What makes a ruler legitimate? (or what makes people follow a ruler?

y In the happiness of his subjects lies [a

king s] happiness, in their welfare his welfare. He shall not consider good that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects.
y y - Arthashastra, a Maurya handbook on

governance

y According to Hindu teachings, a ruler s

duties included maintaining peace and order by enforcing laws, resisting invaders, and encouraging economic growth. Those who successfully achieved those goals became some of India s greatest rulers.

y Northern India was the battleground for rival rajahs

wanting control of the Ganges River Valley. y The Greek invasion of Alexander the Great prompted the Indians to organize into larger units, giving rise to the first Indian empire.
Chandragupta Maurya India s Unifier

y Chandragupta Maurya first conquered the

Ganges and Indus Valleys. y His son and grandson conquered the Deccans. y A treaty with the Seleucid leaders of the former Persian Empire ceded parts of Afghanistan to the Maurya Empire. y Megasthenes reports the capital city as the greatest Indian city, with schools, libraries, palaces, temples, 530 towers and 64 gates.

Chandragupta Maurya was helped by his minister, Kautilya, author of the Arthashastra. Roads and harbors were built to facilitate trade; officials collected taxes. The government owned all economic activities. A brutal secret police force spied on the emperors internal enemies and punished those who committed crimes or corruption. Chandragupta slept in different rooms each night, had women warriors guard him, and had servants taste his food before eating it himself.

Make peace with the equal and the stronger but make war with the weaker. Create a network of spies that included secret agents disguised as holy men. Eliminate treacherous ministers by poisoning the food they prepare for you and then blame them. Replenish the treasury by fooling the farmers or merchants into paying more taxes. Get more money by declaring a something to be sacred, and living on the donations.

The Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta became a Jain and is said to have fasted to death. The greatest Maurya ruler was Asoka who became emperor in 268 BCE. Asoka was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya.

Asoka waged a battle killing at least 100,000 people. He is said to have been horrified and adopted a policy of non-violence.

Asoka turned his back on further conquests, converted to Buddhism, rejected violence, and resolved to rule by moral example. Much of what we know about Asoka came from his rock edicts, stone pillars offering moral advice or a promise for a just government.

Asoka showed compassion for all living things.

Asoka encouraged vegetarianism and stopped eating meat himself. Asoka supported Buddhism but also tolerated other religions. Asoka believed that all people deserved to be happy and respect. Asoka s support for Buddhism led the establishment of Nalanda as a Buddhist center in India.
y http://www.pbs.org/thesto

ryofindia/gallery/photos/6. html#edicts_of_ashoka

y The Empire

y http://www.pbs.org/thes

declined after Ashoka. y Broke up into kingdoms. y The area continued to thrive because of Trade in Spices.

toryofindia/gallery/phot os/8.html#trade_video y http://www.pbs.org/thes toryofindia/gallery/phot os/8.html#spices

The second great Indian empire was founded by a man who took the name Chandragupta Gupta in 320 CE.
The Gupta Empire, though slightly smaller, would reconquer the territories of the Mauryan Empire. The greatest Gupta emperor was Chandragupta II, also known as King Vikramaditya.

The Gupta Empire was looser and milder than Maurya rule; power was left in the hands of village and city governments.
The Gupta Empire maintained power through tributary relationships where the defeated ruler would remain the leader provided he paid taxes (tribute) and homage to the emperor.

Theater State
y 320 C.E.-600 C.E. y Increased Education,

medicine, literature and the arts. y Hinduism became more popular and Buddhism died out in India. y Central Asian Invaders ruled after that, but India very fragmented for hundreds of years. Maharajas: Princes local kings

Quick Response
The Gupta Empire is called a Theater State what do you think that means? The Guptas used their army to control the core of their empire, but provincial administration was left to governors who often made their posts hereditary and subordinate kingdoms and kinship groups. Because the Gupta did not have sufficient military force, they exercised power as a "theater-state," redistributing profits and luxury goods from trade and dazzling its dependents with elaborate ceremonies in return for gifts and other favors.

Gupta India Achievements & Society

y The Golden Age: y was marked by extensive inventions and

discoveries in science, technology, engineering, art, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy.

Life in Gupta India

y Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the

Silk Road and visited India in the 5c. y He was following the path of the Buddha. y He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

Extensive Trade: 4c

spices gold & ivory

Gupta Art

Elaborate temples, stone carved-sometimes look carvedlike caves. Painting increased. Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

Education
y The highest castes received scholarly education y

scriptures. Nalanda University becomes famous and many come from China to study there supported by contributions from the villages. Non scholarly education in mathematics, science warfare, astronomy and medicine was given to many Kshatriyas, and Some Sudras. Many were given technical education through Guilds (what is a Guild?) metallurgy, diamond and Ivory cutting, and wood carving are a few examples. Women were given some education, but could not recite the Vedas.

Literature and Philosophy

y Kalidsa-poet and playwright creates Shakuntala y Prakrit literature-Story of Lord Rama literaturey Kuma Sutra written during this period.
y Philosophy encouraged a return to

Hinduism, but with new influences. Bhakti through Yoga and meditation /devotion Karma can be changed.

Women in the Gupta Period

y Although revered in Literature

women s status decreased during this period. y Veiling was popular among the elite. y Sati became more common. y Marriage was arranged when the girl was very young.

http://www.pb s.org/thestory ofindia/gallery /photos/16.ht ml#astronomy

500 healing plants identified

1000 diseases classified

Printed medicinal guides Plastic Surgery

Gupta Achievements
Kalidasa

Medicine
Inoculations

Literature

C-sections performed

Gupta India

Solar Calendar

Decimal System

Mathematics

Astronomy
The earth is round

Concept of Zero

PI = 3.1416

Differences between North and South Emerge

y Language differences y Clothing and Jewelry y North wear Dohis and South were Saris y North wore entire family fortune as

jewelry. y Religion North more Krishna south Shiva, mixed with more Buddhism and Jainism.

All south from this is named the Middle Kingdom. . .The people are numerous and happy. . . Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic. The only exception is that of the Chandalas. That is the name for those who are (held to be) wicked men, and live apart from others. When they enter the gate of a city or a market-place, they strike a piece of wood to make themselves known, so that men know and avoid them, and do not come into contact with them. In that country they do not keep pigs and fowls, and do not sell live cattle; in the markets there are no butchers shops and no dealers in intoxicating drink. . . Only the Chandalas are fishermen and hunters, and sell flesh meat.

1. What similarities can you find in the passage? 2. What differences does Faxian note between the people of the Middle Kingdom and the Chandalas?