Matrimonial Alliances and Ancient India Polity (Reconstructing Indian History and Culture)

Book Detail

• ISBN: 9788124603994
• Brand: D.K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd.
• Edition: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of Pages: 343
• Release Date: 30-08-2007
• Package Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Korean

Description

Matrimonial alliances among royal families were a key feature of political strategy in ancient India, often used to further power, prestige, and influence. This volume examines the matrimonial alliances between ruling dynasties from the sixth century BCE to the seventh century CE.

Beginning with the alliances formed among the shodash-mahajanapadas before the time of the Buddha, the book traces the alliances formed by the Nandas, Mauryas, Shungas, Satavahanas, Cedis, Indo-Greeks, Shakas, Pahlavas, Kushanas, the Imperial Guptas, Vakatakas, Later Guptas, Maukharis, and Varadhanas.

Dr. Preeti Prabhat delves into the importance of such alliances in shaping the foreign policies of rulers, exploring their beneficial and adverse impacts on the royalty. The alliances not only facilitated expansion, as seen with the Mauryan kingdom, but also opened new avenues for economic growth and helped some kingdoms retain their independence, as with the Satavahanas and the Shakas. However, these unions also led to internal rivalries and jealousies between family members and neighboring kingdoms.

The author supports her research with historical accounts from a variety of sources, including Ceylonese Chronicles, Greek writings, Hindu religious literature, secular writings, as well as archaeological evidence, including epigraphic and numismatic sources.

This book will be of great interest to scholars of Indian history, particularly those focused on ancient Indian polity, and to general readers keen to understand the political dynamics of powerful ancient kings and kingdoms.

Author Details

• Author: Preeti Prabhat
• About the Author: Dr. Preeti Prabhat is a historian with a deep focus on ancient Indian polity. Her research includes extensive studies on the political and social strategies of ancient Indian rulers, with a particular interest in the role of matrimonial alliances in shaping political dynamics. Her scholarly work is based on thorough research through historical texts and archaeological findings.