Chandragupta Maurya

(noun)

The founder of the Maurya Empire; he lived from 340-298 BCE.

Related Terms

Examples of Chandragupta Maurya in the following topics:

  • Rise of the Maurya Empire

    • Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in 322 BCE when he conquered the kingdom of Magadha and the northwestern Macedonian satrapies.
    • Chanakya encouraged the young Chandragupta Maurya and his army to take over the throne of Magadha.
    • The Maurya Empire when it was first founded by Chandragupta Maurya c. 320 BCE, after conquering the Nanda Empire when he was only about 20 years old.
    • Statue of Chandragupta Maurya at the Birla Mandir Hindu temple, Delhi
    • Chandragupta Maurya conquered the kingdom of Magadha to found the Maurya Empire in 231 BCE, at the age of 21.

  • Centralization in the Maurya Empire

    • Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire, ruled from 324-297 BCE, before voluntarily abdicating in favor of his son, Bindusara, who ruled from 297 BCE until his death in 272 BCE.
    • Chandragupta Maurya, the father of the dynasty, established a single currency across India, a network of regional governors and administrators, and a civil service to provide justice and security for merchants, farmers, and traders.
    • The Maurya Empire’s political unity and internal peace encouraged the expansion of trade in India.
    • Maurya Empire at its greatest extent (dark orange), including vassal kingdoms (light orange), 265 BCE
    • Chandragupta Maurya established a single currency across India, including these silver punch mark coins with symbols of wheel and elephant, 3rd century BCE

  • Expansion of the Maurya Empire

    • In 305 BCE, Emperor Chandragupta Maurya led a series of campaigns to retake the satrapies left behind by Alexander the Great when he returned westward.
    • Chandragupta Maurya ruled from 322 BCE until his voluntary retirement and abdication, in favor of his son, Bindusara, in 298 BCE.
    • Bindusara (320-272 BCE) was the son of Maurya and his queen, Durdhara.
    • Chandragupta extended the borders of the Maurya Empire toward Seleucid Persia, after defeating Seleucus c. 305 BCE.
    • Extent of the Maurya Empire at its height in 265 BCE

  • Alexander's Empire

    • Taking advantage of this, Chandragupta Maurya (referred to in Greek sources as Sandrokottos), of relatively humble origin, took control of the Punjab, and with that power base proceeded to conquer the Nanda Empire.

  • Ashoka's Conversion

    • Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of India.
    • One of the more enduring legacies of Ashoka Maurya was the model that he provided for the relationship between Buddhism and the state.
    • In this source, his conversion has nothing to do with the Kalinga War or his descent from the Maurya dynasty.

  • Rise of the Gupta Empire

    • Samudragupta succeeded his father, Chandragupta I, in 335 CE and ruled for about 45 years.
    • According to the Gupta records, Samudragupta nominated his son, Prince Chandragupta II, born of queen Dattadevi, as his successor.
    • However, his eldest son, Ramagupta, may have been his immediate successor until he was dethroned by Chandragupta II in 380 CE.
    • The period of Gupta rule, especially the reign of Chandragupta II, is still remembered as the Golden Age of India.
    • The Iron Pillar of Delhi, India, erected by Chandragupta II to honor the Hindu god Vishnu in the 4th century CE.

  • Decline of the Maurya Empire

    • The Sunga Dynasty usurped the Maurya Dynasty while parts of the empire were incorporated into the Indo-Greek Kingdom.
    • As Ashoka's highly centralized government lost power, the Maurya Empire lost its control over its territories.
    • Brihadratha, the last ruler of the Maurya Dynasty, was assassinated in 185 BCE.
    • In the east, the fall of the Mauryas left the Khyber Pass unguarded, and a wave of foreign invasion followed.
    • Describe the factors that contributed to the decline of the Maurya Empire

  • The Golden Age of India

    • Although Chandragupta I and his son, Samudragupta, were prominent rulers, the reign of Chandragupta II included the greatest promotion of science, art, philosophy, and religion by the government.
    • Chandragupta's court was even more influential than those that came before or after because it contained the Navaratnas, or the Nine Jewels, a group of nine scholars who produced advancements in many academic fields.
    • Fa Xian was one of the first Chinese travelers to visit India during the reign of Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II.
    • Scholars during the reign of Chandragupta II contributed many scientific advancements in the fields of astronomy, mathematics and medicine.

  • Decline of the Gupta Empire

    • The Gupta Empire flourished, in military and territorial conquests as well as cultural and scholastic advancements, during the reign of Emperor Chandragupta II.
    • In 415 CE Chandragupta II was succeeded by his second son, Kumaragupta I, who ruled successfully until 455 CE.

  • Buddhism

    • Buddhism was overshadowed by the more dominant Hindu religion, but this began to change in the 3rd century BCE; this was when one of the Indian subcontinent’s great rulers, Ashoka I of the Maurya Empire, renounced wars, despite having waged war to build his own kingdom.