Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya dynasty, which ruled Ancient India for about 140 years. His troops conquered one northern Indian kingdom after another, and claimed lands that stretched as far as west as Afghanistan. In this way, Chandragupta united Northern India under one ruler for the first time in history.
Before Chandragupta became a powerful emperor, North Western India was mainly ruled by small regional kingdoms that were scattered here and there. Chandragupta’s empire extended from Kashmir in the north, to the Deccan plateau in the south, and Assam in the east, to Afghanistan in the west. Such was the extent of his empire that not just India, but even the neighbouring lands of Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Nepal were part of his kingdom.
Chandragupta Maurya’s biggest achievements were defeating Alexander’s army and taking over the Nanda Empire at the young age of just 20 years. It is believed that during the last days of his life, King Chandragupta Maurya gave up his throne, and adopted asceticism under the Jain saint, Bhadrabahu.
