Maurya
King Chandragupta was the founder of the Maurya Dynasty of Magadha. In this attempt he was ably assisted by the scholarly political strategist Chanakya, who was famous as Kautilya, the author of Arthashastra, a classic textbook of statecraft.
Chandragupta established his role in history and hold on the Northern India as the founder of the dynasty by waging a tough war with the forces of the Nanda dynasty. He also moved against the garrisons of the Greek, left over by the invading Alexander.
To trace back to the origins of the Maurya Chandragupta, there are not much of clear-cut evidences, though theories are several. One of these is that Chandragupta was one of the sons of the Nanda King. Other sources inform that he was a Kshatriya from Magadha, and that he studies in Taxila where he met Kautilya, who later on became his advisor.
Chandragupta legends are many and one of these is that he and Kautilya hatched out a plan while in Taxila to capture power in Magadha by going to war with the Nanda King. But this story can be traced up to Greek sources (Justinus, second century, A.D.).
Chandragupata’s move against the garrisons of the Greco-Macedonian forces was a calculated step towards his plans for the throne in Pataliputra. He expanded his territorial horizon almost to all parts of India and even went up to the borders of Persia and Central Asia. He confronted with Seleucus Nikator, a former colleague of Alexander, and later entered into a peace treaty with him which helped him extend his empire, army and power further.
Embracing Jainism he made it popular in South India also. He ruled over his vast empire of the Mauryas he founded for about 24 years (317 to 293 B.C., according to sources).
Chandragupta established his role in history and hold on the Northern India as the founder of the dynasty by waging a tough war with the forces of the Nanda dynasty. He also moved against the garrisons of the Greek, left over by the invading Alexander.
To trace back to the origins of the Maurya Chandragupta, there are not much of clear-cut evidences, though theories are several. One of these is that Chandragupta was one of the sons of the Nanda King. Other sources inform that he was a Kshatriya from Magadha, and that he studies in Taxila where he met Kautilya, who later on became his advisor.
Chandragupta legends are many and one of these is that he and Kautilya hatched out a plan while in Taxila to capture power in Magadha by going to war with the Nanda King. But this story can be traced up to Greek sources (Justinus, second century, A.D.).
Chandragupata’s move against the garrisons of the Greco-Macedonian forces was a calculated step towards his plans for the throne in Pataliputra. He expanded his territorial horizon almost to all parts of India and even went up to the borders of Persia and Central Asia. He confronted with Seleucus Nikator, a former colleague of Alexander, and later entered into a peace treaty with him which helped him extend his empire, army and power further.
Embracing Jainism he made it popular in South India also. He ruled over his vast empire of the Mauryas he founded for about 24 years (317 to 293 B.C., according to sources).
