The Mauryan Empire in India was ruled by Ashoka. He became one of the most successful rulers in Indian history, conquering "the whole country, except for the southern tip."
He promoted peace and tolerance throughout his empire. As an earnest Buddhist, Ashoka embraced Buddhism after witnessing its practice as he traveled outside India; his interest in Buddhism apparently played a considerable role in his conversion:
The final trigger for embracing Buddhism appears to have been an incident where some monks were punished with death or exile when they were caught stealing from villagers. Ashoka was outraged by this act and felt it unacceptable that "even those desiring forest dwelling should be killed.
