The Social Organisation in North-East India in Buddha's Time c11.72

c11.72

When the election of the successor takes place in the way described, the new king is not, as before, a khattiya, nor the scion of a foreign royal house, but the usurper son of a seṭṭhi's daughter, in fact, the child of a poor woman born in the street (IV. 38). The legendary character of this narrative does not allow this to be taken as a proof that kingship did not lie always in the hands of the khattiyas but that persons belonging to other castes might occasionally be in possession of it. There are, however, some passages which seem to support such a theory. We have already met with of revolutions by which the reigning king is removed and in his place a Brâhmaṇa is put. In the Pâdañjali Jâtaka (II. 264) the chief minister (atthadhammânusâsaka amacca), probably also belonging to the Brâhmaṇa caste, of the deceased king, and not the weakminded prince, is anointed king by the ministers. Even the lawbooks speak of kings who do not belong to the Kshatriya caste and understand by these kings of low origin who have usurped the throne.¹