Ajatashatru

King of Magadha Empire from c. 492 to 460 BCE

Fame53.8
Momentum0.0
Wikipedia8.5K

Source-basedStable

Lived -500–-460, aged 40

Wikipedia
40 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
-500–-460
Aged 40

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

He imprisoned his own father to seize the throne of Magadha, then spent three decades warring his way across North India — conquering republics, annexing kingdoms, and turning a regional power into the subcontinent's dominant force.

Biography

About

Ajatashatru was the son of King Bimbisara and ruled Magadha in East India from roughly 492 to 460 BCE, reigning alongside both Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. He took the throne by force, imprisoning his father and launching a policy of relentless expansion. His war against the Vajjika League — led by the Licchavis — ended with the conquest of the republic of Vaishali. When his brothers fled to Kashi, a dowry territory that had come to Bimbisara, it triggered war with Kosala; Ajatashatru occupied Kashi, defeated the Kosala king, and absorbed the smaller kingdoms around him. He fortified a village…

Gallery