India before the british raj

1. India Before the
British Raj

2. Sixth Century BCE
A Patchwork of States
•Aryan kingdoms in the north – almost constantly at war
•Towards the south, independent Dravidian Kingdoms
•Far south, Tamil Land

3. Fourth Century BCE
Greek conquest
•Alexander the Great was the first ruler that we know of
who tried to unite all Indians under one government
•Alexander encountered elephants for the first time, he
had to change his battle plans
•Alexander crushed one Indian prince after another and
encouraged intermarriage between his troops and the
Indians
•Eventually Alexander’s men mutinied, they had travelled
thousands of kilometres and were afraid of tales of fierce
peoples and beasts in unknown lands
•While he did not achieve all his aims, Alexander showed
the weakness of a country divided into petty states

4. 4th Century BCE – 2
nd
Century
BCE
Mauryan Empire
•Led by Chandraguptya Maurya
•According to legend, he visited Alexander and asked
how he could acquire a kingdom of his own
•He attacked some of the garrisons left by Alexander
•He became king of Magadha
•Within a decade he was the master of the Punjab and
Indus Valley
•At the height of his power, Chandragupta controlled 80%
of India
•He became extremely wealthy
•He developed bureaucracy, irrigation, road networks and
standing army

5. Looking at the evidence
“With increasing strength, make war; when you have a
clear advantage over a neighbour, march against him; do
not disturb the customs of a newly conquered people…
Government is the science of punishment”

6. Ashoka during the Mauryan Empire
•Grandson of Chandragupta
•After a bloody invasion into Kalinga, Ashoka became a
devout Buddhist
•His edicts were carved into pillars and rocks around India
•“All men are my children and just as I desire for my
children that they may enjoy every kind of prosperity and
happiness, both in this world and the next, so also I
desire the same for all men”
•He established hospitals and schools, free rest houses,
inns, kitchens and wells
•India became fragmented soon after Ashoka’s death

7. 320-535 CE
Gupta Empire
•Founded by Chandragupta I (not
known if he was related to
Chandragupta Maurya)
•Height of power under Chandragupta II
•He became a peace loving ruler like
Ashoka
•Empire declined when the White Huns
invaded – terrorised India
•India was again divided

8. Muslim conquest
•After the Huns, Arabs were next invaders
•Fanatically devout – launched a holy war
in 632 CE after the death of Muhammad
•Mainly dominated the north-west India,
converting many Hindus and Buddhists to
Islam
•Several brutal battles with Hindus

9. 16
th
Century CE
Mogul India
•India invaded by Muslim leader Babur – seeking plunder
•Weapons were cannons and superior cavalry
•Akbar (Babur’s grandson) added to conquests – by the time he died
his empire rivalled the Mauryan Empire
•Reached greatest extent under Aurangzeb (great-grandson of
Akbar)
•Moguls ruled for more than 2 centuries
•Introduced government, administration, language, religion, art and
architecture
•Built the Taj Mahal – built to house remains of Mumtaz Mahal, wife
of emperor Shah Jahan
•India divided into provinces and administered by a governor
•Declined after death of Aurangzeb
•India again split into small states and provinces