His grandfather Chandragupta Maurya of Magadha had established the first Indian empire.

When Asoka succeeded to the throne he tried to complete the conquest of the Indian peninsula. In the course of his conquests, however, Asoka became so disgusted by the cruelty of warfare that he renounced it. He adopted the peaceful doctrines of Buddhism and declared that henceforth his conquests should be conquests of religion.

He set up inscriptions all over the land rehearsing the teachings of Buddha, and missionaries were sent to Kashmir, Persia and Ceylon. But soon after Asoka's death the Mauryan empire disintegrated.

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