From 321 to 185 B.C.

The period of the Mauryan Empire, scripts a whole new epoch in the history of India. A little is known about the age old history of the Mauryan Empire while a lot is still shrouded in mystery. The Sources for the history of the Mauryan period are as follows:

Megasthenese: Megasthenese was the ambassador of Greek ruler Selucus. Megasthenese was in the court of Chandra Gupta and remained in India for fourteen years. In his book `Indica`, he has described the different aspects of Indian life including the administration of the state, local administration, life of the king etc. It is one of the most important sources for knowing the details about the Mauryan dynasty.

Kautilya`s Arthasastra: Kautilya`s `Arthasastra` is also a very important source for the knowledge of Mauryan dynasty. Chanakya or Kautilya, the minister of Chandra Gupta throws a flood of light upon the contemporary social, political and economic conditions of the country at that time. They also gave a wealth of information regarding duties of the king, his foreign policy and organization of spies.

Inscriptions: Asoka's inscriptions form the most important source of the Mauryan period. They are important for providing the knowledge about the extension of his empire, his religious policy, administration and his character.

Other sources: `Mahavamsa`, `Diparamsa`,`Dibyavadan` Buddhist texts provide a lot of information regarding Mauryan period. `Mudrarakshasha` of Visakhadatta, Purans, Tibetan and Nepali text are also important in this respect. Last but not the least, Rudradman inscription of Junagadh also furnishes some information about certain incidents of Mauryan period.

CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA ascended the throne 322BC : identified with Sandrocottus

overthrew last of the Nandas- Dhanananda

his capital: Pataliputra

conquered: Gujarat , Kathiawar, some parts of Deccan

300B.C. -abdicated his throne, starved himself in 298 BC at Sravanabelagola (Mysore); succeeded by his son.

Megasthenes: author of the work Indica. became an ambassador of Seleucia I of Syria to the Chandragupta

Maurya.

BINDUSARA maintained friendly ties with Hellenic West

He requested Antiochus I (Seleucid King Of Syria) to send the figs, wine and sophist. Antiochus I sent figs, wine but not sophist and replied Greek sophist were not for export

Deimachos- Greek envoy at his court

succeeded in about 269 BC ; before he came to the throne, he was viceroy of Taxila & Ujjain ; known as Devanampiya & Piyadassi

fought only one war Kalinga (261 BC) ; he embarked on conquest by Righteousness (Dhamma Vijaya )

won many victories by righteousness- 5 Hellenic Kings -

strongly supported d doctrine of ahimsa , not a complete pacifist

despite d remorse at conquest of Kalinga , he dint restore it to its original rulers;

he inaugurated new class of officers Officers of Righteousness his personal region was Buddhism; was not metaphysician, never mentions nirvana but heaven .

Brihadratha: The Last Maura ;was assassinated by his senapati Pushyamitra ( Shunga )

Kings Kingdom

Antiochus II Theos Syria,

Ptolemy II Philadephus Egypt

Antigonus Gonatas Macedonia

Magas Cyrene

Alexander Epirus

Centralized Administration :

the kings was highest authority , had unlimited power ;

Acc. to Kautilya : sovereignty is possible only with assistance

Important functionaries called Tirthas 27 adhyakshas( superintendents)

Provincial Administration

Empire was divided into no. of provinces, there was governor for each provinces

Kumar-Mahamatras- prince of royal blood as viceroy

Mahamatras- rest of the Mahamatras

Asoka had four provinces

Kalinga with its capital Tosali

Mahamatras were assisted by Yukta( tax collector), Rajuka ( revenue officer) Sthaniks( district officer)

Village- smallest unit and officer known as Gramika

Provinces Capital

Magadha Pataliputra

North-western Provinces Taxila

Western Province Ujjain

Southern Province Swarnagiri

185 BC73 BC

73 BC to 26 BC

The Kanva dynasty replaced the Sunga dynasty in Magadha, and ruled in the eastern part of India from 75 BCE to 26 BCE. The last ruler of the Sunga dynasty was overthrown by Vasudeva of the Kanva dynasty in 75 BC. The Kanva ruler allowed the kings of the Sunga dynasty to continue to rule in obscurity in a corner of their former dominions. Magadha was ruled by four Kanva rulers. Little is known about the Kanvas; however, their dynasty was brought to an end by the Satavahanas of the south.

