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The RISE OF TERRITORIAL STATE

Ancient history map of 16 mahajnpadas

Sixteen territorial states came into existence in 6^th century B.C., they were also called Mahajanpadas.

 Janpada the term composed of Janas means “people” or subject and pada “foot” where the people put their feet. however, these were permanent settlements of the agricultural communities of the later Vedic age.

The term mahajanpada was used to describe a large area capable of bearing taxes and various imposition.

several Janpada included in a Mahajanpada.there were several thousand villages in a Janapada

EMERGENCE OF MAHAJANPADAS.

·       The Vedic Janapadas were transformed into Mahajanpadas due to certain socio- political changes that took place in the 6^th century B.C.

·       Due to the new iron technology, the agricultural communities expanded.

·       Gahapatis emerged as landlords and got the cultivation done with the help of slaves, hired laborers, etc.

·       Important class of traders emerged. Trade and merchandising became independent economic activities by 6th century B.C. which further led to the emergence of towns and cities.

·       The Vedic Raja were now transformed into kings, who ruled over territories, maintained armies and collected revenue from the people.

·       Mahajanpadas were basically the amalgamation of a large number of rural and urban settlements. There were 16 mahajanpadas

·       The names of 16 mahajanpadas were given by the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya(part of Sutta Pitaka).

·        Mahajanpadas were either monarchial or republican in character.

·        The geographical locations of monarchies or  republican were unique with the fact that the monarchial kingdom occupying the Ganga- Yamuna valley and the republics being located near the foothills of the Himalaya.

MONARCHIES	REPUBLIC
Divinity of king	Meeting of the representatives of the tribes or the head of the family in the public assembly.
Theoretically, the land was owned by the king and 1/6th of the produce was the general rate of land tax.	This assembly was presided over by the raja which simply was a title given to the chief, who was not a king.
A number of tax collecting officers were there most important of them were the Tundiyas and Akasiyas who were to collect taxes, from the people either by beating and binding or by disposing from their earnings.	The office of Raja was not hereditary
The basic units of social and economic the organization, in general, were the villages. Each village was under the jurisdiction of a head man who was responsible for collecting taxes that were brought to the royal treasury by its officials. The Gramini was also called Gramika or Gramadhysha.	The elder members of the aristocratic families, own as raja kulas were credited with the right of declaring wars.
The Senaadayaka occupied an exalted place in the list of high functionaries.	There was an elaborate judicial procedure
At first, the private ownership was not widespread but later it was possible.	The terms Maharatta and Amattya were used to describe the officials both in the republics and in kingdoms.

MONARCHIES

KASHI

Capital of Kashi was Banaras, Kashi was the  first which is most powerful among the sixteen states and played an important part in the subversion of the Videhan monarchy. Eventually, it had to submit the power of Kosala and later annexed by Ajatshatru to Magadha.

KOSALA

·        It embraced the area occupied by eastern Uttar Pradesh and has its Gomati, on the south by the Sarpika or Syandika (Sai), on the east by the Sadanira (Gandak) separated from Videha and on the north by the Nepal hills.

·        Ayodhya, Saketa and Shravasti were important cities. Prasenjit, the Kosalan king was the contemporary of king Bimbisara and king Ajatshatru of Magadha.

·        Though Prasenjit did not embrace Buddhism, one of the Bharhut sculptures highlights cordiality between Prasenjit and Buddha.

                                                               

ANGA

Anga in the east of Magadha roughly corresponds to the modern districts of Monghyr and Bhagalpur. Its capital Champa, situated on the bank of the river of the same name, was noted for its wealth and commerce. Magadha was annexed in the time of Bimbisara.

MAGADHA

Between Anga and Vasta there lay the kingdom of Magadha, corresponding to modern Patna and Gaya districts, bounded on the north and west by the rivers Ganga and Son, on the south by the Vindhya outcrop and on the east by the river Champa. Rajagriha or Girivraja, rendered impregnable by the perimeter of five hills, was the Magadhan capital.

 The founder of Magadha was Brihadratha. However, Magadha came into prominence under Bimbisara and Ajatshatru.

VATSA

The Vatsa the country had a monarchial form of government. Its capital was Kausambi. Udayana, the ruler of this country in the sixth century B.C. had to struggle against king Ajatshatru of Magadha and king Pradyota of Avanti.

To begin with, Udayana was opposed to Buddhism but later on, he became a follower of Buddha and made Buddhism the state region. Later, Vatsa was annexed to the Avanti kingdom during the reign of Palaka.

