{"slug": "ashoka", "label": "Ashoka", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8589", "qid": "Q8589", "description": "Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE", "entries": 11, "years": 11, "span": [-303, 1896], "span_label": ["304 BCE", "1896 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 4}, {"title": "Births", "count": 2}, {"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 2}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 2}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "buddhism", "label": "Buddhism", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "india", "label": "India", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "maurya-empire", "label": "Maurya Empire", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "gautama-buddha", "label": "Gautama Buddha", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "sri-lanka", "label": "Sri Lanka", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "faxian", "label": "Faxian", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "buddhist", "label": "Buddhist", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -303, "year_label": "304 BCE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Ashoka, Indian emperor and ruler of the Maurya Empire in present-day Eastern India 268–232 BC (d. 232 BC)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1355692793#Births", "title": "304 BC", "revid": 1355692793, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": -301, "year_label": "302 BCE", "section": "Births", "date": null, "text": "Maharani Devi, Mauryan empress and wife of Ashoka", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372589595#Births", "title": "302 BC", "revid": 1372589595, "section": "Births"}}, {"year": -267, "year_label": "268 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "May 16", "text": "May 16 – Ashoka becomes emperor of the Maurya Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369785417#India", "title": "268 BC", "revid": 1369785417, "section": "Events › By place › India"}}, {"year": -265, "year_label": "266 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "The Mauryan emperor Ashoka converts to Buddhism.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373532834#India", "title": "266 BC", "revid": 1373532834, "section": "Events › By place › India"}}, {"year": -260, "year_label": "261 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Mauryan Emperor Ashoka wages a war against the independent kingdom of Kalinga, culminating in the Battle of the Dhauli Hills. In the aftermath, Kalinga is annexed into the Mauryan Empire, but the brutality of the war is believed to have led to Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism, as described in his many Edicts of Ashoka.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1278727971#India", "title": "261 BC", "revid": 1278727971, "section": "Events › By place › India"}}, {"year": -249, "year_label": "250 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "According to the Theravāda commentaries and chronicles, the Third Buddhist Council is convened by the Mauryan king Ashoka at Pataliputra (modern Patna), under the leadership of the monk Moggaliputta Tissa. Its objective is to purify the Buddhist movement, particularly from opportunistic factions which are being attracted by the royal patronage.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1278897656#India", "title": "250 BC", "revid": 1278897656, "section": "Events › By place › India"}}, {"year": -247, "year_label": "248 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "The Mauryan king Ashoka is dedicated to the propagation of Buddhism and begins establishing monuments marking several significant sites in the life of Gautama Buddha.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1267837859#India", "title": "248 BC", "revid": 1267837859, "section": "Events › By place › India"}}, {"year": -241, "year_label": "242 BCE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Maharani Devi, Mauryan empress and wife of Ashoka (approximate date)", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1210520734#Deaths", "title": "242 BC", "revid": 1210520734, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": -239, "year_label": "240 BCE", "section": "Deaths", "date": null, "text": "Asandhimitra, Mauryan empress and wife of Ashoka", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1191165485#Deaths", "title": "240 BC", "revid": 1191165485, "section": "Deaths"}}, {"year": -235, "year_label": "236 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Buddhism is introduced to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, a monk acting on behalf of the late Ashoka.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368088891#Sri_Lanka", "title": "236 BC", "revid": 1368088891, "section": "Events › By place › Sri Lanka"}}, {"year": 1896, "year_label": "1896 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "December 1", "text": "December 1 – Archaeologist Alois Anton Führer, Nepalese General Khadga Samsher Rana and an expedition rediscover the great stone pillar of Ashoka at Lumbini, traditionally the spot of the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, after using Faxian's records.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364785538#December", "title": "1896", "revid": 1364785538, "section": "Events › December"}}]}