Asoka the Great- The king that changed his ways and an empire

Asoka the Great was a king in Maurya dynasty, and he was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. However, the ways they ruled were very different and Asoka rejected his grandfather's ways. He ruled most of India because the Maurya dynasty had grown so big from it conquering different areas in the subcontinent. Asoka ruled from 269 BC to 232 BC and the meaning of his name is thought to be "without pain or suffering".

Everything changed, however, when Asoka and his army went to go attack the state of Kalinga. They concurred but in the process caused mass murder and panic. Asoka then made a descion that changed the ways of the Indian continent. He started practicing Buddhism and made it the country religion. Asoka stressed peace and equality throughout empire and even had monuments dedicated to Gautama Buddha.

After converting, Asoka sent an example for the rest of the dynasty by rejecting violence and being very tolerant of other religions. Buddhism spread very quickly through missionaries and travelers that were sent in order to share the teachings. When Asoka died the empire fell into turmoil and lawlessness. Soon, the the Maurya empire declined and finally died in 185 BC.