Founder of dynasty- Vasudeva Kanva

Comprised four kings & ruled for 45 years. Its decline was due to the expansion of Satavahanas

Power in the Deccan and the foreign invasions in the north.

230 BC220 BC

SIMUKA : founder of dynasty

HALA: famous king

SRI SATAKARNI :ruled for 18 yrs, identified with the Satakarni the Nanaghat inscription ( called as Lord of Deccan &^ husband of Naganika) ; performed two horse sacrifice ; capital was at Pratisthan( Paithan- Maharashtra)

GUATIMIPUTRA SATAKARNI: saved Deccan from Shaka onslaught s; managed to salvage whatever damage was done by Nahapana( Shaka King) , also overthrew Parthian & Greeks ; control over Malwa, Kathiawar, Gujarat , Berar

VASHISHTHIPUTRA PULAMAYI : son of GUATIMIPUTRA SATAKARNI, first Satavahanas ruler to establish his authority in Andhra country

VASHISHTHIPUTRA SATAKARNI: married to the daughter of Rudradaman i but this didnt prevent him from twice defeating Satavahanas

YAJNASRI SATAKARNI: recovered north-Konkan and Malwa from the Shakas, lover of navigation & trade, his coins have been found in ANDHRA, Maharashtra. Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh , ship on his coins

Monarchy was hereditary, content simple title of Rajan ,

Empire was divided into Janapadas & Aharas; Gama division below Ahara ; taxes neither burdensome nor many

Sources of income- royal domain, salt monopoly, taxes on land & income from court fees

Satavahanas acted as link between north and south India ( in trade & exchange of ideas )

Gautamiputra Satakarni : re-established the four fold Varna system

Absorption Of Shakas in Hindu society as Kshatriyas

In social hierarchy, there were at least four classes Mahabhojas. Maharathis and Mahasenapatis : cream of society

Matyas, Mahamatras, Bhandagarikas & non-officials 2nd class

Vaidya, Lakhaka, Suvarnakara- 3rd class

Malakara, Mardhaki, Masaka- 4th class

Customary to their king to be named after his mother , the women enjoyed a good deal of importance, family was

Many Buddhist Chaitya and viharas were cut out of the solid rock in the north western Deccan , most famous Chaitya Karle( 1st cen. BC)

Rock cut architecture found in Andhra

Amravati stupa began in about 200 BC but completed in 2nd century AD

Nagarjunakonda- prospered most in the 2nd-3rd centuries under the patronage of the Ikshvakus

Official language Prakit All inscription were written in Prakit & in Brahmi script Prakit text called Gathasapati is attributed to a Satavahanas king Hala

Amravati Stupa Nagarjunakonda

320-600 CE

Sri Gupta & Ghatatkacha first two rulers of dynasty

Chandra Gupta: son of Ghatatkacha , assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja strengthened his position by matrimonial alliance with Lichchavis (Kshatriyas) , the Lichchavis princess Kumaradevi must have brought to the Guptas

Samudra Gupta: has been called Indian Napoleon by V.A.Smith

Prayag Prasati- Eulogic Inscription composed by his minister and court poet Harisena ,

On old Asokan pillar( @ Allahabad ) ; Harisena described him as the hero of hundred battle ,

Some coins of Samdrugupta represent him as playing on the Vina,

Performed Ashvamedha sacrifice, follower of brahmanical learning..

