Mauryan Empire in India
Government
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The Empire had four separate provinces all under control of the Kumara(royal prince). The Kumara held control as the kings representative, the Kamara was assisted by Mahamatyas and Matriparishad. The imperial capital was Paraliputra, at the imperial level, the Emperor and his Mantriparishad kept organization and structure. The bureaucracy explained as a complex civil service controlled all. The Maurayan empire had control of the largest known army of the time including; 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and upwards of 10,000 war ready elephants. Asoka maintained this army in order to protect and keep the four provinces of the Mauryan empire under control.
Economy
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The military involvement within the empire allowed a good economic system and increased trade and commerce. Internal peace in India led to new found trade increase, political unity helped the trade levels expand within the empire greatly also. The Khyber pass was the strategically the most important connection with the outside world. Not only did India exchange silks(The Silk Road) , textiles, and spices/exotic foods, but also with scientific knowledge and current technology of the age. Ashoka sponsored the constructions of many connections for trade as well as public service buildings. The decreasing of taxation and collection of crops led to increase of economic activity across the empire.
Religion
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The three main religions throughout the Mauryan empire consisted of; Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Hinduism during the beginning of the empire played an important part to the development of India. Hindu priests and ministers contributed greatly to the emperors court. Hindus are devoted to the Trimurti or three forms "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." Buddhism was later embraced by Ashoka, which eliminated his expansionism and aggression needs. The spread of Buddhism from Ashoka led to more construction of temples and thus led to peace between neighboring countries. Jainism is a religion that Emperor Chandragupta Maurya embraced after retiring. Although Jainism was a vital force under the Mauryan rule, it began to decline in southern India where it spread.
Decline of the Mauryan Empire
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The Decline of the Mauryan Empire had most importantly to do with the succession of weaker kings. The empire split up and made it vulnerable in return. If there was a stronger central power the empire could have held up against Greek invasions. Military inactivity and economic struggles contributed to the downfall as well. The end of the empire concluded with Brihadnatha as the last emperor who was killed by the rival dynasty.