What follows is my personal take on Dalek history as it has been presented in the Doctor Who television series and the Big Finish Production's CDs.  It is not intended to be the definitive end to this entire topic.  It is important however, before engaging in a tome of this size, that the reader be aware of certain personal views in regards to my reconstruction of the Dalek's history.  I tend to disagree with the "official" BBC history of the Daleks as printed in several books, including The Official Doctor Who and the Daleks Book by John Peel.  I feel the order of accounts that have been presented within the "official" order of events distort some of the historical facts in regards to the Daleks' encounters with The Doctor, as well as the physical changes and advances in the Daleks themselves.   Therefore if you take Dalek history according to the varying dates mentioned within the episodes and then place these episodes within chronological order, one ends up with a convoluted history that makes no logical sense.  For example, according to the BBC, the official chronology of the Dalek episodes are as follows:

          The problem with this order however, is that it contradicts events which appeared within the actual episodes of the series, and thus goes against canon.  For example, according to the BBC's official history, the Third Doctor's encounter with the Daleks in "Planet of the Daleks" occurs before the Second Doctor's encounter with them in "Power of the Daleks" and "Evil of the Daleks."  Yet it is very obvious in "Day of the Daleks" (which the BBC lists as taking place after "Planet of the Daleks" by the way) that the Daleks do not recognize the Doctor in his third incarnation, even though, according to BBC order, they had already encountered the Third Doctor on Spiridon.  In fact, it has recently been pointed out on the BBC's Official Doctor Who web site that a scene where the Gold Dalek tells the Third Doctor that all the "humanized" Daleks have been defeated, was cut from "Day of the Daleks" for reasons of time.  This small deletion however, clearly places the events from "Day of the Daleks" after those in "Evil of the Daleks."
        In addition the BBC's history does not take into account the various physical changes in Dalek appearances and advances in their technologies over the years.  The ability to travel on metal flooring only, as established in "The Dead Planet" was supplanted first by a radar disc mounted to the travel machine's back, and then by solar slats mounted around the machine's mid-section.  The BBC's history however, has them evolving backwards.  The first Daleks form "Genesis" employing the mid-section slats and de-evolving to the "powered from the floor of their city" versions.  Therefore I find it necessary (and more logical) to draft their history in the order of their appearances during the program.  Beginning with the events portrayed in "The Dead Planet" and ending with the most recent Dalek Empire audio adventures, as well as some of the books, but a word on those a bit later.
        In addition, I will try to work in one or two of the Doctor Who stage productions which featured the Daleks, as well as certain aspects of the Dalek comics, especially the TV 21 Comics which were popular in the 1960s.  If possible, events depicted in the various "Dalek Annuals," as well as comics and other "appearances" will be included in the history.  However as research material on these adventures is limited, the reader will forgive me if I miss some important points.  I should also point out that in the original version of this history (which appeared on rec.arts.drwho), I tried to work in the events from John Peel's novels "War of the Daleks," and "Legacy of the Daleks."  I have decided however, that with the release of Big Finish Production's "Dalek Empire" series, the events in these fine books becomes, if not impossible, very difficult to account for.  So I hope the reader will forgive me if I decide to ignore, or at the very least play down, these events all together.
        It should also be noted that I will be taking the events depicted in "Genesis of the Daleks" somewhat lightly.  I have always felt that the creation and extreme over use of Davros belittled the Daleks instead of enhancing them.  In this respect the events occurring in "Genesis" will be chronicled, but the focus on Davros will be downplay.  It should also be noted that the involvement of The Doctor, Sara and Harry will be omitted, taking the approach that the Daleks had to be created at least once before the TimeLords sent the Doctor and his party back to interfere with them.  I will also be referring to the Kaleds by their original name, again drawing from the original script.  Where appropriate I will work in the aspects of the novelization versions of the stories rather than the television scripts, as in some cases I feel that the novel plot's correct, or at least improved on, short comings in the televised versions.  Therefore the events which occurred in "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" will represent another group of Daleks located from a different city on Skaro chronology after the events in "The Dead Planet" (as opposed to the Doctor's explanation that these Daleks come from "an earlier time" in Dalek history).
        Finally, it is important to remember that the history of any fictional character, especially a character that has spanned almost 40 years, is subject to the passage of time, and the whims of the writer.  Terry Nation himself penned at least four different versions of the Dalek's creation (see Davros, Daleks and the Question of Their Origins), and by the mid-1960s had intended to bring the Daleks to American television (writing their final end in "Evil of the Daleks"), thus withdrawing the rights of the BBC to use them.   The same goes for the dating within some of the episodes.  Dates like A.D. 4000, referred to in stories like "The Dalek Master Plan" will be, again like the John Peel books, either outright ignored or extremely downplayed, as it was impossible for the production team at that time to foresee the series lasting 40 some odd years.  Therefore I will try to fit all the episodes within the time frame consistent with Dalek (and Earth), on screen technology.  Of course I would appreciate feed back on this as well as your own personal input.  Thanks!

Text and Concept © 1999, 2002 Visagraph Films International/John Rocco Roberto
Revised version and layout © 2003/2005 John Rocco Roberto.
Doctor Who series © 1963 British Broadcasting Company.