Chandragupta Maurya

Quick Facts

Gender: Men

Famous As: Founder Of The Maurya Empire

Nationality: Indian

Born: 0340

Died At Age: 42

Born In: Pataliputra

Father: Sarvarthasiddhi Maurya

Mother: Mura Maurya

Spouse/Partner: Durdhara

Children: Bindusara

Religion: Hinduism, Jainism

Died On: 298 BC

Place Of Death: Shravanabelagola

Founder/Co-Founder: Maurya Empire

Chandragupta Maurya, who founded the Maurya Empire, was one of the most important rulers in the history of India. He is credited for unifying small independent states to form a large single kingdom for the first time under one administration, leaving aside Kalinga and the Tamil regions of Chera, Chola, Satyaputra, and Pandya. He was successful in destroying the Nanda dynasty, which ruled most of northern India, at the young age of 20. Along with his chief advisor and Brahmin scholar, Chanakya, he seized the Macedonian territories and conquered the eastern territories of Alexander’s general Seleucus to add them to his empire. His empire stretched across Kashmir in the north to Deccan Plateau in the south and Afghanistan and Balochistan in the west to Bengal and Assam in the east. Nevertheless, he voluntarily left his throne and accepted Jainism, moving southwards to Karnataka. His grandson, Ashoka, followed his footsteps in completing the pending conquest of Kalinga and Tamil kingdom in 260 BC. While Ashoka was a highly cruel and fierce initially, Chandragupta, on the other hand, was far less bloodthirsty

Childhood & Early Life

• Chandragupta Maurya was born in 340 BC in Pataliputra, in modern-day Bihar. His background is, however, uncertain. Some claim that he was born to a Nanda prince and his maid-servant, Mura, from the Shudra caste, while others state that he belonged to the Moriya tribe of Peacock-tamers.
  
• Being a brave and determined leader since childhood, he was very well guided by Chanakya, a great Brahmin scholar of economics and political science at Takshashila University, who later became his mentor.

Accession & Reign

• He raised an army with assistance from Chanakya, who went on to become his chief advisor and prime minister after establishing the Maurya Empire.
  
• Chandragupta was able to overcome the Nanda army after a series of battles and finally laid siege of Patliputra, the capital city. The conquest of the Nanda Empire enabled him to lay the foundation of the Maurya Empire in North India at the young age of 20
  
• After Alexander’s death in 323 BC, his empire was divided into three satrapies among his generals, with the Macedonian territories, including Punjab, falling under the control of Seleucus I Nicator.
  
• Since Seleucus was busy on the western borders, Chandragupta took this opportunity to attack and assassinate two Macedonian satrapies, Nicanor of Parthia and Philip, son of Machatas.
  
• After defeating Seleucus, Chandragupta signed a peace treaty with him, according to which he got hold of Punjab in exchange of 500 war elephants.
  
• With most of the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent under his rule, he moved southwards conquering independent Indian states in the Vindhya Range and Deccan Plateau by 300 BC.
  
• While he succeeded in unifying most of the Indian subcontinent, he failed to annex Kalinga (modern-day Odisha) on the east coast and the Tamil kingdom on the southernmost tip, which was eventually done by his grandson, Ashoka.
  
• According to Megasthenes and Strabo, he is believed to have raised an army of 400,000 soldiers, while Pliny reported the figure to be 600,000 foot-soldiers, 30,000 cavalry and 9,000 war elephants.

Major Battles

• After a series of unsuccessful attempts, he defeated the forces of Dhana Nanda and his army commander, Bhadrasala, in 321 BC thereby ending the Nanda Dynasty and conquering its capital, Pataliputra.
  
• With a view to further expand his empire, he set his eyes on eastern Persia and successfully invaded it in 305 BC, and captured areas including Hindu Kush, modern-day Afghanistan and Balochistan in Pakistan.

Achievements

• By conquering most of the Indian subcontinent, he went on to establish one of the largest empires in Indian history, extending from Central Asia in the west to Burma in the east and Himalayas in the north to Deccan Plateau in the south.
  

Personal Life & Legacy

• He married Seleucus’ daughter, which further enhanced his friendly relations with the Hellenistic kingdoms apart from improving India’s trade with the western world.
  
