India's First Empires

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India's First Empires
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Persian King Darius I

• Darius I came through the Khyber Pass and
  conquered northwestern India.
• For 200 years, Indus Valley was ruled by Persian
  satrap, or governor.
• First time the Indians felt both the benefits
  (unity and order) and burdens of centralized
  control.

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Alexander the Great

• 326 BC Alexander the Great invaded India with
  the goal of unifying all of Northern India.
• Only stayed for 5 years before giving up on his
  goal.
• He left generals in his place to keep order among
  the people.

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Chandragupta Maurya

• 321 BC Claimed throne after killing the
  unpopular Nanda King.
• Start of the Mauryan Empire.

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Chandragupta Maurya

• 321-298 BC Chandraguptas army of 9,000
  elephants and 700,000 soldiers trampled
  neighboring kingdoms.
• United all of North India under his rule.
• Indus Valley, Ganges Valley, and Southern
  Himalayas.

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Chandragupta Maurya

• Divided Empire into 4 provinces.
• Each headed by a royal prince.
• Each split into different districts with
  governors who would collect taxes.
• Government is the science of Punishment
• -Chandragupta Maurya

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Chandragupta Maurya

• Chandragupta ruled by force and fear.
• Planted government spies to make sure no one was
  planning a revolt.
• (Like the one he planned when he killed the Nanda
  King!!!)
• Trusted no one.
• Made the chef taste his meal before he would eat
  it.
• Slept in a different room each night in order to
  make sure no one would kill him in his sleep.

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Chandragupta Maurya

• 301 BC Gave up the throne and converted to
  Jainism.
• Jains taught nonviolence and respect for all
  life.
• Joined in the Jainist custom of fasting until he
  starved to death.

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Chandraguptas Son

• 301 BC Ruled for 32 years. Little is known about
  his rule.

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Ashokas Warlike Behavior

• 269 BC Ashoka took the throne of the Mauryan
  Empire.
• At first he was warlike.
• He waged a bloody war against the neighboring
  state of Kalinga.
• 100,000 soldiers were slain and even more
  civilians perished.

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Asokas Good Works

• Filled Asoka with remorse and he decided to rule
  according to Buddhas teachings of peace to all
  beings.
• He sent out an apology to the southern tribes and
  promised kind treatment in the future.

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Asokas Good Works

• Ordered huge pillars to be erected inscribed with
  a public announcement of his new policies.
• Promoted religious tolerance.
• Built roads with wells and rest houses every 9
  miles so travelers could rest.

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Asoka

• Instead of spies, Asoka employed officials of
  righteousness to look out for the welfare of
  Indians of every caste.
• They were there to help the unfortunate.

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Asoka

• Sent hundreds of Buddhist missionaries to
  neighboring lands such as Ceylon.
• Thanks to Asoka, Buddhism spread far beyond India
  and became a major world religion with millions
  of followers.

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Asokas Death

• 232 BC Last strong ruler of the Mauryan dynasty.
• His policies of toleration and nonviolence failed
  to hold the Mauryan Empire together.
• 180 BC Mauryan Empire torn apart by rivalry
  among local provinces.

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Start of the Gupta Empire

• Chandra Gupta I married the daughter of an
  influential royal family.
• 320 AD Chandra Gupta I crowned King of upper
  Ganges Valley.
• Great King of Kings

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Start of the Gupta Empire

• His reign brought the Golden Age to India.
• Gupta Dynasty ruled a mighty Empire from 320-467
  AD.

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Samudra Gupta

• Chandra Guptas son.
• 335 AD Crowned King of the Gupta Empire.
• Expanded the Empire through 40 years of conquest.

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Daily Life in the Gupta Empire

• First period that historians have a lot of
  information about the daily life.
• Most Indians lived in small villages.
• Majority were farmers.
• Most families were patriarchal.
• Headed by the eldest male.
• Tax on water.
• Farmers owed a large part of their earnings to
  the King.

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Southern India Daily Life

• The Tamil, were matriarchal.
• Headed by the mother rather than the father.

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Height of the Gupta Empire

• 3rd Gupta Emperor 375-415 AD
• Chandra Gupta II, created a place that was full
  of excitement and growth.
• Praised for his heroic qualities.
• Defeated the Shakas
• Enemies to the west. After defeating them he
  added their coastal territory to his empire.
• This allowed the Guptas to trade with the
  Mediterranean world.

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Gupta Empire Decline

• 425 AD Chandra Gupta II died.
• New invaders threatened North India
• The Hunas
• Related to the Huns.
• Over the next 100 years, the Gupta Empire broke
  into small kingdoms.
• Many were overrun by the Hunas.
• 535 AD Empire ended.