Battle of the Hydaspes
Also called: Battle of the Jhelum · Topic: The Mauryan Empire · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 5 "The Rise of Empires"
Meaning
The Battle of the Hydaspes was fought in 326 BCE on the banks of the Jhelum river in Punjab. "Hydaspes" is the Greek name for the Jhelum. In this battle Alexander of Macedon defeated Porus, king of the Pauravas. It was the biggest battle of Alexander's Indian campaign. It also shows how fiercely northwest Indian rulers fought back against him.
Example
Porus used war elephants against the Greeks, but he lost. Alexander asked him how he wished to be treated, and Porus replied, "Like a King." Alexander was impressed and let Porus keep ruling his lands as his satrap (a provincial governor).
Don't confuse with
- Kalinga War: the war fought by Ashoka in coastal Odisha in his eighth regnal year. It was a Mauryan conquest and had nothing to do with Alexander's invasion.