Ancient and Medieval Indian Rulers

Bindusara is known as the “father of a son and the son of a father". He was the second Mauryan emperor (c. 320 BC – 272 BC, ruled. 298 BC – c. 272 BC) after Chandragupta Maurya. During his reign, the empire expanded southwards. He had two well-known sons, Susima and Ashoka, who were the viceroys of Takshashila and Ujjain. 

The last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha was assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga. In 185 bce the last of the Mauryas, Brihadratha, was assassinated by his Brahman commander in chief, Pushyamitra, who founded the Shunga dynasty. 

Harshavardhan, on the bank of Narmada, was defeated by Pulakeshin II. When Pulikeshin II pushed forth up to the Narmada, he came face to face with Harshavardhana of Kanauj. In a decisive battle fought on the banks of the Narmada, Harsha lost a major part of his elephant force and had to retreat.

The capital of cholas dynasty was Thajavur. The other major towns were Uraiyur and Kudanthai, After Rajendra Chola moved his capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur lost its importance. The later Chola kings moved around their capitals frequently and made cities such as Chidambaram, Madurai and Kanchipuram their regional capitals. 

Udayin founded the city of Pataliputra. Pāṭaliputra, modern-day Patna, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Ajatashatru in 490 BC as a small fort near the River Ganges, and later the capital of the ancient Mahājanapadas kingdom of Magadha. Its key central location in north central India led rulers of successive dynasties to base their administrative capital here, from the Nandas, Mauryans, Sungas and the Guptas down to the Palas 

Krishnadeva Raya is widely considered the greatest ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, known for his military conquests and patronage of arts and literature.

The Rashtrakutas, under Dantidurga, overthrew the Chalukyas of Badami in the mid-8th century.

Raja Rattan Chand was a prominent ruler of the Kahloor (Bilaspur) princely state.

The Mauryan emperor Ashoka is famous for his edicts inscribed on rocks and pillars across the Indian subcontinent, which represent the earliest decipherable stone inscriptions in India.

Manigramam was a prominent guild or corporation of merchants in South India during the medieval period, involved in trade.

Chandra Gupta I was the first Gupta ruler to adopt the title Maharajadiraja (King of Kings) after his marriage to the Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi.

In the Rig Vedic period, several women, including Ghosha, Apala, and Viswavara, composed hymns and attained the status of Rishikas (female seers/Rishis).

In the Mauryan administration, 'Hiranya' refers to a tax paid in cash, whereas 'Bhaga' was the king's share of the produce (usually in kind).