Which ruler is described as the 'Napoleon of India'?
- A.Chandragupta Maurya
- B.Samudragupta
- C.Harshavardhana
- D.Ashoka
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Samudragupta. The historian V. A. Smith first described Samudragupta as the Napoleon of India, because of the long list of kings and republics he subdued, recorded in the Allahabad pillar inscription, or Prayag Prashasti, composed by his court poet Harisena. His coins show him as a lyre player and as a performer of the ashvamedha sacrifice.
Option A, Chandragupta Maurya, founded the Mauryan empire with the help of Chanakya and is not given this title. Option C, Harshavardhana, ruled from Thanesar and Kannauj and is the subject of Banabhatta's Harshacharita. Option D, Ashoka, is called Devanampiya Piyadasi in his own edicts and is remembered for giving up war after Kalinga, which is the opposite of a Napoleonic reputation. So B alone is correct.
Read the full article: Famous Personalities and Their Nicknames: Exam List
Practice Questions
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