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Avanti–Magadhan War

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Avanti-Magadhī War
Date544–400 BCE
Location
North India
Result Magadhī victory
Territorial
changes
Magadhī annexation of Avanti
Belligerents

Magadha Empire

Avanti
Commanders and leaders
  • Palaka
  • Visakhayupa
  • Ajaka
  • Varttivarddhana or Nandivardhana
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Avanti-Magadhan war was fought between Magadha and Avanti for domination over much of North India.[1]

The ancient Indian states were almost always in conflict with one another. During the reign of King Bimbisara of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha pursued an expansionist policy. This caused him to come into conflict with the Pradyota dynasty of Avanti. Bimbisara had to fortify Rajgir due to the threat of an Avanti invasion.[2][3] During the early years of the reign of Ajatashatru, Avanti managed to establish its supremacy by invading certain parts of Magadhan territories.[4]

Shishunaga: Conquest of Avanti

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After the death of Ajatashatru a period of uncertainty followed and a succession of weak rulers again gave rise to a threat of a Pradyota invasion. Enraged by this, the people of Magadha overthrew the last of the Haryanka rulers and one of the ministers, Shishunaga, usurped the throne. Shishunaga defeated the Pradyota dynasty of Avanti, removing a major threat to the Magadhan Empire.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Chaurasia, Radhey Shyam (May 2002). History of Ancient India: Earliest Times to 1000 A.D. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 978-81-269-0027-5.
  2. ^ Pochhammer, Wilhelm von (1981). India's Road to Nationhood: A Political History of the Subcontinent. Allied.
  3. ^ a b Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra (2006). Political History of Ancient India: From the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty. Cosmo Publications. ISBN 978-81-307-0291-9.
  4. ^ Sathe, Shriram (1987). Dates of the Buddha. Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Samiti.