7.1 The Maurya

THE KINGDOM OF MAGADHA

By the end of the Vedic age many kingdoms covered India.

The strongest of the kingdoms was Magadha.

In 321 B.C., a rebel army led by Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the king of Magadha

CHANDRAGUPTA UNITES INDIA

Chandragupta Maurya was the first to unite India’s many kingdoms into one empire—the Maurya.

The brilliant military leader, Chandragupta was guided by a Brahmin named Kautilya.

Legends say that Chandragupta was born into a royal family but left with poor farmers when he was young. Others say he was born into a Kshatriya family west of Magadha

Chandragupta’s Steps to Success

One/ Armed his men with powerful weapons; The Indian bow

Two/ Weaken Magadha by attacking at its borders then moving into the capital city

Three/ After capturing Magadha he moved on to conquer other kingdoms

Four/ Forced the Greeks out of Northwest India and united the whole empire.

RULING AN EMPIRE

CHANDRAGUPTA DIVIDED HIS LARGE EMPIRE INTO FOUR REGIONS FURTHER DIVIDED INTO SMALLER PROVINCES.

A BUREAUCRACY OF APPOINTED OFFICIALS IN EACH REGION, PROVINCE, AND VILLAGE CARRIED OUT HIS ORDERS.

TAXES SUPPORTED THE ARMY AND THE EMPEROR’S COSTLY LIFESTYLE.

TAX WORKERS COLLECTED 25% OF THE CROPS RAISED BY FARMERS AND A SALES TAX ON GOODS.

Chandragupta Protects Himself Against Enemies

• Servants tasted his food for poison
• He slept in a different bed every night.
• He had specially trained female warriors guard his palace.
• He had a spy network to watch his subjects and even hired spies to watch other spies.

KAUTLIYA’S ADVICE

CHANDRAGUPTA’S SUBJECTS HAD NO RIGHT TO PRIVACY OR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. KAUTILYA WAS THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK CALLED ‘ARTHASHASTRA’ WHICH ADVISED CHANDRAGUPTA ON HOW TO BE A GOOD RULER. IT STATES THAT A RULER SHOULD PROTECT HIS PEOPLE, BUT ALSO TO DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP POWER.

KAUTILYA SAYS THAT – “PEOPLE CANNOT BE TRUSTED, AND THERE SHOULD BE SEVERE PUNISHMENTS FOR CRIMES.”

Chandragupta gave up being an emperor to follow Jainism, an Indian religion.

Ashoka, Chandragupta’s grandson, fought his brothers to become the third Maurya emperor.

Power passed down to his son, Bindusara, who expanded the maurya empire farther across India.

After a terrible war against the kingdom of Kalinga, Ashoka turned away from violence by rejecting the teaching of the Arthashastra and turning towards Buddhism. He replaced rule by force with rule based on dharma, or moral law.

Three Principles of Ashoka’s Rule

1. Ahimsa--do not injure living things.
2. Tolerance--respect different customs and beliefs.
3. The people’s well-being—a ruler must be careful to rule his people well

TO SHARE HIS IDEAS, ASHOKA HAD STONE PILLARS, OR COLUMNS, SET UP ACROSS HIS EMPIRE. ASHOKA HAD MESSAGES CARVED ON THE PILLARS AND ROCKS IN WHICH HE ASSURED HIS SUBJECTS THAT HE WAS FOCUSED ON THEIR WELL-BEING. HE URGED PEOPLE TO RESPECT THEIR PARENTS, BE GENEROUS TO EACH OTHER AND RESPECT ALL RELIGIONS

ASHOKA RULED INDIA FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS. DURING THAT TIME, HE DID MUCH TO IMPROVE LIFE FOR HIS PEOPLE. BUILT HOSPITALS DUG WELLS AND PLANTED TREES BUILT AN EXCELLENT ROAD SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWED FOR EFFICIENT TRADE THIS LED TO PEACE AND PROSPERITY, THERE WAS LITTLE CRIME AND PEOPLE COULD TRAVEL WITHOUT FEAR. AFTER ASHOKA DIED IN 232 B.C., THE MAURYA EMPIRE DECLINED.