Jainism flourished when Chandragupta maurya became a jain, buddhism flourished when Ashoka endorsed it. Hinduism also spread when the powerful kings were hindus. All over history, read about spread of any religion, when king adopted a religion, the "praja" also did the same. One can speculate the reason for it, i believe fear was the prime reason.
That is a piece of falsified history created by the British.
If "Fear" and "kings" is the primary reason for people changing religion then ALL of India should have been either Muslim or Christian
The Portuguese tortured Hindus for 250 years in Goa and dominated them for 500 years, and still Goa is only 25% christian.
Jain Munis existed thousands of years before Chandragupta Maurya.
Hinduism and buddhism spread in India due to the teaching of Dharma. In Any case the whole spin of "buddha" staring a new religion is again a british invention. Buddha was a Hindu Rishi or as we call in the new age, a "baba". He belonged to the Nirvana Akhada.
This is the detailed record of the list of Shankracharys from the records of Kanchi Peeth,
1. Sureshwaracharya 477 - 407 BC
2. Sarvgyatman 407 - 364 BC
3. Satyabodh 364 - 268 BC
4. Gyanananda 268 - 205 BC
5. Suddhananda 205 - 124 BC
6. Anandananda 124 - 55 BC
7. Kaivalyananda 55 BC - 28 AD
8. Kripashankar 28 - 69 AD
9. Sureshwar 69 - 127 AD
10. Shivanand Chidghan 127 - 172 AD
11. Chandrashekhar I 172 - 235 AD
12. Sachchidghan 235 - 272 AD
13. Vidyaghan 272 - 317 AD
14. Gangadhar I 317 - 329 AD
15. Ujjval Sankar 329 - 367 AD
16. Sadashiva 367 - 375 AD
17. Surendra 375 - 385 AD
19. Mook Sankar 385 - 398 AD
18. Vidyaghan 398 - 437 AD
20. Chandrashekhar II 437 - 447 AD
21. Bodhendra I 447 - 481 AD
22. Sachchitsukh 481 - 512 AD
23. Chitsukh 512 - 527 AD
24. Sachchidanandghan 527 - 548 AD
25. Pragyan Ghan 548 - 564 AD
26. Chidvilas 564 - 577 AD
27. Mahadev I 577 - 601 AD
28. Purnabodh I 601 - 618 AD
29. Bodhendra I 618 - 655 AD
30. Brahmanandghan 655 - 668 AD
31. Chidanandghan 668 - 672 AD
32. Sachchidanand 672 - 692 AD
33. Chandrashekhar II 692 - 710 AD
34. Chitsukh 710 - 737 AD
35. Chitsukhanand 737 - 758 AD
36. Vidyaghan 758 - 788 AD
37. Abhinav Shankar 788 - 840 AD
38. Sachchidvilas 840 - 873 AD
39. Mahadev II 873 - 915 AD
40. Gangadhar II 915 - 950 AD
41. Brahamanadghan 950 - 978 AD
42. Anandghan 978 - 1014 AD
43. Purnbodh II 1014 - 1040AD
44. Paramashiv 1040 - 1061 AD
45. Sundranandbodh 1061 - 1098 AD
47. Advaitanadbodh 1098 - 1166 AD
46. Mahadev II 1166 - 1200 AD
48. Mahadev III 1200 - 1247 AD
49. Chandrachood I 1247 - 1297 AD
50. Vidya Tirth 1297 - 1385 AD
51. Shankaranand 1385 - 1417 AD
52. Poornanand Sadashiv 1417 - 1498 AD
53. Vyasachal Mahadev 1498 - 1507 AD
55. Sadashivabodh 1507 - 1524 AD
54. Chandrachood II 1524 - 1539 AD
56. Paramshiva II 1539 - 1586 AD
57. Atmbodh 1586 - 1638 AD
58. Bodhendra 1638 - 1692 AD
59. Adhyatm Prakash 1692 - 1704 AD
60. Mahadev IV 1704 - 1746 AD
61. Chandrashekhar IV 1746 - 1783 AD
62. Mahadev V 1783 - 1814 AD
63. Chandrashekhar V 1814 - 1851 AD
64. Mahadev (Sudarshan) 1851 - 1891 AD
65. Chandrashekhar VI 1891 - 1908 AD
66. Mahadev VI 1908 - 1908 AD
67. Chandrashekharendra Saraswati 1908 - 1972 AD
68. Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal 1972 - (Present)
69. Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati (Successor)
Since Adi Shankracharya lived for 32 years, that puts his birth at 447 + 32 = 509 BC.
