Indian Dynasties Dynasty Founder Capital Key Rulers Key Highlights Maurya Chandragupta Maurya Pataliputra Ashoka, Bindusara First pan-Indian empire, Kalinga War, Ashoka’s Dhamma, Rock Edicts, Megasthenes Gupta Sri Gupta Pataliputra Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Skandagupta Classical Golden Age, Nalanda, Iron Pillar, Decimal system, Kalidasa Harsha (Pushyabhuti) Harshavardhana Kannauj Harsha Last North Indian ruler before Islamic invasion, wrote plays (e.g., Nagananda) Chalukya (Badami) Pulakeshin I Badami Pulakeshin II Defeated Harsha, patron of art, Aihole temples Rashtrakuta Dantidurga Manyakheta Govinda III, Amoghavarsha Patronized Kannada & Sanskrit, Kailash Temple at Ellora Pallava Simhavishnu Kanchipuram Narasimhavarman I Mahabalipuram temples, development of Dravidian architecture Chola Vijayalaya Chola Thanjavur Rajaraja I, Rajendra I Naval expeditions to SE Asia, Brihadeshwara Temple, efficient administration Chandela Nannuka Khajuraho region Dhanga, Vidyadhara Built Khajuraho Temples , resisted Mahmud of Ghazni Paramara Upendra (9th …
