Why did Alexander go to India? Was it for gold? Did he conquer any cities there or name any after himself?

Thank you.

Alexander was primarily looking to expand his territory when he went to India.

Check these sites for more information.

http://wso.williams.edu/~junterek/india.htm

http://www.sparknotes.com/biography/alexander/section11.rhtml

http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_z2.html

Alexander entered very little of what we now call India. He attacked the area around the Indus river in the west of what was India and is now Pakistan, the area of the present Pakistani provinces of Sind and the Punjab (Sind is all over the news today because ot the murder of the former prime minister of Pakistan). He wished to march to the Ganges River, but his troops refused to go that far into a hostile region so far from support and inhabited by strongly armed people. The last big battle of his life was fought against the Indian leader Porus who used elephants.

He was by then the "Great King" of the Persian empire, and this region was once part of the Persian Empire so he probably wanted to reclaim it. Moreover he considered himself ruler of all the world, and that western part of Asia was about the limits of the known world in that direction. He probably felt that he had to have it. The Greeks and Macedonians knew about the Indus valley, but not much about what lay further East. Probably if his fights against Indians and their elephants had not discouraged his army so badly in defeating Porus he would have gone much further into India.

Alexander the Great, the renowned Macedonian conqueror, ventured into India as part of his military campaign to expand his empire. While gold was certainly an enticing aspect of his conquests, it was not the sole reason for his expedition. Alexander sought to conquer new territories, spread Greek culture, secure trade routes, and establish his dominion over vast regions.

To understand Alexander's motivations and actions in India, we can explore historical accounts and primary sources. There are several ancient Greek historians like Arrian, Plutarch, and Quintus Curtius Rufus, who documented the life and campaigns of Alexander. These writings provide valuable insights into his motivations and actions.

Upon reaching the borders of India in 326 BCE, Alexander confronted the powerful Indian King Porus. The Battle of Hydaspes followed, where Porus was ultimately defeated by Alexander's forces. Instead of completely subjugating Porus, Alexander admired his bravery and decided to integrate him into his administration.

It is important to note that Alexander's conquests in India were challenging, as the region was characterized by distinct cultures, formidable rivers, dense forests, and fierce resistance from the locals. After the Battle of Hydaspes, Alexander's army grew weary, and his troops expressed a desire to return to their homeland. Taking their welfare into consideration, Alexander decided not to venture further into India, but turned back towards his conquered territories.

Regarding naming cities after himself, Alexander did name several cities throughout his empire, but there is no historical evidence to suggest that he named any cities in India after himself. However, his successors, the Seleucids, established a city named Bucephala in honor of his legendary horse Bucephalus.

To delve deeper into Alexander's Indian expedition and the historical context surrounding it, you may refer to trusted historical sources, academic works, or consult experts in the field of ancient history.