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Ancient 09

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23 views7 pages

Ancient 09

Uploaded by

Roselin Vinisha R
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ANCIENT INDIA - 09

MAGADHA EMPIRE
• BC 600 – BC 400 - the struggle for supremacy
amongst the 4 MahajanapadasMagadha, Kosala,
Vatsa and Avanti.
• Ultimately, Magadha emerged as the most
powerful and prosperous kingdom in the North
India.
MAGADHA
➢ Founder - Jarasandha & Brihadratha.
➢ Growth - under the Haryankas
➢ Expansion – under Shishunagas & Nandas
➢ Zenith - under the Mauryas.
Causes of Magadha Rise
1. Advantageous geographical location
2. Abundance of natural resources such as iron,
helped in preparing effective weapons.
3. The alluvial soil of the Gangetic plains
4. sufficient rainfall were very conducive for
agriculture produce.
5. Unorthodox character of Magadhan society
6. ambitious rulers.
HARYANKA DYNASTY
BIMBISARA (544 BC- 492 BC)
• He built the capital city Rajgir (Girivraja), which was
surrounded by five hills.
• He was contemporary to Gautama Buddha and
Mahavira
• the first king to have standing army for which he is
known as Seniya.
• He defeated Anga King Brahmadatta and strengthened
his own position by matrimonial alliances.
• His 3 wives belonged to
1. Royal family of Koshala - Mahakosaladevi
(sister of Prasenjit ruler of Kashi)
2. Lichchhavi – Chellana (sister of Chetaka)
3. Madra clan of Punjab – Khema
(Daughter of Madra king).
• He sent his personal physician, Jivaka to his rival
Avanti king Chandapradyota Mahasena of Ujjain, to
cure him of jaundice.
• The Gandhara ruler of Taxila, Pukku Sati, sent an
ambassador to Bimbisara.
AJATASHATRU (492 BC- 460 BC)
• He was son of Chellana and Bimbisara.
• He occupied the throne by killing his father.
• He adopted an aggressive policy of expansion and gained complete control over Kasi.
• He defeated his maternal uncle Prasenjit, king of Kosala and married his daughter Vijjira.
• He destroyed Vaishali (capital of the Lichchhavis) after a protracted war of sixteen years, by sowing
the seeds of discord amongst the people of Vaishali.
• Sunidha and Vatsakar Ajatashatru’s diplomatic ministers.
• Mahashilakantaka a war engine, which catapulted big stones and Rathamusala a kind of chariot with
a mace; helped him to defeat the Lichchhavis.
• He fortified Rajagriha to meet the threat from Avanti.
• He also built the fort of Rajagriha and Jaladurga (a water fort) at Patali village on the bank of river
Ganges.
• He patronised the first Buddhist Council and Buddha died during his reign
UDAYIN (460 BC-444 BC)
• Son and successor of Ajatashatru.
• He built the fort upon the confluence of the Ganga and the Son rivers at Pataliputra (Patna),
• Transferred the capital from Rajgriha to the new city Pataliputra.
• Udayin was succeeded by weak rulers Anuruddha, Munda and Naga Dasak.
SHISHUNAGA DYNASTY(412 BC-344 BC)
SHISHUNAGA
• Shishunaga was the minister of Nag-Dasak and was elected by the people.
• He destroyed the Pradyota dynasty of Avanti.
• This ended the hundred year old rivalry between the two states and Avanti became a part of Magadh.
• He temporarily shifted the capital to Vaishali.
KALASHOKA (KAKAVARIN)
• He succeeded Shishunaga.
• He transferred the capital from Vaishali to Pataliputra
• convened the second Buddhist Council in Vaishali (383 BC).
• Sabakami was the President of this council.

NANDA DYNASTY (344 BC-323 BC)


It is considered to be the first non-Kshatriya dynasty of Magadha.
MAHAPADMANANDA - The first empire builder of Indian History.’
• Mahapadmananda, the great conqueror and founder of the Nanda dynasty
• Also known as ‘Ekarat’, ‘Eka-chhatra’ (sovereign ruler)
Sarvakshatrantaka - uprooter of the Kshatriyas (by Puranas), Ugrasena - owner of huge army (Pali texts).
• He conquered Koshala and Kalinga (and from here, he brought an image of the Jina as victory trophy).
• Succeeded by his eight sons, last one being Dhanananda.
DHANA NANDA (Last Nanda Ruler)
• Alexander invaded North-Western
India during his reign (326 BC).
• The huge army of Dhanananda
deterred Alexander from
advancing towards Gangetic
valley.

• He is probably referred to as
Agrammes or Xan-drames in the
Greek texts.
• Chandragupta Maurya, assisted
by Kautilya overthrew
Dhanananda to establish Mauryan
dynasty in 321 BC.

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