There is little information regarding the early life of Asoka. He acted as Governor of Ujjain and also suppressed a revolt in Taxila during his father Bindusara’s reign
There was a struggle for the throne after Bindusara’s death. The Ceylonese Chronicles, Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa state that Asoka captured power after killing his ninety nine brothers including his elder brother Susima
But according to Taranatha of Tibet, Asoka killed only six of his brothers
The most important event of Asoka’s reign- victorious war with Kalinga in 261 BCE- effects of the war were described by Asoka himself in the Rock Edict XIII
Effect of the Kalinga war- Asoka embraced Buddhism under the influence of Buddhist monk, Upagupta