AVANTI

The state of Avanti roughly corresponding to modern Malwa. The river Vetravsati divided Avanti into north and south. Territorially, it was a big kingdom and its capital was Ujjayini or modern Ujjain.

 Chanda Pradyota is the ruler of Avanti, in the time of Buddha. He was a contemporary of Udayana of Kausambi. Although he was given the nickname of Chanda on account of his ferocity, he became convert to Buddhism.

Avanti became a very important center of Buddhism. The kingdom of Avanti was finally annexed to Magadhan Empire by Sishunaga.

Gandhara

The state of Gandhara roughly corresponded to modern Kashmir and extended up to the Kabul valley. Its capital was which was a famous seat of learning where scholars came from all over the world. According to the Buddhist tradition, the  King of Gandhara Pukkusati exchanged gifts with Bimbisara in Magadha and went on foot to see the Buddha.

KAMBOJA

It was the country adjoining Gandhara in the extreme North-West with Dwarka as its capital. A little before 530 B.C. Cyrus, the Achaemenid emperor of Persia crossed the Hindukush and received tributes from the people of Kamboja, Gandhara and the trans-Indus area. During Kautilya's time, Kamboja transformed from a monarchy to republic.

MATSYA

The Matsyas were to the south of the Kurus and west of the Yamuna.The Matsya country corresponded roughly to the former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan.

KURUS

The Kuru country roughly corresponded to the Modern Delhi and the adjoining doab region. It was the most important kingdom of the later Vedic period but during the sixth century, B.C.the Kurus did not occupy the same position. They set up their. capital at Hastinapur.

PANCHALA

The Panchala kingdom covered the modern districts of Brailley, Badaun and Farukhabad lost its prominent position as in the Vedic period. Their capital was at Kampila.

SURASENA AND CHEDI

The Surasena kingdom was south of the Matsyas with its capital Mathura. The kingdom of the Chedis corresponds roughly to the eastern parts of Bundelkhand and adjoining areas.

REPUBLICS

VAJJIS

·        The territory of Vajji lay north of the Ganga and stretched as far as the Nepal hills. The Vajji the state is said to have been a confederation of eight clans (atthakula) of whom the Viedehans, The Lichchhavis, the Jnatrikas and the  Vrijjis were the most important.

·        In all likelihood and Vajji confederation was organized after the decline and fall of the Videhan monarchy and was a republican state in the time of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. Lichchhavis were the most powerful on them with their capital at Vaishali.

MALLAS

The territory of the Mallas, a republican, was divided into two parts, each having its own capital. The two capital cities were Kushinara and Pava. The importance of these two cities. He is very great in the history of Buddhism as Buddha took his last meals and was taken ill at Pava and at Kushinar, he died.

ASSAKA

The kingdom of Assam was situated near the river Godavari in the South. Its capital was Patlia or Potn.

Concept Builder

In the sixth century BC only 4 states-Kosala, Avanti, Vajji, and Magadha survived. The political history of India from the sixth century BC onward is the history of struggle between these states for supremacy. Ultimately the kingdom of Magadha emerged to be the most powerful and succeeded in founding an empire.

EMERGENCE OFMAGADHA

·        There was a strong struggle between Magadha, Kosala, Vatsa, and Avanti for supremacy in period 6^th Century B.C. to 4^th Century B.C.

·        Ultimately Magadha emerged as the most powerful and prosperous kingdom of North India.

·        The founders of Magadha  were Jarasandha and Brihadratha but the actual growth took place under the Haryankas.

HARYANKA DYNASTY

Girivraj was the earliest capital of Magadha which was later named as Rajagriha.

Bhimbisara founded the city of Rajagriha.

Bimbisara (544 BC- 492 BC)

·        He was the first ruler of Harynka dynasty and became the king at the age of 15 years succeeding his father Bhattiya.

·        He was the contemporary of Buddha

·        He was the first king to have a standing army.

·        Annexed Anga and controlled some important trade centers and trade routes.

·        The earliest of the Indian kings to stress the need for an efficient administration.

·        : Matrimonial Alliances

·        Married to the Kosalan princess ( Prasenjit’s sister)

·        Married to the Lichchavi princess Challena(daughter of Chetaka)

·        Married to the Madra princess khema.

·        He lost his life at the hands of his own son, Ajatashatru.

AJATASHATRU (492BC-460BC)

·        He was the son of Chellana and Bhimbisara and occupied the throne by killing his father.

·        A policy of aggressive expansion was followed by him:

·        He defeated his uncle Prasenjit, the king of Kosala and married his daughter Vajjira

·        He destroyed Vaishali, the capital of Lichchhavi after 16 years of war. He had sowed the seeds of discord amongst the rulers of Vaishali.

