First Territorial States

Mahajanapadas

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Out of the 16 Mahajanapadas - four were very powerful

Magadha

Vatsa

Avanti

Koshala

Magadha emerged most powerful

Haranyaka Dynasty

Reasons

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Shishunga Dynasty

Bimbisara

Ajatashatru

Contemporary to Buddha

First king to have standing Army

Udayain

Occupied throne by killing his father

Founded by Bimbisara - Capital = Rajgir

Destroyed vaishali - capital of Licchavis

Buddha died during his reign

Patronised First Buddhist Council

Succeeded by weak rulers

Built fort on confluence of Ganga and Son rivers at Pataliputra (Patna) - transferred capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra

Nanda Dynasty

Shishunga

Kalasoka

Temporarily shifted capital to Vaishali

Transferred Capital from Vaishali to Pataliputra

Convened the 2nd Buddhist Council in Vaishali

Chandragupta Maurya assisted by Kautilya overthrew Dhanananda

Mahapadma Nanda

Dhanananda

Conquered Koshala & Kalinga

First non-Kshatriya dynasty

Deterred Alexander from advancing towards the Gangetic valley