Gautama Buddha belonged to the Sakya clan, which is why he is often referred to as 'Shakyamuni Buddha' (the sage of the Sakyas). The Sakya clan was a kshatriya (warrior/ruler) clan that ruled over the area of present-day Nepal and northern India during the 6th century BCE. Buddha's father Shuddhodana was the king of the Sakyas, making Buddha a prince who later renounced his royal heritage to seek enlightenment.