He granted permission to the Buddhist king of Ceylon-Meghaverman to build monastery @

Bodh Gaya ; Assumed the title of Vikramankaand Kaviraja

Chandra Gupta II: in the play Devichandrapuptam of Visakhadatta

Rama Gupta is elder brother of Chandra Gupta II however Gupta records do not refer to Rama Gupta; married with the Naga princess Kubernaga and allowed his daughter Prabhavati to marry with Rudrasena II, Vakatakas King invaded the Shaka Kingdom of Gujarat &Kathiawar , killed the Shaka chief Rudrasimha III Ujjain - @ and capital of Guptas adopted the title of Vikaramaditya adorned by many scholars .Kalidas AmarsimhaChinese Pilgrim -

Fa-Hsien(399-414) visited India Mehrauli iron pillar inscription near Qutab Minar ,Delhi enumerates the exploits of Chandra Gupta II

Kumaragupta- Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta I. Known as the Mahendraditya, he ruled until 455. Towards the end of his reign a tribe in the Narmada valley, the Pushyamitra, rose in power to threaten the empire.

Skandagupta: is generally considered the last of the great rulers. He defeated the Pushyamitra threat, but then was faced with invading Hephthalites or "White Huns", known in India as the Huna, from the northwest. He repulsed a Huna attack c. 455, But the expense of the wars drained the empire's resources and contributed to its decline. Skandagupta died in 467 and was succeeded by his son Narasimhagupta Baladitya

Golden age of ancient India... the country was divided into several Bhuktis(provinces) further divided into Visyas(districts)

Adopted titles like Parambhattaraka, Paramdaivata, Chakravati, Parmeshwar etc.

Kumaraamtyas- most important officials

Issued the largest no. of gold coins called dinars.

Items of import included Chinese silk in greater quantity & ivory from Ethiopia

Horses too imported from Arabia, Bactria & Iran...cities like Banaras, Thaneswar & Mathura came into prominence

Acc. to Naradasmriti( 5th century ) Brahmans became richer because of land grants

Position of Shudras- improved slightly , permitted to listen to the epics & Puranas , to worship new god called Krishna , now considered as agriculturists rather than slaves but untouchables increased in numbers (chandalas)

Women position declined...disallowed formal education & inheritance of property, widow marriage was disallowed the first reference to sati appears in Gupta Times in AD 510 at Eran

Buddhism- no longer received Royal patronage Bhagavatism or Vaishnavism overshadowed Mahayana Buddhism

Vishnu became a member of trinity of Goods Shakti cult gave rise to consorts to gods, and goddess like

Laxmi, Paravati, Durga...by the fourth century AD Bhagavad-Gita was finally complied

Brick temples Bhitargaon(Kanpur), Bhatari(Ghazipur), Deogarh(Jhansi)

Nalanda( Buddhist university ) was set up in 5th century

Two important styles Nagara & Dravida

Stupas : Mirpur Khas (Sind), Dhamekh at Sarnath

Rock-cut architecture- Chaitya and viharas...mostly found in Ajanta, Ellora & Bagh

Sculpture - 2 meter high bronze image of the Buddha(Sultanganj, near Bhagalpur)

Hindu sculpture- Deogarh temple( mythological themes of Rama, Vishnu and Narayana)

Art of painting- high degree of proficiencynarrative scenes mostly portray Jataka stories

SMALL KINGDOMS in NORTH

Maitrakas of Valabhi Family belonged to the Maitrakas clan in Saurashtra

Founder:Bhatarka; Capital: Valabhi

Dhruvasena II married to the Daughter of Harsh of Kanauji

During the time of Dhruvasena IV that the celebrated Sanskrit Epic Bhattikavyam or Ravanavadham was composed by Bhatti

Overthrown by the Arabs of Sind

Maukharis of Gayas source of information: Barabar & Nagarjuni inscription first ruler of branch Yajnavarnma

Maukharis of Kanauj Probably were Kshatriyas Isanavarman- claimed victory over Andhras, Sulikas of Orissa & the Gaudas

