diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54221d5..882cf62 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ li {
         <td>cubic bezier easing functions: http://easings.net/de</td>
         <td>default: 'ease'</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td>initialIndex</td>
+        <td>the slide index to show when the slider is initialized</td>
+        <td>default: 0</td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <td>classNameFrame</td>
         <td>class name for slider frame</td>
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 7f9868f..85e324a 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -700,6 +700,11 @@ <h2>Options</h2>
                     <td>time for the snapBack of the slider if the slide attempt was not valid</td>
                     <td>default: 200</td>
                 </tr>
+                <tr>
+                    <td>initialIndex</td>
+                    <td>the slide index to show when the slider is initialized</td>
+                    <td>default: 0</td>
+                </tr>
                 <tr>
                     <th>ease</th>
                     <td>cubic bezier easing functions: http://easings.net/de</td>
diff --git a/src/defaults.js b/src/defaults.js
index 9973bc0..5615b6e 100644
--- a/src/defaults.js
+++ b/src/defaults.js
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ export default {
      */
     infinite: false,
 
+    /**
+     * the slide index to show when the slider is initialized.
+     * @initialIndex {number}
+     */
+    initialIndex: 0,
+
     /**
      * class name for slider frame
      * @classNameFrame {string}
diff --git a/src/lory.js b/src/lory.js
index b321f4e..2944bdf 100644
--- a/src/lory.js
+++ b/src/lory.js
@@ -243,9 +243,11 @@ export function lory (slider, opts) {
             classNamePrevCtrl,
             classNameNextCtrl,
             enableMouseEvents,
-            classNameActiveSlide
+            classNameActiveSlide,
+            initialIndex
         } = options;
 
+        index = initialIndex;
         frame = slider.getElementsByClassName(classNameFrame)[0];
         slideContainer = frame.getElementsByClassName(classNameSlideContainer)[0];
         prevCtrl = slider.getElementsByClassName(classNamePrevCtrl)[0];
@@ -298,7 +300,7 @@ export function lory (slider, opts) {
      * reset function: called on resize
      */
     function reset () {
-        var {infinite, ease, rewindSpeed, rewindOnResize, classNameActiveSlide} = options;
+        var {infinite, ease, rewindSpeed, rewindOnResize, classNameActiveSlide, initialIndex} = options;
 
         slidesWidth = slideContainer.getBoundingClientRect()
             .width || slideContainer.offsetWidth;
@@ -312,7 +314,7 @@ export function lory (slider, opts) {
         }
 
         if (rewindOnResize) {
-            index = 0;
+            index = initialIndex;
         } else {
             ease = null;
             rewindSpeed = 0;
diff --git a/test/lory.test.js b/test/lory.test.js
index ab86d70..99547df 100644
--- a/test/lory.test.js
+++ b/test/lory.test.js
@@ -335,6 +335,26 @@ describe('lory()', function () {
                 });
             });
         });
+
+        describe('with initialIndex', function () {
+            beforeEach(function () {
+                instance = lory(element, {
+                    initialIndex: 3
+                });
+            });
+
+            describe('called once', function() {
+                var expectedIndex = 2;
+
+                beforeEach(function () {
+                    instance.prev();
+                });
+
+                it('index has to be 2 (one less than initialIndex)', function() {
+                    assert.equal(instance.returnIndex(), expectedIndex);
+                });
+             });
+         });
     });
 
     describe('.destroy()', function () {