Bimbisara (ruled 544-491 BCE) was a king of the Magadha empire and belonged to Haryanaka dynasty.
Career
There are many accounts of Bimbisara in the
Buddhist Jatakas, since he was a contemporary of Gautama
Buddha. He acquired
Anga and placed it under the viceroyalty of his son
Ajatashatru, with its capital at Champa.
Marriage alliances
Bimbisara used marriage alliances to strengthen his position. His first wife was the daughter of the king of
Kosala and a sister of
Prasenajit. His bride brought him
Kashi, which was then a mere village, as dowry. This marriage also ended the hostility between Magadha and Kosala and gave him a free hand in dealing with the other states. Bimbisara's second wife, Chellana, was a
Lachchhavi princess from
Vaishali. His third wife was a daughter of the chief of the
Madra clan of Punjab.
Death
Tradition tells us that Bimbisara was imprisoned by his son
Ajatashatru who is said to have starved him to death. This is reported to have taken place around 492 BC.
Indian monarchs
Bimbisara | ビンビサーラ | Bimbisara