The Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta (324-301 B.C.E)
Bindusara ( 297-273 B.C.E)
Ashoka (273-232 B.C.E)
The Maurya Empire was founded by Chandragupta in 324 B.C.E this was the first state to unify the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta was inspired by Alexander the Great and wanted to create a similar powerful empire.The Maurya Empire became a very powerful forming one of the first centralized government with a large standing army of 700,000 men and 9000 elephants in the Indian subcontinent.The center power of the Mauryan Empire was the king, but priests did have some political power. The capital of the Mauryan Empire was the walled and moated city of Pataliputra (modern day Patna). This imperial establishment included a large army which was supported by a 25% tax on the agricultural products of the empire and by state monopolies on mines and ship buildings. Chandragupta had a foreign policy of "My enemy's enemy is my friend" which was a strict policy during his reign. Bindusara ( Chandragupta's son) was mostly known for expanding the empire southward (Decan) during his reign. The most famous Mauryan emperor is Ashoka (Bindusara son) who was shaken by the brutal events in war that occurred in the expansion of the south and converted to Buddhism. Ashoka preached nonviolence and religious tolerance in his government and private life, he preserved the Buddhist teachings by inscribing them on great rocks and polished pillars all over the empire. Despite he wanted to be committed to his peaceful teachings he reminded his people that
"the king remorseful as he is, has the strength to punish the wrong doers who do not repent".
The Gupta Empire (320-550 C.E)
The Gupta Empire emerged from the Ganges Plain and also had its capital at Pataliputra. The founder of this empire consciously called himself Chandra Gupta modeling himself on the first Mauryan king.The monarchs of the Gupta Empire did not control territories as extensively as the the Mauryan Empire. The rulers of the Gupta Empire brought northern and central India under their control, but not the south. The Gupta Empire also collected 25% of agricultural tax and had state monopolies, but they were never as strong as the Mauryan Empire. The Gupta's focused on using their army on controlling the core of the empire. whose strength was in horsemanship. Governors were usually in charge of administration and positions where often passed on from father to son. Villages were managed by a council of leaders. Historians considered the the Gupta Empire as a theater states because of its cultural forms and ceremonies to attract bind subjects to the center. The center collected goods and profits from trade and redistributed them to dependents through the exchange of gifts and other means.
Chandragupta (324-301 B.C.E)
Bindusara ( 297-273 B.C.E)
Ashoka (273-232 B.C.E)
The Maurya Empire was founded by Chandragupta in 324 B.C.E this was the first state to unify the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta was inspired by Alexander the Great and wanted to create a similar powerful empire.The Maurya Empire became a very powerful forming one of the first centralized government with a large standing army of 700,000 men and 9000 elephants in the Indian subcontinent.The center power of the Mauryan Empire was the king, but priests did have some political power. The capital of the Mauryan Empire was the walled and moated city of Pataliputra (modern day Patna). This imperial establishment included a large army which was supported by a 25% tax on the agricultural products of the empire and by state monopolies on mines and ship buildings. Chandragupta had a foreign policy of "My enemy's enemy is my friend" which was a strict policy during his reign. Bindusara ( Chandragupta's son) was mostly known for expanding the empire southward (Decan) during his reign. The most famous Mauryan emperor is Ashoka (Bindusara son) who was shaken by the brutal events in war that occurred in the expansion of the south and converted to Buddhism. Ashoka preached nonviolence and religious tolerance in his government and private life, he preserved the Buddhist teachings by inscribing them on great rocks and polished pillars all over the empire. Despite he wanted to be committed to his peaceful teachings he reminded his people that
"the king remorseful as he is, has the strength to punish the wrong doers who do not repent".
The Gupta Empire (320-550 C.E)
The Gupta Empire emerged from the Ganges Plain and also had its capital at Pataliputra. The founder of this empire consciously called himself Chandra Gupta modeling himself on the first Mauryan king.The monarchs of the Gupta Empire did not control territories as extensively as the the Mauryan Empire. The rulers of the Gupta Empire brought northern and central India under their control, but not the south. The Gupta Empire also collected 25% of agricultural tax and had state monopolies, but they were never as strong as the Mauryan Empire. The Gupta's focused on using their army on controlling the core of the empire. whose strength was in horsemanship. Governors were usually in charge of administration and positions where often passed on from father to son. Villages were managed by a council of leaders. Historians considered the the Gupta Empire as a theater states because of its cultural forms and ceremonies to attract bind subjects to the center. The center collected goods and profits from trade and redistributed them to dependents through the exchange of gifts and other means.