• He abandoned his throne and converted to Jainism, eventually becoming a Muni under Shrutakevali Bhadrabahu with whom he traveled to Shravanabelagola (in modern Karnataka), where he meditated and fasted to death in 298 BC.
  
• He was succeeded by his son, Bindusara, who was later succeeded by his grandson, Ashoka who became one of the most influential rulers of ancient India.

Trivia

• His reign formed the base of Dr. Mysore N. Prakash’s historic/spiritual novel ‘The Courtesan and the Sadhu’.
  
• His bonding with Chanakya was adapted into a 1977 Telugu film ‘Chanakya Chandragupta’. Famous Telugu actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao played the role of Chanakya, while another legendary Telugu actor N. T. Rama Rao portrayed as Chandragupta.
  
• In 2011, a commemorative postage stamp was released by the Indian Postal Service in his honor.
  
• TV series ‘Chanakya’ (based on the play Mudra Rakshasa) is an account of life and times of Chanakya.

Louis XIV Of France

Quick Facts

Nick Name: Louis The Great, Sun King

Also Known As: Le Roi Soleil, Louis The Great, Louis-Dieudonné De France

Famous As: King Of France

Nationality: French

Birth Date: September 5, 1638

Died At Age: 76

Sun Sign: Virgo

Born In: Château De Saint-Germain-En-Laye

Father: Louis XIII Of France

Mother: Anne Of Austria

Siblings: Philippe I, Duke Of Orléans

Spouses/Partners: Maria Theresa Of Spain, Françoise D'Aubigné, Marquise De Maintenon

Children: Louis, Grand Dauphin, Princess Anne Élisabeth Of France, Princess Marie Anne Of France, Marie Anne De Bourbon, Marie Thérèse, Madame Royale, Louis, Count Of Vermandois, Philippe Charles, Duke Of Anjou, Louis Auguste, Duke Of Maine, Louis François, Duke Of Anjou, Louis César, Count Of Vexin

Religion: Catholicism

Died On: September 1, 1715

Place Of Death: Palace Of Versailles

Founder/Co-Founder: Académie Royale D'architecture, Académie Royale De Danse, Paris Opera, Royal Academy Of Dance, French Academy Of Sciences, Paris Opera Ballet

Louis XIV of France, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was the King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. A monarch of the House of Bourbon, he was the son of the French King Louis XIII and his Spanish Queen, Anne of Austria. His father died when Louis was just a young child, and he succeeded his father in 1643 at the age of four years and eight months. His mother ruled as a regent on his behalf for the next few years though it was the Chief Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin who held the true power throughout the young king’s early reign. It was only after the death of the chief minister in 1661 that Louis could begin his independent rule. As the King, he opted to continue some of his predecessor’s policies regarding the governance and sought to eliminate feudalism from all parts of France. He proved to be a capable and powerful King and led his country in three major wars: the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession. Having ascended to the throne at such an early age, he had a long reign; in fact, his reign of 72 years and 110 days is the longest of any monarch of a major country in European history

Childhood & Early Life

• He was born as Louis Dieudonné on 5 September 1638, in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, to King Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. Prior to his birth his mother had experienced four stillbirths, and thus he was regarded as a divine gift from God.
  
• His father became gravely ill and died in 1643 and Louis Dieudonné ascended to the throne as King Louis XIV at the age of four years and eight months. He was extremely close to his mother who ruled as a regent on his behalf for the next few years.

Accession & Reign

• Although it was his mother Anne who was the regent during the young King’s minority, the real power lay in the hands of the Chief Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin. It was only after the chief minister’s death in 1661 that Louis XIV could begin his independent rule.
  
• Coming to power in his 20s, the King quickly set about reforming France. He then announced to his subjects that he would rule independently without a chief minister, much to their astonishment.
  
• He started implementing administrative and fiscal reforms, and took the first major step of appointing Jean-Baptiste Colbert as Controller-General of Finances in 1665. The treasury verged on bankruptcy in the 1660s and Colbert was successful in reducing the national debt through more efficient taxation.
  
• He was also a patron of arts and culture and generously funded and commissioned various artists in different fields. He extended support to writers and visual artists like Molière, Racine, Pierre Mignard, Antoine Coysevox and Hyacinthe Rigaud, making their works famous throughout Europe. He founded the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661 and the Académie d'Opéra in 1669.
  
