General Awareness `color{blue}(✎)` Dynasties of India
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Haryanka Dynasty

`color{red} ul("Haryanka Dynasty")`
`color{purple} {✍️ " Bimbisara"}` was the founder, who expanded the Magadha kingdom by annexing Anga and entering into matrimonial alliances with Kosala and Vaishali. He was the contemporary of Buddha.

`color{purple} {✍️ " Ajatashatru"}` came to power by killing his father. He had annexed Vaishali, Kosala and Lichchhavi kingdom.

`color{purple} {✍️ " Udayin"}` founded the new capital, Pataliputra.

Mauryan Dyanasty

`color{red} ul("Mauryan Dyanasty")`
`color{purple}{1. " Chandragupta Maurya " (322-298 BC)}`

`color{blue}•` The first ruler who Overthrew the Nanda dynasty with the help of Chanakya. He has been called Sandrocottus by Greek
scholars.

`color{blue}•` Chandragupta defeated Seleucus Nikator, the general of Alexander (304 BC), who later sent Megasthenese the author of Indica to Chandragupta's court.

`color{purple}{2. " Bindusara " (297-272 BC)}`

`color{blue}•` He was called Amitraghat (i.e., slayer of foes) by Greek writers; Greek ambassador; Dei machos visited his court: said to conquer the land between the two seas - The Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

`color{purple}{3. " Ashoka " (273 -232 BC)}`

`color{blue}•` For the first eight years Ashoka ruled like a cruel king and maintained discipline.

`color{blue}•` He was called Devanamapriya, Dear to Gods.

`color{blue}•` The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka as well as boulders and cave walls made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire during his reign from 269 BCE to 232 BCE. These inscriptions were dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan and represent the first tangible evidence of Buddhism. The edicts describe in detail the Ashoka's view about dhamma, an earnest attempt to solve some of problems that a complex society faced. According to the edicts, the extent of Buddhist proselytism during this period reached as far as the Mediterranean, and many Buddhist monuments were created.

`color{blue}•` The Edicts are divided into:

`=>` Pillar Edicts
`=>` Major Rock Edicts: 14 Edicts (termed 1st to 14th) and 2 separate ones found in Odisha
`=>` Major Rock Inscriptions: Minor Rock Edicts, the Queen's Edict, Barabar Caves inscriptions and the Kandahar bilingual inscription.

`color{blue}•` The name Ashoka occurs only in copies of Minor Rock Edict I.

`color{blue}•` Languages (scripts) used on inscriptions - Brahmi script deciphered by James Princep in AD 1837), Aramaic and Kharoshthi (North Western India) and Greek (Afghanistan).

`color{blue}•` Ashoka was the first king to maintain direct contact with people through inscriptions.

`color{blue}•` Kallnga War (261 BC) mentioned in 13th Major Rock Edict converted Ashoka to Buddhism under Upagupta.

`color{blue}•` Sanehi Stupa was built by Ashoka.

`color{blue}•` The last Mauryan king Brihadratha, was killed by Pushyamilra Sunga.

`color{blue}•` The Punch-marked coins carrying the symbol of the peacock and the hill and crescent, famed the imperial currency of Mauryas.

The Kushanas

`color{red} ul("The Kushanas")`
`color{purple} (✍️ " Kushanas")` Also called Yechi or Tocharians, were nomadic people from the Steppes.

`color{purple} (✍️" Kanishka")` was the greatest of the Kushanas , who started the Saka Era in AD 78.

`color{purple} (✍️" Kushanas")` were the first rulers to issue gold coins on a wide scale known for metallic purity.

`color{blue}•` In the royal court of Kanishka. a host of scholars found patronage, like Parsva, Vasumitra, Asvaghosha, Nagmjuna, Charak (Physician) and Mathara.

The Cheras

`color{red} ul("The Cheras")`
`color{purple} (✍️)` Their capital was Vanji (also called Kerala country). It had important trade relations with the Romans.

Gupta Period

`color{red} ul("Gupta Period")`
`color{purple}{1. " Chandragupta I" (AD 320-325)}`

`color{purple} (✍️)` Married a Lichchhavi princess, who strengthened his position and enhanced the prestige of the Guptas.

`color{purple} (✍️)` He was the first Gupta ruler to acquire (worship halls) and viharas (monastries) the title of Maharajadhiraja.

`color{purple} (✍️)` Chandragupta 1 was able to establish his authority over Magadha, Prayaga and Saketa.

`color{purple}{2. " Samudragupta" (AD 325-375)}`

`color{purple} (✍️)` He is called the Napoleon of India (by VA Smith) on account of his conquests.

