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Chakravarti Samrat of Magadha
Imperial
Longest reign Ashoka the Great 268 BCE – 232 BCE
Details
Style	His Imperial Majesty Devanampriya
First monarch	Chandragupta Maurya
Last monarch	Brihadratha Maurya
Formation	322 BCE
Abolition	185 BCE
Residence	Pataliputra (322–185 BCE)
Appointer	Hereditary

The Maurya Empire (c. 322–185 BCE) was an ancient Indian empire. The empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE and lasted until 185 BCE. The Mauryan Empire was the first pan-Indian empire. At its height, the empire covered most of the Indian subcontinent. The Mauryan Emperor was the monarchical head of state and wielded absolute rule over the empire.

Chandragupta's chief minister Chanakya, sometimes called Kautilya, advised Chandragupta Maurya and contributed to the empire's legacy. Bindusara, Chandragupta's son, assumed the throne around 297 BCE. He kept the empire running smoothly while maintaining its lands. Bindusara's son, Ashoka, was the third leader of the Mauryan Empire. Ashoka left his mark on history by erecting large stone pillars inscribed with edicts that he issued. After Ashoka's death, his family continued to reign, but the empire began to break apart. The last of the Mauryas, Brihadratha, was assassinated by his Senapati, Pushyamitra Shunga who went on to found the Shunga Empire in 185 BCE.

Family tree

List of emperors

Rulers-

Ruler		Reign	Notes
Chandragupta Maurya		322–297 BCE	Founder of the Maurya Empire.
Bindusara		297–273 BCE	Known for his foreign diplomacy and crushed of Vidarbha revolt.
Ashoka		268–232 BCE	Greatest emperor of dynasty. His son Kunala was blinded and died before his father. Ashoka was succeeded by his grandson. Also known for Kalinga War victory.
Dasharatha Maurya		232–224 BCE	Grandson of Ashoka.
Samprati		224–215 BCE	Brother of Dasharatha.
Shalishuka		215–202 BCE
Devavarman		202–195 BCE
Shatadhanvan		195–187 BCE	The Mauryan Empire had shrunk by the time of his reign
Brihadratha		187–184 BCE	Assassinated and overthrown by his General Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE.

See also

• Magadha
• History of India
• List of largest empires
• List of Gupta emperors
• List of Indian monarchs

References

1. "India in the Magadha and Mauryan Periods".
2. "The Cambridge Shorter History of India".
3. Sastri, Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta (1988). Age of the Nandas and Mauryas. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 208. ISBN 9788120804661.
4. Kistler, John M. (2007). War Elephants. University of Nebraska Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0803260047. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
5. Vincent Arthur Smith (1920). Asoka, the Buddhist emperor of India. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN 9788120613034.
6. Olivelle, Patrick (2024). Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-27490-5.
7. Allchin, F. R.; Erdosy, George (1995). The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia: The Emergence of Cities and States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 306.

• Mauryan dynasty
• Lists of Indian monarchs