73 frequently asked Questions on Evolution of Kingship in India

1. Where is found first the reference of rashtra?

Ans. Atharvaveda.

2. Of the Sixteen Mahajanapadas which one later developed into an empire?

Ans. Magadha.

3. Who permanently shifted the capital of Magadha from Rajgir to Pataliputra?

Ans. Kalasoke Kakavarna.

4. Who is the author of Arthasastra?

Ans. Kautilya.

5. Who assumed the title Amitraghata?

Ans. Bindusara.

6. Who was the founder of the Mauryan dynasty?

Ans. Chandragupta Maurya.

7. Who exterminated the Saisunaga dynasty from Magadha?

Ans. Mahapadma Nanda.

8. Wherefrom is the name Maury derived?

Ans. Moriya.

9. Who invaded India during the rule of Chandragupta Maurya?

Ans. Seleukas.

10. Who was the first emperor of historical India?

Ans. Chandragupta Maurya.

11. Who was the last known king of the Mauryan dynasty?

Ans. Brihadratha.

12. Who was known as ‘Devanam Priya Priyadasi?’

Ans. Asoka.

13. Under which Mauryan Emperor did the Kalinga war take place?

Ans. Emperor Asoka.

14. Who exterminated the Nandas from Magadha?

Ans. Chandragupta Maurya.

15. Who was the founder of the Nanda dynasty in Magadha?

Ans. Mahapadma Nanda.

16. Who founded the Saisunaga dynasty in Magadha?

Ans. Saisunaga.

17. Who succeeded Bimbisara?

Ans. Ajatasatru.

18. To which period did Kautilya belong?

Ans. Mauryan Period.

19. Whom did Megasthenes represent?

Ans. Seleukas, the Greek king of Syria.

20. To whose court did Megasthenes come to visit?

Ans. Chandragupta Maurya.

21. By whom were the Dliarmama hamatra officials appointed?

Ans. Asoka.

22. Which king engraved the largest number of inscriptions?

Ans. Asoka.

23. Name a place where the Asokan inscription been found.

Ans. Dhauli, in Orissa.

24. What was the capital of the Mauryas?

Ans. Pataliputra.

25. What was fie eartiest script used in India?

Ans. Brahmi Script.

26. In which script were most of the inscriptions of Asoka inscribed?

Ans. Brahmi script.

27. Who has described Asoka as the ‘brightest star’?

Ans. H.G Wells.

28. Who first deciphered Asoka’s inscription?

Ans. James Prince.

29. Which dynasty followed the Mauryas?

Ans. Sung a dynasty.

30. Who killed the last king of the Maurya?

Ans. Pushyamitra Sunga.

31. When was the Bitarhut Stupa erected?

Ans. Under the Sunga rule.

32. When did Patanjali the writer of Mahabhasya flourished?

Ans. In the Sunga time.

33. Who was the founder of the Kanva dynasty?

Ans. Basudeva.

34. Of which stock belongs Menander?

Ans. Indo-Greek.

35. Which ruler inscribed the Hatigumpha Inscription?

Ans. Kharvela.

36. Who was the greatest of the Pahlavas?

Ans. Gondopharnes.

37. Who came to India to propagate Christianity during Gondopharnes’ rule?

Ans. St. Thomas.

38. Who engraved the Junagadh inscription?

Ans. Rudradaman.

39. To which foreign hoard belonged Rudradamau?

Ans. The Sakas.

40. Who defeated the Saka king Nahapana?

Ans. Gautamiputra Satakarni.

41. Who was the founder of the Satavahana dynasty?

Ans. Simuka.

42. Who engraved the Nasik Cave Inscription?

Ans. Gautamiputra Satakarni.

43. Who engraved the Nanaghat inscription?

Ans. Queen Nayanika or Naganika.

44. Which Satavahana king wrote Gathasaptasati?

Ans. Hala.

45. Who succeeded Gautamiputra Satakarni?

Ans. Vasisthiputra Pulamayi.

46. In which language were the Satavahana inscriptions engraved?

Ans. Prakrit.

47. Who introduced the Saka era or Sakabda?

Ans. Kanishka.

48. What was the capital of Kanishka?

Ans. Purushapura.

49. With which Chinese general Kanishka had a trial of strength?

Ans. Panchao.

50. Who was known as the’ Second Asoka’?

Ans. Kanishka.

51. Under which dynasty flourished Nagarjuna and Basumitra?

Ans. The Kushanas.

52. What was the original home of the Kushanas?

Ans. Central Asia.

53. To which period belonged the Gandhara School of art?

Ans. The Kushanas.

54. Who was the founder of the Gupta dynasty?

Ans. Chandragupta I.

55. The marriage of which princess strengthened the position of Chandragupta I?

Ans. Lichhavi Princess.

56. Who composed the Allahabad Pillar Inscription?

Ans. harisena.

57. The conquest of which Gupta king is narrated in the Allahabad Prasasti?

Ans. Samudragupta.

58. Who is known as the ‘Indian Napoleon’?

Ans. Samudragupta.

59. What was the capital of the Guptas?

Ans. Pataliputra.

60. What title was assumed by Chandragupta I?

Ans. Maharajadhiraj.

61. Marriage with which royal dynasty enhanced the prestige of the Guptas?

Ans. Lichhavis.

62. What was the official designation of Harisena, the court-poet of Samudragupta?

Ans. Sandhi-Vigrahika.

63. What title was assumed by Chandragupta II?

Ans. Vikramaditya.

64. What ceremony was performed by the kings of ancient India to show their strength and power?

Ans. Asvamedha Sacrifice.

65. Which Gupta emperor performed the Asvamedha sacrifice?

Ans. Samudragupta.

66. From what is known that Samudragupta performed the Asvamedha sacrifice?

Ans. Asvamedha coins of Samudragupta.

67. Who assumed the title Vikrainaditya?

Ans. Chandragupta II.

68. Name the Chinese traveller who visited the Gupta court during Chandragupta II.

Ans. Fa-Hien.

69. What title was assumed by Kumaragupta?

Ans. Mahendraditya.

70. During the rule of which Gupta king did the Pushyamitras invade the country?

Ans. Kumaragupta I.

71. Which Gupta Emperor stemmed the tide of the Huna invasion?

Ans. Skandagupta.

72. Who was the last Gupta Emperor of repute?

Ans. Skandagupta.

72A. who engraved the Nasik Inscription (Nasik Prusasti)?

Ans. Gautami Balasri.