously Calcutta.
Much of the territory under British sway during this time was not directly ruled by the British, but were nominally independent Princely States which were directly under the rule of the Maharajas, Rajas, Thakurs and Nawabs, Sultans who entered into treaties as sovereigns with the British monarch as their feudal superior. Aden was part of "British India" from 1839, as was Burma from 1886; both became separate crown colonies of the British Empire in 1937. It lasted from 1858, when the rule of the British East India Company was transferred to the Crown, until 1947, when pre-independence India was partitioned into two sovereign states, India and Pakistan.
Timeline of British India
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/empire/india/timeline.html
- 1600 - The East India Company (EIC) is formed, 1600.
- 1615 - The company acquires it's first territory in Bombay.
- 1748 - Anglo-French War In India.
- 1757 - War of Plassey.
- 1792 - The EIC defeats the Marathas and Tippu Sultan of Mysore.
- 1806 - 10 July: Mutiny at Vellore
- 1857 - Mutiny of the Indian Army at Barrackpore. The Rebellion becomes a War of Independence. First Indian War of Independence.
- 1858 - Bahadur Shah Zafar, The Last Mogul, is proclaimed as Emperor. The Mutiny is Crushed and the Last Mogul Emperor, is disposed. The Revolt is crushed ruthlessly. End of the EIC's rule in India. End of Mogul rule in India. British Crown takes over India, beginning of the Raj.
- 1869 - Mahatma Gandhi born in Porbandar, Gujarat (Oct 2)
- 1877 - Queen Victoria becomes the Empress of India.
- 1885 - Indian National Congress is formed.
- 1897 - Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
- 1914 - The Great War breaks out in Europe.
- 1919 - Jalianwala Bagh Massacre. Parliament passes the Rowlatt Acts.
- 1939 - World War II breaks out with Germany's invasion of Poland.
- 1947 - India and Pakistan become self-governing.
Bibliography and Web Resources
Kamat, K.L. Kamat's Potpourri, The Sword of Tippu Sultan
References and Resources
Actual transition of power took place through June 1948.