Long dual between Maukharies & the later Guptas

The Later Guptas Kumara Gupta: 1st independent ruler of Dynasty

Adityasena- took title of Parama-Bhagavata, got a temple of Vishnu constructed

Aspad inscription from Gaya- gives name of eight late-Gupta kings

Gaudas of Bengal Greatest ruler of dynasty- Sasankafought against the rulers of Thaneshwar and Kanauj entered into alliance of Maukhari

ruler

descent from the main line of Chalukyas of Vatapi

re-established by Taila in 973, when he defeated the last

Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghvarsha IV

Somesvara I(1043-1068) : involved in a protracted war with Cholas & was finally defeated by Chola ruler, Virarajendra in the battle of Kudal

Somesvara II(1068-1076): a tyrannical ruler was overthrown by his brother Vikaramaditya II

Tribhuvanamalla(1076-1126): the hero of Bilhanas Vikaramaditya Charitahe introduced Chalukya-Vikrama Era (1076 AD)

Jagadekamalla II- with the death of him Challukyan power was eclipsedAnd the throne was usurped by the Kalachuri minister Vijjala/Vijjana.

much of the paintings & sculptures of Ajanta & Ellora caves were completed during this region

style of temple Vesara( admixture of the Dravida & Nagara)

famous temple- Virupaksha temple (Pattadakal, near Badami) , the Vishnu temple of Badami, the Siva temple of Maguti, the Kashi Visveswara temple of Lakhundi

Sanskrit writer : Bilhana- Vikaramaditya Charita and Chaurapanchasika(poet)

Vijnanesvara- Mitaksara

Either belonged to the line of Ikshvakus or associated with the river GangaKingdom included the greater part of Mysore or with Kanvasfounded by Didiga (konganivarman) & Madhava (in 4th century AD)

Early capital was Kuluvala but was transferred to Talkad by Harivarma

Durvinita-had to conflict with the Chalukyas of Vengi and Dhruva Nirupama

devotees of Jainism- it was during reign of Rajamala IV(977-985) that his minister & general , Chamundaraya, erected the celebrated image of Gomateshvara at Sravanabelagola(983)

descendents of the Yadu race to which belonged Mahabharata hero Krishna

Bhillama V- made Devagiri his capital, but was defeated by Vira Ballala I (Hoysalas )@ battle of Lakhundi

Jaitrapala I(1191-1210) killed the Rudradeva ( Kakatiya ruler )

Singhana(`1210-1247)- most energetic ruler

during the reign of Mahadeva & Ramachandra- greater Brahman minister, Hemadri- renowned for his Hindu Dharmashtra flourished , his most important work Chaturvarga-Chinatamani

during the reign of Ramachandra- army led by Ala-ud-din Khalaji then Governor of Karainvaded Devagiri (1294)

Harapala was killed at the behest of Sultan Mubarak

First feudatories of the Later Chalukyas

They rose to power in Telegana seat of power shifted from Anmakonda to Telengana

Prolaraja- warfare against the western Chalukyas

Ganapati successfully overcame the Cholas, Kalingas, Yadavas succeeded by his daughter, Rudramba in 1261

Rudramba -assumed the male title of Rudradeva Maharajasucceeded by her grandson, Prataparudradeva

Prataparudradeva- immortalized by Vaidyanathas Prata- Parudriya (poetics work).had to submit before the Muslim invader, Malik Kafur

Sanskrit remained the language of Hindu theology and of the Brahmans

Buddhism practically disappeared by the end of the period Buddha being commonly accepted as an incarnation of Vishnu

Jainism: survived with a following in Mysore. variety of extreme sects: such as the tantric and Shakti cult Kalamukha sect: ate food out of human skull, were

generally seen carrying a pot of wine A club Saivism- produced other sects at this time. Lingayat/ Virasaiva sect: founded by Basavaraja in 12th

century, questioned the authority of the Vedas, worshipped Siva in form of Lingam (phallic emblem)..And encouraged late post-puberty marriage and widow-remarriage