Visionaries and Empires in India, Research Paper Example

The topic selected for this assignment is the Visionaries and Empires in India

The theme of the topic is related to chapter 8: ‘Empire and Visionaries in India from 600 BCE-600 CE’. This chapter talks about the how the great Empire of India came into being and who were the visionary leaders that helped unite India to emerge as a great power at the time. The expansion and growing populations in the past centuries with the Middle East region stimulated the urban civilization rise. This rise was in the heartland of Aryans in the part of ancient India. A network of cities, trade routes and towns grew up and become highly productive supporting agriculture with the help of tools of iron. The script of Sanskrit’s was probably used in that date and shortly the coinage system emerged. The different tribes of Aryans have coalesced into 16 states that were major and now covers the present part of Northern India. These states in the year 600 BCE were rile by governors, republicans and Kings which were using oligarchies of noblemen.

This time of the history of India is one of its great achievement intellectually. The early foundations of Hinduism religion was laid and the assumptions of religion underpinned and were challenged from different quarters. This chapter mostly focuses on the Empire of India, how it emerged into a power at that time and who were the visionary leaders behind its success. If we look at the Indian history, one of the greatest leader at that time was ‘Asoka the Great’.

The relation of the topic is in according with Chapter 8 and my question is “How did Asoka the Great united the Indian Subcontinent and build prestige for India?” ‘What was the turning point in the life of Asoka the Great and what is the significance of the Battle of Kalinga? In the year 321 B.C we can see that the Mauryan Empire was established. This was done with the help of their visionary leader Chandragupta Maurya. He overthrew the Magadha ruler named Nanda and became the King of Mauryan Empire. The success of India was because of the vision of Mauryan Empire and its greatest ruler named ‘Asoka the Great’. He is known as ‘Great’ because he united most of the Indian subcontinent for the first time in history. He established the relation of Buddhism and sent out missionaries which helped spread this religion vastly. This made Buddhism the world religion at the time. The prestige was built in this way for the Mauryan Empire because of these efforts and achievement of Asoka.

Sources

In the first source, we can see that one of the strongest ruler and kings of the Indian subcontinent was ‘Asoka the Great’. In the period of 500 BCE-600 CE we can see that many rulers came but the most significant name is of Asoka. He was a Mauryan Empire ruler and was in the reign from the period of 273 BC to 232 BC. The Asoka Emperor’s reign covered most of South Asia, India and beyond that is stretched from modern day Afghanistan and the parts of Persia, Assam, Bengal and Mysore in the southern region.

This source signifies the qualities of the visionary ruler of India i.e. Asoka. Asoka was a fierce and aggressive ruler but after the Kalinga battle he was changed completely. From the hungry for power emperor, he transformed in to the followed of Buddha and started teaching the Buddhism principles globally.

I agree with source B as it also strengthens the statement and explains that how Asoka became a visionary leader and helped Indian to transform into a powerful empire at that time. Asoka grew up to be a strong and excellent astute statesman and a warrior general. His command of the army of Maurya started increasing daily and due to this his elder brothers because jealous of him. He was favored by the emperor of Maurya named Bindusara and he wanted Asoka to be the next ruler.

The turning point in Asoka the Great’s life was the Kalinga Battle. The specific reason of the battle is not known but it is believed that one of the brothers of Asoka took shelter at Kalinga. This enraged Asoka and he launched a fierce war on the province. The whole of Kalinga province was destroyed and plundered and people who were in thousand were slaughtered. It is believed that after the Kalinga battle was over, King Asoka went to tour the city. There he saw only destruction and death, burnt crops and corpses scattered. This was the first time where he realized in his life the brutal consequences of battles and wars. He was haunted by the scenes of the lives he destroyed when he returned to Paliputra. His Queen also left him after seeing how brutal Asoka has become after winning the battle of Kalinga.

Asoka realized this and turned into a new lead. He left up the ways of war and adopted Buddhism. He started preaching the principles of Buddhism far and wide to Egypt and Rome. In fact, Asoka is the one that developed prestige for the Indians and made a serious attempt on making a policy of Buddhism. Asoka removed the case system from India and treated all people equally. He gave freedom, equality and tolerance to everyone.

Works Cited 

Duiker, William J., and Jackson Spielvogel. The essential world history. Cengage Learning, 2012.

Elliot, Henry Miers. The history of India, as told by its own historians: The Muhammadan period. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Smith, Vincent Arthur. “The Early History Of India From 600 BC To The Muhammadan Conquest; Including The Invasion Of Alexander The Great Author.” (2012): 186.