Kalinga (present day Orissa) was a powerful state. No wonder, Chandragupta Maurya who invaded almost all of India and even defeated the Greeks (Selecus Nicator) did not try to invade Kaling even though it was next to Magadh. Besides, his son Samrat Bindusar too failed despite being called as the “slayer of enemies” or Amitraghata.
However, the third in line of the Mauryan Empire Samrat Ashoka was successful in capturing Kalinga. But, why did Ashoka Samrat showed his interest in capturing Kaling when even his predeccors declined to take such a drastic step?
Here we share some of the reasons that tell us the facts why Samrat Ashoka wanted to conquer Kaling :
Image Courtesy: Jagged85 via Wikimedia Commons
The Kingdom of Kalinga Was a Maritime Power
Right from the ancient era, the kingdom of Kalinga was known as a powerful state. Kaling’s geographical features boasted its supremacy. The state extended from Ganga in the east to Godavari in the south and covered the eastern seacoast of India.
This is the reason why there were many sea ports on the coast of Kaling. Yes, the state was a maritime power and the merchants residing in the kingdom could easily cross the Indian Ocean to carry out their trade overseas with south-east Asian countries, making them prosperous. There were Kaling colonies in Burma and their ancient traditions do refer Kalinga colonies in their state.
Kaling Was a Fertile State With Two Rivers
With two rivers flowing across, the kingdom was fertile and so even the common men had a good life as the agriculture was rich. Besides, the sailors and merchants too had a flourishing business. No wonder, the fertility of the land and commercial business overseas made the state both rich and prosperous. Who would not want such a prosperous land with overseas connection?
Samrat Ashoka Wanted Kalinga For Political Unification of India
Samrat Ashoka wanted to unite India politically and so the conquest of Kalinga was quite necessary. Besides, the region was also a bridge between the north and the south which meant if Ashoka could capture the region, his army could easily make its way down south without any problem.
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Moreover, Kaling was a powerful independent state and it touched the Magadh kingdom which was also seen a direct threat to the Mauryan imperialism.
The Domination of The Kaling People Over Indian Ocean
Since Kalinga was the centre of the eastern seacoast, it had a supremacy on it. They dominated the overseas trading from the searoute and even virtually closed the routes for the Magadh merchants. Even the lsnd routes from the north (Gangetic Valley) to the Deccan was controlled by the people of Kaling, thus affecting the economy of the Mauryan empire.
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These were some of the facts why Ashoka decided to war against the people of Kalinga though it was risky since people of Kaling were prosperoys and even had a good military power. We shall discuss the military power of Kalinga in the next article. Stay tuned!
Source and Reference:
What are the Causes of Kaling War
Outline of the History of Kaling
Age of the Nandas and the Mauryas
Do Not Miss Reading:
Know Everything about Samrat Ashoka and His Five Wives
Ashoka, the Great Emperor – Know the Real History and Facts
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