CDS EXAM

Study Material For History

 MAGADHA EMPIRE
Haryanka Dynasty
Bimbisara (558 BC – 492 BC)
● He was the founder of Haryanka Dynasty.
● He followed a policy of conquest and expansion and he annexed Anga.
● The first king to have a standing army.
● Contemporary and follower of the Gautama Buddha.
● He had an effective and excellent administrative system. The officers occupying high posts
divided into three parts were executive, military and judicial.
● He build the city of New Rajagriha .

Ajatshatru (492 BC - 460 BC)

● He is the son of Bimbisara and Chelana. Ajatshatru killed his father and become a ruler.
● Ajatshatru convened the First Buddhist Council at Rajagriha just after the death of Buddha in
483 BC.
● He annexed Kashi by attacking his maternal uncle Prasenjit, the king of Kosala.

Udayin
● Udayin is Shifted the capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra.
● Nagadasak was the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty who was replaced by Sisunga the
Governor of Varanasi.
● The Haryanka dynasty was succeeded by the Shishunaga dynasty.

Shaishunaga Dynasty (412 - 344 BC)

● Shaishunaga was the Governor of Kasi before becoming king of Magadha and he annexed
Avanti and brought an end to the long rivalry between Magadha and Avanti.
● Kalasoka is son of Shaisunaga. Kalasoka shifted the capital to Pataliputra.
● Kalasoka conducted the Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali in 383 BC.

Nanda Dynasty (344 - 323 BC)

● Mahapadma Nanda is called the first historical emperor of India. He murdered Kalasoka to
become the king.
● He is also called “Sarva Kashtriyantaka” (destroyer of all the kshatriyas).
● He conquered Kalinga.
● Mahapadma was succeeded by his eight sons and they were together known as the
Navanandas or the nine Nandas.
● Dhana Nanda was the last ruler of Nanda dynasty.
● During Dhana Nanda’s reign, Alexander invaded north-west India (327–325 BCE).
● Finally, Dhana Nanda was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya, which led to the
foundations of the Maurya Empire in Magadha.