► Haryanaka Dynasty : 544 BC - 412 BC
☼ Bimbisara : 544 BC - 492 BC.
• Bimbisara was the founder of Haryanka dynasty.
• He ascended the throne in about 545 B.C.
• Magadha came into prominence under the leadership of Bimbisara.
• Bimbisara extended the geographical limits of the kingdom of Magadha (a) by entering into matrimonial alliance with other power and (b) by wars and annexation.
• Bimbisara married the princesses of Kosala, Lichchhavi and Madra .
• The name of the princess of Kosala was Kosaldevi / Mahakosala who was the sister of Kosal King Prasenjit.
• The name of the princess of Lichchhavi was Chellana who was the sistei of Lichchhavi Head Chetaka.
• The name of the princess of Madra was Khema who was the daughter of Madra king.
• He gained a part of Kashi as the dowry in his marriage with the sister of king Prasenjit of Kosala.
• He conquered Anga.
• He sent a royal physician, Jivaka to Ujjain, when Avanti King Pradyota was attacked by jaundice.
• Known as Seniya, He was the first Indian king who had a regular and standing army.
• He established his capital at Rajagriha presently known as Rajgir.
• He was a contemporary of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha.
☼ Ajatashatru (Kunika) : 492 BC - 460 BC.
• Bimbisara was succeeded by his son Ajatashatru.
• Ajatashatru killed his father (Bimbisara) and seized the throne.
• Ajatashatru followed a more aggressive policy. He gained complete control over Kashi and broke the earlier amicable relations by attacking his maternal uncle Prasenjit, the king of Kosala.
• The Vajji confederation was Ajatashatru's next target of attack. This war was a lengthy one and tradition tells us that after a long period of 16 years, he was able to defeat the Vajji only through deceit, by sowing the seeds of discord amongst the people of Vajji.
• The three persons who played important role to defeat the Vajji—
(i) Sunidha and Vatsakar— Ajatashatru's diplomatic ministers, who sowed the seeds of discord amongst Vajjis,
(ii) Rathamusala— a kind of chariot to which a mace was attached
(iii) Mahashilakantaka— a war engine which catapulted big stones.
• In this way Kashi and Vaishali (the capital of Vajji) were added to Magadha, making it the most powerful territorial power in the Ganges Valley.
• He built the fort of Rajagriha and a watch-fort (Jaladurga) at a village called Patali on the banks of the Ganges.
☼ Udayin : 460 BC - 440 BC.
• Ajatshatru was succeeded by his son Udayin in 460 B.C.
• His reign is important because he laid the foundations of the city of Patliputra at the confluence of the Son and the Ganges and shifted the capital from Rajagriha to Patliputra.
• Udayin was the last ruler of the Haryanka dynasty which was overthrown by Sisunagas.
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