3.9 Chandragupta and the founding of the Mauryan empire

How did Chandragupta live the last times of his life?

According to Jain tradition, Chandragupta became a Jain ascetic and died a peaceful death in 298 B.C.E

When Chandragupta died how did he leave his kingdom?

Although he personally adopted a nonviolent philosophy, he left behind a kingdom with the military might to maintain order and defend India from invasion.

Who was the one to benefit most from Alexander's invasion?

Chandragupta

If Chandragupta was at the capital in Pataliputra, how did he keep control over the other provinces?

Chandragupta sent agents to the provinces to oversee the workings of government and to keep him informed of conditions in his realm.

Chandragupta applied Persian ways of government to his own. How did he do that?

He adopted the Persian practice of dividing the area into provinces. Each province was assigned a governor, usually drawn from Chandragupta's own family.

What did Chandragupta do involving forces?

He also built a regular army, complete with departments for everything from naval matters to the collection of supplies.

What was Megasthenes's of the city?

He described the city as a square that was surrounded by wooden walls, 22 miles on each side, with 570 towers and 64 gates. It had a university, a library, and magnificent palaces, temples, gardens, and parks.

What was the result of Chanragupta's protection?

He lived a long life

According to Megasthenes, how did Chandragupta live?

He lived in fear of treachery and assassination attempts, having highly protective bodyguards.

Who was Megasthenes?

He was a Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus, spent fourteen years in Chandragupta's court. He left a lively description of life there.

Who was Chandragupta and what did he do?

He was the ruler of a growing state in the Ganges Valley. He took advantage of the crisis caused by Alexander's invasion to expand his territories. by 322 B.C.E. he had made himself sole master of north India. In 304 B.C.E. he defeated the forces of Seleucus.

Who assisted Chandragupta in the bureaucratic system?

Kautilya

What did Chandragupta think was important in terms of conquering?

Seeking the enemies of his enemies, as they would make good allies. He thought that a perfect time to attack was when a neighboring prince was in trouble.

What did Chandragupta's assistant (Kautilya) do?

She wrote a treatise on how a king should seize, hold, and manipulate power, rather like the Legalist treatises produced in China later that century. She urged the king to use propaganda to gain support; to disguise secret agents to look like gods so that people would be awed when they saw him in their company.

According to Megasthenes, only a portion of the empire was ruled so directly.What did the government control?

The king personally presided over court sessions where legal cases were heard and petitions received;claimed for the state all mines and forests, and there were large state farms, granaries, shipyards, and spinning and weaving factories; prostitution; and in outlying areas, local kings were left in place if they pledged loyalty.

What kind of bureaucracy did Chandragupta make?

a complex bureaucracy to see to the operation of the state and a bureaucratic taxation system that financed public services through taxes on agriculture

What was the law of the fish that interstate relations were likened to?

the large swallow the small