Who founded the Kanva dynasty after the death of the last Shunga ruler?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 1 i.e. Vasudeva.
Vasudeva founded the Kanva dynasty in 73 BCE after assassinating the last Shunga ruler, Devabhuti. A Brahmin minister to the Shunga king, Vasudeva seized power and established his own dynasty, which ruled over a diminished Magadha region for approximately 45 years. The Kanva dynasty, in turn, was eventually succeeded by the Satavahanas.
Other Options:
- Pushyamitra: He was the founder of the Shunga dynasty, which preceded the Kanvas. He came to power by assassinating the last Mauryan emperor, Brihadratha, around 185 BCE.
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Menander: Also known as Milinda, he was a prominent Indo-Greek king who ruled a large territory in the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent around the 2nd century BCE. He is famously known for his philosophical dialogues with the Buddhist sage Nagasena, documented in the text Milinda Pañha.
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Demetrius: He was a Greco-Bactrian king who is often credited with founding the Indo-Greek kingdom in the second century BCE. He led military campaigns into what is now modern-day Pakistan and parts of northwestern India.