Monarchies ruled by kings (rajan) with dictatorial_power arose and alliances and rivalries developed. The Indian epic the Madhyadésa concern the effect of a war between the tribes, that between the Bharatas and the purus. Among the famous kings of this period was Janaka from Videha, a country to the east of the central lands (madhyadesa) of Brahmanism, which were situated between the Ganges and Jumna rivers. In Videha, culture and thought revolved around powerful kings, while in the central lands, the priests were the center of society, As the Aryans advanced eastward and conquered the central areas drained by the Ganges, they expanded their territory and strengthened their kingdoms. Relations with the conquered population were closer than in the central lands because the culture and social system were not as influenced by Aryan culture. It was during this time of political and social change in areas similar to Videha that the founder of Buddhism was born.