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Indian Empires

Indian Empires. World History - Libertyville HS. Mauryan Empire (320-230 BC). Native rulers of northern India were disorganized, petty and competing for dominance In reaction to invasion by Alexander the Great, local leaders banned together to resist Greeks

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Indian Empires

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  1. Indian Empires World History - Libertyville HS

  2. Mauryan Empire (320-230 BC) • Native rulers of northern India were disorganized, petty and competing for dominance • In reaction to invasion by Alexander the Great, local leaders banned together to resist Greeks • Began consolidation into a centralized state

  3. Mauryan Empire • Over next 90 years, the Mauryan family emerged as dominant • Based in Ganges river valley • Conquered most of subcontinent • Recovered territory from Seleucids in the West

  4. Mauryan Kings • Chandragupta (322-298 BC) • Threw out Seleucids • Recognized as Indian ruler by Egypt, Syria • Ashoka the Great (278-232 BC) • Grandson of Chandragupta • Completed conquest of subcontinent, NW into Asia

  5. Mauryan Kings • Ashoka • Converted to Buddhism after a particularly brutal war • Conversion encouraged spread of Buddhism • Cultural diffusion (trade) • Syria, Macedonia • Didn’t “stick” in India • Ashoka ordered thousands of inscripted pillars throughout India • Sayings, stories of Buddha written on them

  6. Mauryan Culture • Religious tolerance • Respect for human dignity • Government • Autocracy at national level • Democracy at village (local) level • Caste divisions were well established • Idea was to promote unity within kingdom

  7. Mauryan Culture • Complex central government • Collected taxes • Encouraged trade • Maintained communications through road building program • Spy system throughout empire • Planted banyan trees to give shade to travelers

  8. Post Mauryan India (184 BC to 320 AD) • Last emperor assassinated; empire fragmented • Two religions worshipped: Hinduism & Buddhism • Hinduism in form that would be recognized as modern Hinduism

  9. Gupta Dynasty (320-430s AD) • Ruled along Ganges River Valley • Ushered in golden age of Hindu culture • Art, science, architecture flourished • Buddhism spread into China due to Chinese pilgrims visiting India

  10. Gupta Empire • Guptas directly ruled densely populated Ganges River Valley • Indirectly ruled rest of subcontinent • Traded with Persians, Byzantines • Influence extended into SE Asia (Cambodia, Burma)

  11. Decline of Gupta Empire • Series of weak rulers • Invaded by Huns • Conquered much of India • Eventually absorbed into dominant Indian culture • Gupta empire ended in 550 AD w/ death of last king

  12. Muslim Conquest of India • First contact • First Muslims into India were Arab traders in 620 AD • First mosque in India built in 629 AD • Umayyad Dynasty Expansion • Arabs, Persians gradually conquered Northern India • By 1000 AD, Caliphate est.

  13. Muslim Conquest of India • Muslim caste system created • Favored Islamic conquerors • Muslims saw caste as a social construct, not a religious matter • Helped influence conversion • Unconverted Hindus were considered impure (low) • Hindus forced to convert at swordpoint (pagans; 50-80 million killed over 500 year period)

  14. Mongol Invasion & Mughal Empire • Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded, conquered Abbasids in 1220 AD • Later invasion by Babur (Mongol-Persian) conquered N. India, established Mughal Empire • Gradually adopted Indian culture • Assimilated into Indian culture, Muslim religion

  15. Mughal Empire • Mughal Empire unified all of India until arrival of Europeans in mid 1660s • Mughal Empire disintegrated into several regional states • English emerged supreme in fight to colonize India • India became jewel in imperial British crown

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