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Susima (also Sushima) was the crown prince of the Maurya Empire of ancient India and the eldest son and heir-apparent of the second Mauryan emperor Bindusara. He was next in line for his father's throne,[1] but was defeated in a succession conflict by his younger half-brother, Ashoka, who eventually succeeded Bindusara as the third Mauryan emperor.
| Susima | |
|---|---|
| Crown Prince of Magadha | |
| Predecessor | Bindusara |
| Successor | Ashoka |
| Born | c. 305 BCE[citation needed] |
| Died | c. 270 BCE[citation needed] |
| House | Maurya |
| Father | Bindusara |
Birth and family
editSusima was the eldest son of the second Mauryan emperor, Bindusara. Not only was Susima the crown prince, but also his mother, Charumitra or Charumati,was a princess as opposed to Ashoka's mother, Subhadrangi, who was a commoner.[2] He had two wives Chanda and Rupa and a son Nigrodh by Chanda.
Life
editSusima was born to Bindusara and his chief queen, Charumitra. He had several younger half-siblings, including Ashoka, born to Bindusara's second wife, Subhadrangi. Susima was well-educated and trained in the arts of war and statecraft. He was also a skilled archer and horseman.
When Bindusara fell ill in 273 BCE, Susima was the clear heir to the throne. However, Ashoka was a popular figure among the army and the people. In supposed contrast to Susima, who was known to be rowdy and arrogant. He also had the support of Bindusara's chief minister, Radhagupta and Susima's guru Khallataka.
After Bindusara's death, a succession conflict broke out between Susima and Ashoka. Ashoka defeated Susima's forces and claimed the throne for himself. Susima was defeated in the fighting.
The death of Susima was a major turning point in the history of the Maurya Empire. Ashoka went on to become one of the greatest emperors in Indian history. He is best known for promoting Buddhism and his efforts to promote peace and non-violence. [citation needed] as his brother susima died naturally. He was a double sided man whose intentions were never clear to anybody.
Cultural depictions
edit- Ajith Kumar portrayed Sushim in the 2001 Bollywood film Aśoka.
- Ankit Arora portrayed the role of Sushim in the historical drama series Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat.
- Sumedh Mudgalkar played the young version.
References
edit- ^ Singh, Upinder (2009), A history of ancient and early medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th century (3rd impr. ed.), New Delhi: Pearson Longman, p. 331, ISBN 9788131716779
- ^ Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009). "Taxila and Ujjaini". Ashoka. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-8184758078.