1. World History - Libertyville HS
Indian Empires
World History - Libertyville HS

2. Mauryan Empire ( 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) Ashoka the Great (278-232 BC)
Threw out Seleucids
Recognized as Indian ruler by Egypt, Syria
Ashoka the Great ( 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; 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