Conquest of the Nanda Empire

Nanda War
Part of Conquests of Chandragupta Maurya
The Nanda Empire during the time of the war.
Date 321-310 BC Location Nanda Empire in Northern India Result Magadha victory; Nanda Dynasty falls; start of Maurya Empire.
Belligerents
Nanda Empire	Maurya Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Dhana Nanda	Chandragupta Maurya
Strength
200,000 infantry 80,000 cavalry 8,000 chariots 6,000 war elephants 294,000 troops	unknown
Casualties and losses
heavy	light

The conquest of the Nanda Empire under Dhana Nanda by a small state, somewhere in north western India under Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th century BC led to the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Little is known of the conflict.

Nanda strength

The Nanda Empire was a strong nation based in Magadha and containing many of the kingdoms in the Ganga basin^[1]. Its armies were huge, its leaders terrifying. It was a fear for the invading Macedonians of Alexander the Great, a fear leading to a mutiny which ultimately lead to the return of the Macedonian army from the banks of the modern river Beas. Its strength was challenged by the Kingdom of Chandragupta Maurya located in north western India. Under Chandragupta Maurya, it supplanted the long-established and powerful Nanda Empire. Nanda Army strength in the east was 200,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, 8,000 chariots, and 6,000 war elephants. The forces of Chandragupta remain unknown along with the exact details of the conflict.

War

For such a small state like Magadha to challenge the leading empire in India was a joke. However, this did not deter Chandragupta, who took inspiration from Alexander the Great, whom he might have even met. Chandragupta's campaign against the Nanda was probably laid out by using popular guerrilla tactics^[2]. After the death of Dhana Nanda, the Nanda Empire was conquered by Chandragupta Maurya. Chandragupta's forces besieged the city of Pataliputra in 310 BC (now Patna). His troops drew a noose gradually tighter around the city until the overwhelmingly superior Nanda Army was defeated. The war brought an end to the Nanda Dynasty and established the Maurya Empire with Chandragupta Maurya as its leader.

Aftermath

Chandragupta eventually expanded his empire to southern India and warred with the Seleucid Empire over control over all of north western India and parts of Persia. The Maurya Empire eventually became the most exstensive empire in India seen up to the date of when he abdicated.

References

1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nanda_Empire.gif
2. ^ R.G. Grant: Commanders pg. 49