Fall of the Nandas and the Rise of the Mauryas

The family which ruled over the Magadha, in Northern India from the years C. 343 to 321 B.C.E is popularly referred to as the Nandas. The Mauryas were preceded by the Nanda dynasty. The long time for which the Mauryas ruled, along with the brief time for which Nandas ruled, during the Indian early history can represent the political facet of a huge transitional era.

Nanda Dynasty

The founder of the Nanda Dynasty was Mahapadma Nanda whereas the last King of the Nanda Dynasty was Dhanananda. The Nanda Dynasty is considered a significant part of Indian history. There can be many reasons for this, such as great administration by the Kings during the time, as well as huge four folded armies that were owned by the Kings. Now, we shall focus on some points which will shed light as the Nanda Dynasty declined and the Maurya dynasty rose. Even though their empire had a large number of armies and leaders , yet these resources were not used for opposing the invading Macedonians of Alexander the Great because their fear led them to turn them back to the Indus delta from the Punjab region. Apart from this, the Nandas were also very fond of affluence, therefore, casting huge taxes along with excessive exaction from the public. Thus, because of this factor, the individuals from the Nanda dynasty began to desert their rulers and instead helped Chandragupta Maurya. Thus, it can be said that the life of the Nanda Dynasty was very short-lived. The first Mauryan ruler, Chandragupta Maurya, ended the Nanda dynasty by attacking and conquering Magadha. Thus, with this, the rule of Nandas ended completely. In the next section, some significant points regarding the fall of the dynasty are shared. 

The Decline in the Nanda Dynasty

A great sum of wealth, an Empire, a huge army was inherited by King Dhana Nanda. Being fond of collecting more wealth and affluence, Nandas imposed high taxes which led to dislike for them amongst the masses. This point was also used by Chandragupta to campaign against the Nanda rulers. Further, when the forces of Chandragupta besieged Pataliputra in around 20 B.C then the army of Nandas got overpowered. Thus, with this war, there was a decline in the reign of the Nanda dynasty and the rise of the Mauryan dynasty under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya. 

Conclusion

Thus, from the above section one has learnt a lot about the Nanda dynasty, from the first ruler, founder of the Nanda dynasty to its downfall, several significant points have been covered. One can conclude that the Nanda dynasty forms a notable part of Indian history. Even though the period for which it ruled was short-lived yet it had a huge impact on history. The Nanda Dynasty is considered a significant part of Indian history. There can be many reasons for this such as great administration by the Kings during the time as well as huge four folded armies that were owned by the Kings. The Mauryan Dynasty is the one that succeeded the Nanda dynasty. Lastly, it can be said that the downfall of the Nanda dynasty helps to learn how the powers kept on changing in historical times and what led to such changes.