• He wanted to claim the Spanish Netherlands and attacked the Habsburg-controlled Spanish Netherlands and the Franche-Comté in 1667. The conflicts became known as the War of Devolution and came to an end with the implementation of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
  
• Dissatisfied with the outcome of the war, he engaged France in an even greater war, the Franco-Dutch War from 1672 to 1678. This war proved to be a success for him and he managed to gain control of the Franche-Comté and some cities in Flanders and Hainaut, all formerly controlled by Spain.
  
• The decisive victory in the war established France as a dominant power in Europe, and he gained a reputation for brutality and arrogance. The French were also able to establish colonies in the Americas, Asia, and Africa during his reign, and by the 1680s, France was a major power not just in Europe, but in the whole world.
  
• In spite of becoming the most powerful monarch in Europe, Louis XIV was still unsatisfied with the extent of his power and fame. In 1688, he became involved in another major war, the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg fought between France and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance.
  
• The Grand Alliance was led by major European rulers like the Anglo-Dutch Stadtholder-King William III, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, King Charles II of Spain, and Victor Amadeus II of Savoy. The war dragged on for nine years and finally came to an end in 1697.
  
• By the end of the war France still managed to retain most of its territories but the country’s resources were significantly drained by this time. The war also marked the beginning of the decline of the hitherto invincible King Louis XIV.
  
• The declining fortunes of the French empire were further aggravated by the War of the Spanish Succession which broke out in 1701. Louis sent his troops to secure the Spanish Netherlands but France’s participation in the war proved to be fatal to the country’s already dwindling economy. The war lasted many years and plunged France deep into debt. By the end of his reign Louis XIV had completely lost the support and respect of his subjects.

Major Battles

• Louis XIV was famous for his love of wars. He ambitiously entered into the Franco-Dutch War in 1672, in an alliance with England and some Rhineland princes against the Dutch. By the end of the war France had gained control of the Franche-Comté and some cities in Flanders and Hainaut and emerged as an influential force in Europe.
  
• The War of the Spanish Succession was the last major war he fought. He entered the war with the aim of securing Spanish Netherlands and dominating Spanish American trade at the expense of English and Dutch merchants. The war, however, proved too costly for France and severely depleted the country’s resources and led to King Louis XIV’s decline.

Personal Life & Legacy

• He married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660. It was a political marriage that resulted in the birth of six children of whom only one survived to adulthood. His wife died in 1683.
  
• His second marriage was to Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon who was once his mistress.
  
• He also had numerous mistresses and had fathered a number of children through them.
  
• King Louis XIV of France spent 72 years on the throne and outlived most of his immediate legitimate family members. He was very ill during his last days and in constant pain from gangrene. He died on 1 September 1715, four days before his 77th birthday. He was succeeded by his five year old great-grandson, Louis, Duke of Anjou.

Constantine The Great

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Constantine I Of The Roman Empire, Constantine I, Saint Constantine, Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus

Famous As: Roman Emperor

Nationality: Ancient Roman

Birth Date: February 2, 0272

Died At Age: 65

Sun Sign: Pisces

Born In: Niš

Father: Constantius Chlorus

Mother: Helena

Siblings: Flavia Julia Constantia, Julius Constantius, Eutropia

Spouses/Partners: Fausta, Minervina

Children: Constantius II, Constans, Constantine II, Constantina, Crispus, Helena

Religion: Christianity

Died On: May 22, 0337

Place Of Death: Nicomedia

Founder/Co-Founder: First Council Of Nicaea, Scholae Palatinae

Constantine the Great was a Roman Emperor of Illyrian ancestry who ruled from 306 to 337 AD. He was a popular emperor, famous for the numerous administrative, financial, social, and military reforms he implemented to strengthen the empire. Under his rule the civil and military authorities were separated and the government was restructured—in fact, the concept of praetorian prefecture originated during his reign. Most importantly, Constantine is remembered for being the first Roman emperor to claim conversion to Christianity and is regarded a significant figure in the history of Christianity. Born as the son of a Roman army officer, he was destined to reach great heights of fame. His father was eventually elevated to the dignity of Caesar, the deputy emperor and Constantine soon got the opportunity to rise through the military ranks himself. Valiant, intelligent, and ambitious, he proved himself to be a skilled military man, and when his father was made Augustus, senior western emperor, Constantine campaigned under his father in Britannia. He succeeded his father as the emperor upon his death and led a series of successful civil wars against the emperors Maxentius and Licinius and vastly expanded his empire. As a devout Christian who made Christianity the religion of the state, he is venerated as a saint by Eastern Orthodox Christians, Byzantine Catholics, and Anglicans.

