Nanda–Mauryan war: Difference between revisions

| combatant1        = [[Nanda Empire]]

| combatant2        = [[Mauryan Empire#List of rulers|House of Maurya]]<br>'''Supported by:'''<br>[[Matsya (tribe)|Matsya Kingdom]]<ref name="Roy, Kaushik 2015. p46-50">[17] Roy, Kaushik. Warfare in Pre-British India–1500BCE to 1740CE. Routledge, 2015. p46-50</ref><br>[[Solar dynasty|Suryavamshi dynasty]] of [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]]<ref name="Roy, Kaushik 2015. p46-50"/>

| commander2        = [[Chandragupta Maurya]]<br/>[[Chanakya]]<br/>[[Kalinga (region)|Brahmaadittiya]]

| territory        = Establishment of the [[Mauryan Empire]] over annexed [[Nanda Empire|Nanda territories]]

The '''Nanda–Mauryan War'''{{sfn|Roy|2012|p=62}} was a war fought in ancient India from c. 323 BCE to 321 BCE between the Emperor [[Dhana Nanda]] of the [[Nanda dynasty]] and the forces of [[Chandragupta Maurya]] that led to the establishment of the [[Maurya dynasty|Mauryan Empire]] in [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].{{sfn|Sen|1895|pp=26–32}} Little is known from historical sources for certain dating about the conflict. According to [[Mudrarakshasa]] legends, Chandragupta's army included [[Bahlikas|Bahlika]], [[Kirata]], [[Parasika]], [[Kambojas|Kamboja]], [[Shakas|Saka]], and [[Greek people|Greek]] mercenaries. The army invaded capital city [[Pataliputra]] after regaining power and defeated the Nandas.<ref>Chandragupta Maurya and His Times, Radhakumud Mookerji, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1966, p. 27 [https://books.google.com/books?id=i-y6ZUheQH8C&pg=PA27]</ref><ref>History Of The Chamar Dynasty, Raj Kumar, Gyan Publishing House, 2008, p. 51 [https://books.google.com/books?id=eEJ-sXBmBIkC&pg=PA51]</ref>

==Primary War==

Much of what is known about the conquest comes from accounts written long after the war itself. Ancient historian [[Plutarch]] gives an account of parts of the conquest.<ref name="Barua2005">Barua, Pradeep. [https://muse.jhu.edu/book/11919 The State at War in South Asia]. Vol. 2. U of Nebraska Press, 2005. pp13-15 via [[Project MUSE]] {{subscription required}}</ref> The conquest was fictionalized in ''[[Mudrarakshasa]]'', a political drama in Sanskrit by [[Vishakadatta]] composed between 300 CE and 700 CE.<ref name="Roy2012">Roy, Kaushik. Hinduism and the Ethics of Warfare in South Asia: From Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge University Press, 2012. p61-62</ref> The history is also briefly recounted in ''[[Vishnu Purana]]'' (unknown date), which emphasizes the importance of Chanakya in the destruction of the Nanda empire.<ref>Sharma, Urmila, and Sanjeev Kumar Sharma. Indian Political Thought. Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 2001. p53</ref> In another work, ''[[Milinda Panha]]'' (dating from 100 BCE), Bhaddasala is named as a Nanda [[Senapati|general]] during the conquest.<ref name="Roy2012"/>

| combatant1        = [[Nanda Empire]]

| combatant2        = [[Mauryan Empire|Mauryan Polity]]

| commander2        = [[Chandragupta Maurya]]<br>[[Chanakya]]

| date              = 322 BCE

Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya stationed garrisons in ''rashtras'' (nations)<ref>https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=nation&dir=au</ref> and [[Janapada|''janapadas'']].  In 322 BC, they march to Magadha, besieged the capital [[Pataliputra]] and captured it.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mittal |first=J.P |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rrh4tY3v2A4C&q=besieged+patliputra |title=History of Ancient India (A New Version) |date=2006 |publisher=Atlantic |isbn=9788126906161 |pages=623 |language=English}}</ref> They forced the Nandas to surrender.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=Suhas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KItocaxbibUC&q=besieged+patliputra |title=Indian Civillization and Culture |date=1998 |publisher=M. D. Publications |isbn=9788175330832 |pages=136 |language=English}}</ref> Dhana Nanda, the last Nanda emperor was killed in action during the siege.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Prasad |first=Rajendra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zNIlAAAAMAAJ |title=Politico-geographical Analysis of the Arthashastra |date=1999 |publisher=Inter-India Publications |isbn=9788121002240 |pages=57 |language=English}}</ref> The war brought an end to the Nanda dynasty and established the [[Maurya Empire]] with [[Chandragupta Maurya]] as its emperor

==Aftermath==

[[Maurya Empire]] consisted of at least 3 provinces at the end of Chandragupta's conquests: [[Avantirastra]] (capital: [[Ujjayini]]), [[Uttarapatha]] (capital: [[Taksasila]]), and [[Gangaridai|Purvapatha]] (capital: [[Pataliputra]]).<ref name="Battacharyya1997"/> Chanakya later became Chandragupta's [[Amatya|prime minister]].<ref name="Roy2015"/>

The [[Maurya Empire]] eventually became the most extensive empire in India with area of 5,000,000 km².<ref name="Grant2010" />