Editing Kshatriya (section)

=== Mahajanapadas ===
The ''gaṇa sangha'' form of government was an oligarchic republic during the period of the [[Mahajanapadas]] (c. 600–300 BCE), that was ruled by Kshatriya clans. However, these kshatriyas did not follow the Vedic religion, and were sometimes called degenerate Kshatriyas or Shudras by Brahmanical sources. The kshatriyas served as representatives in the assembly at the capital, debated various issues put before the assembly.{{Sfn|Thapar|2004|pp=146–150}} Due to the lack of patronage of Vedic Brahmanism, the kshatriyas of the gana sanghas were often patrons of [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]].{{Sfn|Thapar|2004|p=170}} In the [[Pali canon]], Kshatriya is referred as ''khattiya''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of The Awakened One |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JKW8CgAAQBAJ&dq=Pali+canon+khattiya+kshatriya&pg=PT223 |page= |publisher=Hachette UK|year=2011|isbn=978-1849169233}}</ref>

In the kingdoms of the Mahajanapadas, the king claimed kshatriya status through the Vedic religion. While kings claimed to be kshatriya, some kings came from non-kshatriya origins.{{Sfn|Thapar|2004|pp=150–151}}

After the Mahajanapada period, most of the prominent royal dynasties in northern [[Indian subcontinent|India]] were not kshatriyas. The [[Nanda Empire]], whose rulers were stated to be shudras, destroyed many kshatriya lineages.{{Sfn|Thapar|2004|pp=155–156}}