`color{purple} (✍️)` Meghavarman the ruler of Sri Lanka, sent a missionarv to his court for permission to built a Buddhist temple at Gaya.

`color{purple} (✍️)` He assumed the titles of Kaviraj and Vikrama.

`color{purple}{3. " Chandragupta II" (AD 375-415)}`

`color{purple} (✍️)`Mehrauli inscription on Iron Pillar near Qutub Minar is related to him.

`color{purple} (✍️)` His court was adorned by Navratnas, the chief being Kalidasa and Amarslmha.

`color{purple} (✍️)` He was the first Gupta ruler to issue the silver coins in the memory of victory over Sakas and to have adopted the titles Sakari and Vikramaditya.

`color{purple} (✍️)` The Gupta age is called golden age of Indian history and sail the issuance of the largest number of gold coins.

The Rashtrakutas

`color{red} ul("The Rashtrakutas")`
`color{purple} (✍️)` Founded by Danlidurg; Krishna J built the Kailasha temple at Ellora.

`color{purple} (✍️)` Amoghavarsha, who is compared to Vikramditya, wrote the first Kannada poetry Kaviraj Marg.

`color{purple} (✍️)` Rashtrakulas are credited for building cave shrine Elephanta, dedicated to Shiva.

Pallavas

`color{red} ul("Pallavas")`
`color{purple} (✍️)` Founder-Simhavishnu

`color{purple} (✍️)` Capital - Kanchi;

`color{purple} (✍️)` It's greatest king Narsimhavarman, who founded the town of Mamallapuram and built rock-cut rathas and pagodas

The Cholas

`color{red} ul("The Cholas")`
`color{purple} (✍️)` Founder Vijayalaya

`color{purple} (✍️)` Capital Tanjore.

`color{purple} (✍️" Aditya I")` wiped out the Pallavas and weakened the Pandyas.

`color{purple} (✍️" Purantaka I")` captured Madurai, but was defeated by the Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna Ill at the Battle of Takkolam.

`color{purple} (✍️" Rajaraja I")` (AD 985-1014) led a naval expedition against Shailendra empire (Malay Peninsula) and conquered Northern Sri Lanka; constructed Rajarajeshwari (or Brihadeshvara) Shiva temple at Tanjore.

`color{purple} (✍️" Rajendra I")` (AD 1014- 1044) annexed the whole of Sri Lanka; took the title of Gangaikonda and founded Gangaikoncla
Cholapuram.

`color{purple} (✍️)` Dancing Figure of Shiva (Nataraj) belongs to the Chola period.

✓ Points to Remember

`color{blue}✍️`Two major dynasties of India, the Maurya Empire (321 BC- 185 BC) and Gupta Empire (240 BC-550 AD), were originated from Magadha. Apart from Maurya and Gupta dynasties, there were other dynasties which were started from Magadha,

`color{blue}=>`Haryanka dynasty (544-413 BC)
`color{blue}=>`Shishunaga dynasty (413-345 BC)
`color{blue}=>`Nanda dynasty (424-321 BC)

`color{blue}●` Haryanka is the name of a new dynasty founded in Magadha by Bimbisara.

`color{blue}●` Bimbisara founded the dynasty by defeating the Brihadrathas.

`color{blue}●` Bimbisara was a contemporary of Buddha.

`color{blue}●` Pataliputra and Rajagriha were the capitals of Magadhan kingdom. Magadha falls in the Patna region of Bihar.

`color{blue}●` The Mauryan Empire, started from Magadha was founded in 321 BC by Chandragupta Maurya.

`color{blue}●` Pataliputra,the modern day Patna was the capital city of Mauryan Empire.

`color{blue}●` Ashoka ascended the throne in 273BC and ruled upto 232 BC.

`color{blue}●` Ashoka fought the Kalinga war in 261 BC Kalinga is in modern Orissa. Ashokan inscriptions were deciphered by James Princep.

`color{blue}●` After the battle of Kalinga Ashoka became a Buddhist, being shocked by the horrors of the war.

`color{blue}●` Ashoka was initiated to Buddhism by Upagupta or Nigrodha a disciple of Buddha

`color{blue}●` Ashoka held the third Buddhist council at his capital Pataliputra in 250BC under the presidentship of Moggaliputa Tissa.

`color{purple}{"Chanakya the architect of Mauryan Empire:-"}`

`color{blue}●`Chanakya,also known as Kautilya was the teacher of Chandragupta Maurya.

`color{blue}●`He was originally a teacher of Takshashila University.

`color{blue}●`He is considered to be the main architect in the establishment of the Maurya Empire by defeating the powerful Nanda Empire.

`color{blue}●`His original name was Vishnugupta.

 
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