Written by Mayuri Khairnar- a social media content writer
Before independence, our country was under the slavery of Britishers. Certainly, our country has seen many dark times, but it has also seen many ancient monarchs who courageously did battle for the country. They had made the history of our India so memorable. Here we look at some of the legendary monarchs of ancient India.
1. Chandragupta Maurya:
In history, Chandragupta Maurya is known as the founder of the Maurya Empire. He is credited for freeing the country from foreign domination and maladministration. He is credited with bringing together small independent states in India to form a large single kingdom under one administration. Kautilya’s arthshastra is a detailed description of the kingdom’s economy, society, and military operations during the early period of its existence. With Chanakya as his mentor and later minister (c. 4th century BCE), he built a vast, centralized empire, whose details are well preserved.
2. Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat:
Ancient Asia was influenced by Asoka’s promotion of Buddhism. As per an Ashokavadana legend, his mother named him Ashok because he removed her sorrows upon his birth. Emperor Ashoka was coached by his Guru Acharya Chanakya. He had very immense contribution to converting Ashoka into a skilled emperor. During his reign, Ashoka showed the nation the path to development from the social, economic, political, and religious perspectives. In his heyday, he ruled almost the entire subcontinent of India. During his reign, India experienced one of its most glorious periods.
3. King Prithviraj Chauhan:
The great warrior king, Prithviraj Chauhan, was known for his brave and unwavering resistance to the ruler of the Muslim Ghurid dynasty, Muhammad of Ghor, with all his might. As king, he ruled over two capital cities, Ajmer and Delhi, which he inherited from his grandfather. He was known as the warrior king. He built Qila Rai Pithora in this area after ascending to the throne of Delhi. The story of king Prithviraj’s marriage to Sanyukta is well known to everyone.
4. King Chhatrapati Shivaji:
King Chhatrapati Shivaji was born in the family of the Maratha kingdom. Shivaji’s administrator Dadoji Konddeo played an important role in his upbringing after Shivaji’s father left with his second wife. His first conquest took place at the age of 16 when he attacked and captured Torna Fort. In respect to all religions, Shivaji was unbiased towards castes and communities of various hue. In addition to protecting his empire’s coast, his commanded navy deterred the Portuguese, Brits, Dutch, Siddis, and Mughals from attacking. For this, he became known as the ‘Father of the Indian Navy’.
5. Razia Sultana:
Razia Sultana, who ruled Delhi from 1236 to 1240, was the first woman to rule the country as a Sultan. Razia’s father Shams ud-in Iltutmish raised her to be a bold young girl, training her alongside his three sons in governance and military warfare. Razia adopted a gender-neutral attire and abandoned the pardah(veil), angering the traditional Muslim society. Razia, having been a secular leader, established a host of schools, academies, research centers, and public libraries that focused on both traditional and scientific education.
Caption: The diamonds of historic India
