Asoka was born in 304 BC as the son of the Mauryan emperor Bindusara. He received military training and was known as a fierce warrior. When Asoka became emperor, he embarked on a series of bloody wars, including the Kalinga war of 260 BC. The death and suffering he witnessed led him to convert to Buddhism. He promoted Buddhist teachings of nonviolence and compassion, abolishing animal slaughter and establishing protections for wildlife. Asoka built universities, treated all people equally regardless of religion or caste, and established himself as a just and beloved leader known as "Asoka the Great."