An Early Empire| Class 12 History Notes

An Early Empire is a subpart of the Class 12 History Chapter “Kings, Farmers and Towns”. It gives us a detailed view of the Early Empire of ancient India which was well known as the Maurya Empire. The Great Maurya Empire (322 BCE – 185 BCE) was the first empire that covered almost the Indian subcontinent joining some parts of present Iran. Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of this kingdom and Chanakya was the king maker.

In this article, we are going to discuss the subpart “An Early Empire” of the Class 12 History Chapter “Kings, Farmers and Towns” in detail.

There are so many resources on which it was possible to reconstruct the different facts and the history of the Maurya Empire. These resources played a major role in knowing about the whole empire.

• There were so many sculptures like Yaksha and Yakshi, Lion Capita, Elephant sculpture, Whisk-bearer. These sculptures helped the archeologists to find out the different facts about the empire.
• There were so many contemporary written works that helped historians to understand the context of the Maurya Empire. These written works include the Indika and Arthashastra.
• Chanakys’s Arthashastra was a major text that talks about the legal and administrative framework of the Maurya Empire.
• Mudrarakshasa was a drama that was written by the Visakadata at this time. It gives us an idea about the social and economic landscape of the empire.
• Indika was written by the Greek ambassador Megasthenes. The book depicts the condition and administration of the Pataliputra.
• Samrat Ashoka was the first ruler who inscribed his religious thoughts on the stone surfaces. These were known as the polished pillars that talk about the view of dhamma through its inscriptions.

The Maurya Empire had a highly centralized administration system that was run by so many officials who directly reported to the king.

• In the Mauryan Administration System, there were almost five major political centers including Pataliputra, Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali, and Suvarnagiri.
• Pataliputra was the main administrative center and was the capital of the Maurya empire.
• The administration was divided into different levels.
• The king was assisted by the various officials who were responsible for performing the different works of the government.
• The total empire was divided into so many Janapadas and Mahajanapadas. There was a royal prince who governed these sections.
• The administrative system was really strong around the capital.
• Taxila and Ujjain were the most important trade centers at that time.
• Suvarnagiri was famous for the gold mines at the time of the Mauryas.
• Different land routes and river routes were majorly important to maintaining communication.
• There was a dedicated committee that mainly managed the whole army. Mauryan army had the foot soldiers, Navy, Elephant Fighters, and Cavalry.
• In the time of Ashoka, he tried to hold the empire together by propagating the dhamma.

The Mauryan Empire was a major empire that set a landmark in the Indian History. It was the first PAN-India empire that covered Afghanistan and Baluchistan.

• The spread of Buddhism was influenced and flourished specifically under this empire.
• The empire had a proper political organization.
• The culture of the kingdom was totally agrarian and developed so many ways to defend their lands for farmers and support the entire population.
• The empires focused on developing territorial units and diverse groups in their system.
• Maurya Empire was a multi-level and overlapping jurisdiction that clarified that the king had a monopoly over the whole system.

Also Read:

1. Emperor Ashoka
2. Mauryan Art and Culture
3. Ashoka Foreign Relations
4. Fall of the Mauryan Empire
5. Officers of the Mauryan Era
6. Important Officers of Mauryan Period
7. Major Rock Edicts of the Great Ashoka
8. Administrative System of Mauryan Empire
9. Central and Provincial Administration System of the Maurya Empire

Who founded the Mauryan Empire?

The Mauryan Empire was formed by Chandragupta Maurya, who ruled from 350-295 BCE. Born in Pataliputra, he was a ruler who maintained an extensive empire. Chandragupta seized the territories of the Northwest region after Alexander left the conquest of India.

Who defeated Maurya dynasty?

In 180 BCE, Brihadratha Maurya, was killed by his general Pushyamitra Shunga in a military parade without any heir. Hence, the great Maurya empire finally ended, giving rise to the Shunga Empire.

Which is the oldest empire in India?

The Mauryan Empire, which formed around 321 B.C.E. and ended in 185 B.C.E., was the first pan-Indian empire, an empire that covered most of the Indian region. It spanned across central and northern India as well as over parts of modern-day Iran.

How long did Maurya rule India?

Mauryan empire, in ancient India, a state centred at Pataliputra (later Patna) near the junction of the Son and Ganges (Ganga) rivers. It lasted from about 321 to 185 bce and was the first empire to encompass most of the Indian subcontinent.

Who is the first Hindu king?

The great ruler Chandragupta Maurya, who founded Maurya Dynasty was indisputably the first king of India, as he not only won almost all the fragmented kingdoms in ancient India but also combined them into a large empire, boundaries of which were even extended to Afghanistan and towards the edge of Persia.

Where did Ashoka died?

Ashoka in his final regnal years was ill and died in his 37th year of reign in Pataliputra, now Patna at the age of 72 like an Emperor who made a difference to people’s lives by donating and many philanthropic works via Buddhism.

Who defeated Chandragupta Maurya?

Chandragupta Maurya was not defeated as the emperor of the Mauryan empire. However, legend has it that Chandragupta Maurya was so distraught from the suffering he caused pursuing expansionary policies that he renounced his throne and gave it to his son.