Schoolcraft College

Nano-History
Candra Gupta Maurya

Beth Kwiecinski
HIST 134
Dr. Alec Thomson
9 December 2016

Beth Kwiecinski
HIST 134

Dr. Alec Thomson

9 December 2016
He was the first ruler of a soon to be great empire. The Maurya Empire, which was
established around 324 BCE, would see only three more rulers before the Empire would see its
end. Candra Gupta Maurya would come to unify India for the first time, and would be the start of
Indias peaceful period.
He was born in the Indian kingdom of Magadha, though not much else is known about
his early beginnings. He was possibly born of a King and his servant. [1]
In his early years as ruler, Gupta was friendly with Alexander the Great, and they had
planned to work together. When Alexander had different ideas, the two split ways, and Gupta
ended up taking the Greeks land in Northern India. [2] He took the land of Magadha, and started
to slowly take land from all angles. [3]

[1] "Chandragupta Maurya ((?)-c. 298 B.C.)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998.
Academic OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=AONE&sw=w&u=lom_schoolcraft&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA148418001&it=r&asid=f517fd5d29e16b9df8dc169882ed2973. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.
[2] Tucker, Spencer C. "Candra Gupta Maurya." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras.
ABC-CLIO, 2016. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.
[3] Ward, Geoffrey. "Chandragupta Maurya." The Reader's Companion to Military History,
edited by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker, Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Academic OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=lom_schoolcraft&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA176784679&it=r&asid=de47aea24c5dc418ea5988cdca173b06. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.
Chandragupta ruled for 24 years, and within those 24 years had accumulated quite the
wealth. His army was huge, having a claimed 400,000- 600,000 men. And with those 400,000-

600,000 men, took land and took lives of all those who stood in their way. He defeated Seleucus,
who was looking to take the land of India from Alexander the Greats ownership. [4]
Also early in his rule, Gupta had help from a counsel, who wrote him a book on all the laws and
rules or ruling a country. This book was called The Arthashastra, and it served as a book of
political and military advice given to kings by their advisors and counsel. [5]
What made Gupta the most notable was his grandson, Asoka, who would reign in peace
and would help spread Buddhism across India.

[4] "Chandragupta." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2016): 1. Academic

Search Complete. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.
[5] "Kautilya: Advice to Kings (Ca. 321296 BCE)." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras,
ABC-CLIO, 2016, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1994060. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.

"Chandragupta." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2016): 1. Academic Search

Complete. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.

"Chandragupta Maurya ((?)-c. 298 B.C.)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998.
Academic OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=AONE&sw=w&u=lom_schoolcraft&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA148418001&it=r&asid=f517fd5d29e16b9df8dc169882ed2973. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.
"Kautilya: Advice to Kings (Ca. 321296 BCE)." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras,
ABC-CLIO, 2016, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1994060. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.

Tucker, Spencer C. "Candra Gupta Maurya." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABCCLIO, 2016. Web. 9 Dec. 2016.
A short informational paper on the life of Gupta. Tucker talks about his early life, which much is
unknown. What this short article focuses on more is his reign and conquests, which are the true
legacy Gupta would leave behind. Touching briefly on the relationship with Alexander the
Great, attention is turned to
Ward, Geoffrey. "Chandragupta Maurya." The Reader's Companion to Military History, edited
by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker, Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Academic OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=lom_schoolcraft&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA176784679&it=r&asid=de47aea24c5dc418ea5988cdca173b06. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.