Who was the founder of the Maurya Empire?

Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire. He established the dynasty in the late fourth century BCE after defeating the Nanda ruler of Magadha and taking control of the strategically important city of Pataliputra.

The details of Chandragupta’s early life are mixed with later Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu traditions, so historians remain cautious about his origins. He is more securely documented in Greek accounts, where his name appears in forms such as Sandrokottos. Indian tradition remembers him as a remarkable military leader guided by Chanakya, also known in some traditions as Kautilya.

After conquering Magadha, Chandragupta expanded across northern India and into parts of the northwest. Around 305–303 BCE, he negotiated with Seleucus I Nicator after a conflict with the Seleucid Empire, gaining territory and establishing diplomatic relations. His son Bindusara succeeded him, while his grandson Ashoka later brought the Maurya Empire to its greatest extent. Samudragupta belonged to the later Gupta dynasty, not the Maurya dynasty.