Kingdoms, Kings and the Early Republic

One thought that may have occurred to you is, “How did men become kings in the past?” After reading CBSE Notes Class 6 History Chapter 5 – Kingdoms, Kings, and the Early Republic, you will get the solution to this question. The chapter also goes into great depth on the Magadha and Vajji kingdoms.

How several Men Became Rulers?

Around 3000 years ago, we discovered that there had been some alterations in the way rajas were chosen. Some men were after that recognised as rajas after making massive sacrifices. One such rite was Ashvamedha, or horse sacrifice, in which a horse was allowed to roam freely while being watched by the raja’s warriors. If the horse roamed into other rajas’ realms and stopped it, they had to battle. Allowing the horse to pass indicated they conceded that the raja who wanted to execute the sacrifice was stronger than them. These rajas were then asked to participate in the sacrifice.

Janapadas: Janapadas were mighty monarchs who made enormous sacrifices and eventually reigned over broader regions. The phrase “Janapada” literally means “tribal stronghold.” A Janapada might be a republic, such as Vajji, or a monarchy, such as Magadha.

Vamas: Later, Vedic texts such as the Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda stated various societal laws. There were several social groupings in the civilisation, including priests and warriors, farmers, herders, traders, craftspeople, and labourers.

Varna Hierarchy: The priests classified the population into four categories known as vamas. Each varna had a unique set of functions.

Selection of Rulers: In ancient India, certain rajas were most likely chosen by the Jana or people. Around 3,000 years ago, there were some modifications in the election of the Raja. Some males were known as rajas after performing the Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Gana: In the early ages, members of society convened in assemblies and agreed on governance via discussions and arguments.

Mahajanapadas: Mahajanapadas were typically controlled from their major city. The Mahajanapadas were fiercely competitive, resulting in repeated battles. These capital cities were fortified with massive walls built of mud, stone, wood, or bricks.

Taxation: New rajas needed money to establish forts and soldiers. People’s taxes began to be collected regularly. Taxes might be paid in cash or kind.

Agriculture flourished in most Mahajanapadas since they were located in fertile locations. In agriculture, two significant developments occurred. One example was the increased usage of the iron plough. Second, individuals began transplanting paddy, which resulted in higher output.

There were several innovative means of selecting ‘rajas’ around 3000 years ago. Some men attained the title of “raja” by making enormous sacrifices. ‘ASHVAMEDHA’ was one of these rites (horse sacrifice). The ‘raja’ was an influential figure.

Kingdoms were commonly referred to as ‘Janapadas,’ controlled by ‘rajas.’ People lived in huts and tended to their livestock. They farmed a wide range of crops.

Some janapadas grew more significant than others and were dubbed ‘Mahajanapadas.’ Fortifications were built in the capital cities.

The new ‘rajas’ established armies. Punch Marked coins were used to make payments.

The ‘rajas’ need resources to construct forts and sustain troops. People’s taxes were expected to be collected by officials. Crops, labour, animals and their products, and so on were all taxed.

Agriculture, too, experienced changes. The usage of Iron Ploughshares grew, resulting in higher grain yield. People began to transplant paddy. This also enhanced output.

In around 200 years, Magadha rose to prominence as the most essential ‘mahajanapada.’ Magadha grew in importance because of transportation, water resources, fertility, forests, elephants, mines, and other factors.

Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, the two great monarchs of Magadha, employed all means necessary to conquer other ‘janapadas.’ Magadha’s capital was Rajagriha. Later, it was Pataliputra’s turn (now Patna).

Another kingdom with its capital at Vaishali was Vajji (Bihar). It had a separate system of governance known as ‘gana’/’sangha,’ which had numerous rulers rather than just one. These kings convened in assemblies and conducted rites together. Life in the sanghas is depicted in Buddhist texts.

• Rajas from mighty kingdoms attempted to conquer the sanghas’
• ‘Ashvamedha’: (horse sacrifice) This was a rite where a horse was allowed to roam freely while being watched by ‘rajas’ men. There would be a duel between the two kings if the horse entered other countries
• ‘Bhaga’: Crop taxes (1/6 of the yield) were referred to as ‘Bhaga’
• ‘Gana’/’Sangha’: A type of government practised in the Vajji kingdom
• ‘Janapadas’: Kingdoms were known as ‘janapadas.’ (‘jana’ means land, and ‘pada’ means foot)
• Approximately 3000 years ago (around 1000 B.C.) — new types of ‘rajas’ appeared
• The development of ‘mahajanapadas’ occurred around 2500 years ago (about 500 B.C.)
• Alexander the Great’s invasion occurred around 2300 years ago (around 300 B.C.)

Ancient Republics in India

Kapilavastu’s Sakyas

This was a significant republican state at the time. It is located near the Nepalese border in the Terai area of the Himalayas. The Sakyas were the ancestors of Mahatma Buddha. This republican state had a federal constitution. The ruler for this republic was chosen and granted the title of King.Every Sakya adult was involved in its governance, and a general assembly made all significant decisions. To fulfil the quorum, several members had to be present. The Sakya republic had eighty thousand households residing inside its borders and various cities. The Kosala state eventually overran it around the end of the sixth century B.C.

Vaisali’s Lichchavis

It was the most populous and powerful republican state at the time. It comprised nine Mallas republican states and eighteen Kasi and Kosala republics. Vaisali, the capital of the Lichchhavis, was a magnificent and prosperous city that housed over 42,000 households. The state’s ruler was elected and given the title King.It also had 7,707 Rajans who were most likely the top officers. It was such a formidable kingdom that Ajatasatru, the ruler of the great state of Magadha, had to undertake years of military and diplomatic preparations before annexing it. That could be accomplished when his diplomacy succeeded in splitting the Lichchhavis.

The Ramagrama Koliya

This state was located to the east of the Sakya state, and its capital was Ramagrama. The Koliyas and the Sakyas were continually at odds over the Rohini River’s water usage. However, Mahatma Buddha’s intercession resulted in permanent peace between the two states.

Sun samagiri’s Bhagya

Aitreya Brahmanam was the owner of this state. It was located near the contemporary Mirzapur district, and its capital was Sunsamagiri.

Ghvatrikas of Kollanga

This state was likewise located in the Himalayan Terai area on the border with Nepal, and its capital was Kollanga.