Childhood & Early Life

• The details regarding Constantine’s early life are obscure. He was born c. 272 AD to Flavius Constantius, a native of Dardania who was an officer in the Roman army, and an woman named Helena who was either Constantius’ wife or concubine.
  
• His father was a politically skilled man and quickly rose through the military ranks. In 293, he was raised to the rank of Caesar (deputy emperor) as Constantius I Chlorus, and was sent to serve under Augustus (emperor) Maximian in the West.
  
• Constantine’s parents eventually separated and he was brought up in the Eastern Empire at the court of the senior emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia. He received education of the highest literary standards and learned Latin and Greek among other subjects. During this time he may have attended the lectures of Lactantius, a Christian scholar of Latin in the city.
  
• In 305, Maximian abdicated the throne and Constantine's father became Emperor Constantius I. Constantine then joined his father and fought alongside him on a military campaign in Britian.

Accession & Reign

• Constantius I died in 306 and Constantine was declared emperor by his troops. Almost immediately, he became involved in a series of civil wars and defended his position against various Roman factions, including Maxentius, Maximian's son.
  
• Eventually Constantine became Western emperor while the East was shared between Licinius and his rival Maximinus. Licinius went on to defeat Maximinus and became the sole Eastern Emperor.
  
• In 316, Constantine acquired territory in the Balkans after a battle with Licinius. The conflicts between the two rulers continued and Constantine attacked Licinius again in 324, emerging successful from the war. Thus Constantine became the sole emperor of the East and West.
  
• After the victory over Licinius, it was decided that a new Eastern capital should represent the integration of the East into the Roman Empire as a whole. The city of Constantinople on the site of Byzantium was thus founded in 324 and dedicated in 330. Special commemorative coins were issued in 330 to honor the event.
  
• As emperor he brought about several administrative, monetary, and religious reforms that greatly strengthened his empire. In fact he was so devoted to Christianity that even his monetary policies were closely related to the religious ones.
  
• Along with his military campaigns, Constantine the Great was well-known for his contributions to Christianity. He was the first emperor to legalize Christianity along with all other religions and cults in the Roman Empire, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the purported site of Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem, was built on his orders. He is venerated as a saint by Eastern Orthodox Christians, Byzantine Catholics, and Anglicans in honor of his efforts to propagate the Christian religion.

Major Battles

• Constantine became involved in a series of battles soon after succeeding his father. These conflicts, known as the Civil wars of the Tetrarchy, were a series of battles between the co-emperors of the Roman Empire, which ultimately led to Constantine becoming the sole emperor of the Roman Empire in 324.
  

Personal Life & Legacy

• He either took Minervina as a concubine or married her in 303. This union resulted in the birth of a son, Crispus. Not much is known about Minervina except for the fact that her father served as a hostage in the court of Eastern Roman Emperor Diocletian in Nicomedia.
  
• Constantine kept aside Minervina and married Fausta, daughter of the Roman Emperor Maximian in 307. This marriage was a political alliance.
  
• During the 320s he had his eldest son Crispus and wife Fausta executed. Then he had their names wiped from the face of many inscriptions and the memory of both was condemned. A popular myth suggests that they were both killed for their immoralities.
  
• Soon after the Feast of Easter in 337, Constantine fell seriously ill and died on 22 May 337. He was succeeded by his three sons born of Fausta, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans.

