Ashoka

While on exile in Kalinga for two years to escape his brothers’ enmity, he met and fell in love with its princess, Kaurwaki, as a commoner, both unaware of each other’s real identities. The two later married secretly.

While being treated for his injuries at Ujjain, he met Vidisa Mahadevi Sakya Kumari (Devi), from Vidisha, whom he later married. The couple had two children – son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra.

Apart from Kaurwaki and Devi, he is believed to have had many other wives too. Padmavati, Tishyaraksha and Asandhimitra were some of them, with whom he had several children.

Ashoka was born as Devanampriya Priyadarshi Samrat Ashoka, in 304 BC, in Pataliputra (close to modern-day Patna), to the second emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty, Bindusara, and Maharani Dharma.

The grandson of the founder of Mauryan Dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya, he had several half-brothers from his father’s other wives.

Born into a royal family, he was good at fighting since childhood and received royal military training. Besides, he was also excellent at hunting, evident from his ability to kill a lion with only a wooden rod.

Considered a fearless and heartless military leader, he was deputed to curb the riots in the Avanti province of the empire.

He was appointed the Viceroy of Avanti province in 286 BC after suppressing the uprising at Ujjain.

He was called upon by his father to help heir-apparent Susima in quelling a revolt at Taxila, which he did successfully, thereby becoming the Viceroy of Taxila. He is also said to have handled and curbed a second rebellion in Taxila later.

After his father Bindusara’s death in 272 BC, a two-year long fierce battle broke out between Ashoka and his half brothers. According to Dipavansa and Mahavansa (Buddhist texts), he killed his 99 brothers, sparing just Vitashoka or Tissa, to capture the throne.

While he ascended the throne in 272 BC, he had to wait for four years for his coronation in 269 BC to become the third ruler of the Mauryan Empire.

He attacked Kalinga in 261 BC to further extend his Empire and conquered it successfully, only to be shocked to see the massive destruction caused in terms of both property and human lives.