·        He patronized the first Buddhist council after the death of Buddha.

·        His important achievements were the addition of Kashi and Vaishali to Magadh.

UDAYIN (460BC-444BC)

·        He was the son and successor of Ajatashatru.

·        He had served as his viceroy at Champa.

·        He shifted the capital from Rajagriha to Patliputra.

THE SISUNAGADYNASTY

[A]  SISUNAGA

Before becoming the King, he was the viceroy at Varanasi.

He succeeded uUdyin and shifted the capital from Patliputra to Vaishali.

Annexed Avanti and thus the 100 years old rivalry between Avanti and Magadha comes to an end.

[B] KALASOKA

He succeeded Sisunaga and transferred his capital from Girivraj back to Patliputra.

The second Buddhist council was held in his regime at Vaishali.

 THE NANDADYNASTY

[A] MAHAPADMA NANDA

·       He overthrew the Sisunaga Dynasty and established a new line of kings known as Nandas which was considered to be the 1^st non-Kshatriya dynasty.

·       He was also known as Ekarat, Chhatri, Sarvakshatrantaka.

·       Conquered Kalinga and suppressed a rebellion Kosala.

[B] DHANANANDA

·       He was the last king of Nanda dynasty .

·       He was identified with the Agrammes or Xandrames of the Greek classical writings.

·       He was the ruler of Magadha when Alexender’s invasion took place.

·       He was defeated and overthrown by

Chandragupta Maurya.

SOCIO ECONOMIC CONDITION AND ADMINISTRATION

ROYAL OFFICIALS

A large number of the officers called Mahamatras were appointed. Those Mahamtras who was in charge of work of general nature were called Sarvathaka. The Mahamantrs in charge of the administration of justice were known as Vyavaharika. The Maha mantras who looked after the army were called Senanayaka. Dronamapakas was in charge of revenue. Rajugrahakas was in charge of the work of the cadastral survey.

JUSTICE

The king was considered to be the fountainhead of the justice and it was his duty to administer the same. The procedure was different at different places and it was the duty of a judge to administer justice according to the local custom. Consideration of castes, family, and locality played their part in the administration of justice.

ARMY

The king, to protect the people, had to keep a strong army. Generally, there were four divisions of the army,viz., elephants, chariots, horses and foot-tipped arrows, spears, swords, etc. We are told that Ajatashatru had a new type of chariot called Pathamusala and a machine to hurl big stones called Mahasilakantaga.

SOURCES OF REVENUE

Some money came from the vassal states in the form of tribute.

Some money was realized from the tax called Bali. However, the most important source of income was from land. The Bhaga or share of the king of the grains produced was one-sixth of the produce and was collected by officials known as  Bhagadughas.

Grama- bhojaka was the village headman and was called “ milk money” was given to the king on the occasion of the birth of an heir  to the throne.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

·       Most of the people lived in villages and agriculture was their main occupation.

·       The herdsman was known as Gopalak who were landless laborers and slaves who were employed by others to work in the fields. Every village was practically self-sufficient.

·       Rice was the staple food. Sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, and flowers were also cultivated.

·       Guild (Sreni) system seems to have been in existence. At the head of each Guild was a president. There were many Guilds of workers and their number is usually given as 18. There is a reference to the terms Setthi which probably means ahead merchant. The barter system had ceased to exist and the system of standard currency and token coins issued and regulated by the Government had not yet arisen.

SOCIAL CONDITION

·       Indian society was divided into four castes, viz.,the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas,the Viashyas, and the Sudras. Castes were an important factor in the social life.

·       The Kshatriyas and Brahamnas were exempted from taxes which were paid by the middle classes.

·       The  Brahamans went through the four Ashramas prescribed by the Hindu-law givers. They were employed by the king for the performance of sacrifices and the prediction of the future.

·       The Kshatriyas were the representatives of political power. They symbolized the idea of state. They attached great importance to the purity of blood and did not consider any person of pure blood who, through his mother or father, belonged to another caste.

·       The Vaishyas were better known by the word ‘Gahapati’.

SLAVERY

·       Persons who were captured or whose death sentences were commuted became slaves. People were also made slaves for debts due from them.

·       Criminals were also made slaves, and they could be given as gifts.

·       They were also sold.

·       Some people were born slaves and they could not own property.

It is true that they could be beaten or treated harshly but generally, they were treated with kindness. A slave could get his freedom either by pleasing his master or by making a payment of money to him