It appears from the available evidence ( Buddhist literature
mainly that there was a struggle for the throne among the princes on the death
of Bindusara.
According t oBuddhist tradition, tradition, Ashoka usurped
the throne after killing his 99 brother and spared Tissa, the youngest
one. Radhagupta a minister of Bindusara
helped him in fratricidal struggle.
This war of
succession accounts for interregnum of four years (273- 269 BC) and only after
securing his position on the throne, Ashoka had himself formally crowned in 269
BC.
Under Ashoka , the Mauryan Empire reached its climax . For
the first time, the whole of the sub- continent, leaving out the extreme
south, was under imperial control.
Ashoka
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Maski minor rock edict.
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Devanapriyas Ashoka rajas
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Gurjara minor rock edict.
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Raja Ashoka
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Nitlur minor rock edict.
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Raja Ashoka Dewanampiya
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Udegolum minor rock edict.
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Piyadassi raja Magadh
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Bhabru – Bairat minor rock edict.
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Piyadassi Raja
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Barabar cave inscription
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Piyadassi
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Kandhar major rock edict and Deepvamsa
.
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Ashoka Maurya
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Rudradaman’s Junagarh rock Deepvamsa.
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Ashoka vardhan
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Puranas
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Ashoka fought the Kalinga war in 261 BC in 9th
years of his coronation .The king was moved by the massacre in this war and
therefore abandoned the policy of physical occupation in favor of policy of
cultural conquest . In other words, Bherighosa was replaced by Dhammaghosa.
Ashoka was not as extreme pacifist . He did not pursue
the policy of peace for sake of peace under all conditions. Thus, he retained
Kalinga after his conquest and incorporated it into his empire.
Ashoka sent missionaries to the kingdoms of the Cholas and
the Pandyas, and five states ruled by Greek kings (Antiochus II, Syria; Philadelphos,
Ptolemy II, Egypt; Antigonus, Mecedonia; magus, Syrina; Alexander,Epirus). We
also know that he sent missionaries to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Suvarnbhumi
(Burna) and also parts of South – East Asia.