Alfred The Great

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Alfred

Gender: Men

Famous As: King Of Wessex

Nationality: British

Born: 0849

Died At Age: 50

Born In: Wantage

Father: Æthelwulf Of Wessex

Mother: Osburh

Siblings: Æthelred Of Wessex

Spouse/Partner: Ealhswith

Children: Edward The Elder, Ælfthryth, Countess Of Flanders, Æthelflæd, Æthelweard, Æthelgifu

Religion: Catholicism

Died On: October 3, 0899

Founder/Co-Founder: Royal Navy

Alfred the Great was the King of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. He was born as the fifth son of Aethelwulf, King of the West Saxons, and since he had four elder brothers, initially it seemed unlikely that Alfred would ever become the king. However, his father wished that his sons should succeed the kingship in turn as he felt that choosing just one son to inherit the throne might weaken the leadership. Intelligent and bright, Alfred displayed an interest in scholarly pursuits from a young age and also received training in military arts normal for a young man hailing from the royal family. After the death of his father, three of his brothers, Aethelbald, Aethelberht and Aethelred ruled in succession. During that era the kingdom was under threat from Danish raids and when the Danes attacked during the reign of his brother Aethelred in 870, he aided his brother in commanding the forces. Aethelred died the next year and Alfred succeeded him. After becoming the king he successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt and greatly improved the country’s military structure and legal system. He was known to be a wise and gracious king with a never-ending interest in learning and education

Childhood & Early Life

• Alfred was born in the year 849 in The Royal Palace, Wantage, Oxfordshire, as the youngest son of King Aethelwulf of Wessex, and the King’s first wife, Osburh.
  
• As a young boy he accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Rome where he spent some time at the court of Charles the Bald, King of the Franks, around 854–855.
  
• He was interested in scholarly pursuits and literature from an early age, and is said to have memorized a volume of poetry in Saxon as a child. His love for learning would remain with him throughout his life.
  
• At that time, the country was under threat from Danish raids. Thus the King Aethelwulf decided that his sons would succeed the kingship in turn.
  
• The king died in 858 and as per his wishes, Wessex was ruled by three of his elder sons—Aethelbald, Aethelberht and Aethelred—in succession.

Ascension & Reign

• Alfred started receiving prominence during the reign of his third brother, Aethelred of Wessex, who ascended the throne in 865. Now he was given the title of "secundarius", a recognized successor closely associated with the reigning monarch.
  
• Alfred started playing a very active role in the military campaigns in 870 when the Danes invaded his homeland. A total of nine battles were fought in the year with varying outcomes and Alfred played key roles in each of them.
  
• In 871, he gained much respect fighting as a 21 year old in the Battle of Ashdown. He led his brother’s army against the Danes and defeated them. The valor and courage he displayed in spite of his young age earned him admiration from the citizens.
  
• King Aethelred died in 871 and Alfred succeeded him. The Danes attacked once again even as the new king was busy in the burial of his brother and easily defeated the Saxon army.
  
• King Alfred won a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington where his army faced the Great Heathen Army led by Guthrum in 878. He forced Guthrum into submission and had him baptized. Following his victory over Guthrum, Alfred brought about many reforms in his military which made it increasingly difficult for the Vikings to raid successfully.
  
• The 880s was a time of relative peace with no major conflicts. He now focused on the restoration of London and in building up the defenses of his kingdom to protect it from further attacks by the Danes. He also built a series of well-defended settlements across southern England.
  
• The Danes were still not ready to give up and in the autumn of 892 or 893 they attacked again. However, the efforts of the Danes were thwarted by the defensive measures Alfred had already implemented in his kingdom to protect his territories from future attacks. The Danes continued fighting for a few years before giving up struggle in 896 or 897.

Major Battles

• Alfred is best remembered for his role in the Battle of Ashdown, in Berkshire that took place in 871. He was just a prince of 21 when he led the army of his brother, King Aethelred of Wessex, in the battle against the invading Danes and emerged victorious.

Personal Life & Legacy

• He married Ealhswith in 868. Ealhswith was the daughter of a Mercian nobleman, Aethelred Mucil and Eadburh, a member of the Mercian royal family. The couple went on to have several children, of whom five survived to adulthood, including Edward the Elder, who succeeded his father as king.
  
• Alfred the Great suffered from some painful illnesses throughout his life. It is believed that he either had Crohn's disease or haemorrhoidal disease. He died on 26 October 899.
  
• He had a life-long love for learning and was a promoter of education. Because of this, a number of educational establishments are named in Alfred's honor which include Alfred University and Alfred State College in New York, and King Alfred's Academy, a secondary school in Wantage, Oxfordshire, the birthplace of Alfred