Now if this was when the Shankracharya lived, How can they claim buddha lived in 563 BC or 480 BC ? But the british do claim that.
The entire historical dates are hogwash and all the associated history is all pieced together with one lie on top of another to spin a fantastic fantasy that is fed to the public.
To cross check these dates, here is a complete list of Shankaracharya from the
Dwaraka Sharada Peetha,
1. Sureshwaracharya 490 - 448 BC
Brahm Swaroop 477-448 BC
2. Chitsukhacharya 448 - 424 BC
3. Sarvgyanacharya 424 - 365 BC
4. Brahmanand Tirth 365 - 316 BC
5. Swaroopabhigyanacharya 316 - 249 BC
6. Mangalmoortyacharya 249 - 197 BC
7. Bhaskaracharya 197 - 174 BC
8. Pragyanacharya 174 - 131 BC
9. Brahmjyotsanacharya 131 - 99 BC
10. Anandvirbhavacharya 99 - 34 BC
11. Kalanidhi Tirth 34 BC - 26 AD
12. Chidvilasacharya 26 - 62 AD
13. Vibhuttyanandacharya 62 - 97 AD
14. Sphoortinilaypad 97 - 146 AD
15. Vartantupad 146 - 192 AD
16. Yogarudhacharya 192 - 303 AD
17. Vigyandindimacharya 303 - 337 AD
18. Vidya Tirth 337 - 390 AD
19. Chichhaktideshik 390 - 426 AD
20. Vigyaneshwar Tirth 426 - 454 AD
21. Ritambhacharya 454 - 515 AD
22. Amreshwarguru 515 - 551 AD
23. Sarvmukh Tirth 551 - 612 AD
24. Swananddeshik 612 - 672 AD
25. Samar-rasik 672 - 742 AD
26. Narayan Ashram 742 - 779 AD
27. Vaikunth Ashram 779 - 828 AD
28. Trivikram Ashram 828 - 854 AD
29. Sashishekhar Ashram 854 - 903 AD
30. Trayambak Ashram 903 - 908 AD
31. Chidambara Ashram 908 - 944 AD
32. Keshav Ashram 944 - 1003 AD
33. Chidambara Ashram (2) 1003 - 1026 AD
34. Padmanabh Ashram 1026 - 1051 AD
35. Mahadev Ashram 1051 - 1091 AD
36. Sachchidanand Ashram 1091 - 1150 AD
37. Vidyashankar Ashram 1150 - 1208 AD
38. Abhinavsachchidanand Ashram 1208 - 1236 AD
39. Nrasingh Ashram 1236 - 1269 AD
40. Vasudev Ashram 1269 - 1304 AD
41. Purushottam Ashram 1304 - 1337 AD
42. Gyanardhan Ashram 1337 - 1351 AD
43. Harihar Ashram 1351 - 1354 AD
44. Bhavashram 1354 - 1364 AD
45. Brahm Ashram 1364 - 1379 AD
46. Vasnashram 1379 - 1399 AD
47. Sarvagyan Ashram 1399 - 1432 AD
48. Pradyumn Ashram 1432 - 1438 AD
49. Govind Ashram 1438 - 1466 AD
50. Chidashram 1466 - 1519 AD
51. Vishveshwar Ashram 1519 - 1551 AD
52. Damodar Ashram 1551 - 1558 AD
53. Mahadev Ashram 1558 - 1559 AD
54. Aniruddha Ashram 1559 - 1568 AD
55. Achyut Ashram 1568 - 1572 AD
56. Madhav Ashram 1572 - 1628 AD
57. Anand Ashram 1628 - 1659 AD
58. Vishvaroop Ashram 1659 - 1664 AD
59. Chidghan Ashram 1664 - 1665 AD
60. Nrasingh Ashram 1665 - 1678 AD
61. Manohar Ashram 1678 - 1704 AD
62. Prakashanand Saraswati 1704 - 1738 AD
63. Vishuddhanand Ashram 1738 - 1741 AD
64. Vamanendra Ashram 1741 - 1774 AD
65. Keshav Ashram 1774 - 1781 AD
66. Madhusudan Ashram 1781 - 1791 AD
67. Haigreev Ashram 1791 - 1805 AD
68. Prakash Ashram 1805 - 1806 AD
69. Haigreev Saraswati 1806 - 1817 AD
70. Shridhar Ashram 1817 - 1857 AD
71. Damodar Ashram 1857 - 1872 AD
72. Keshav Ashram 1872 - 1878 AD
73. Rajrajeshwar Shankar Ashram 1878 - 1901 AD
74. Shrimadhav Tirth 1901 - 1916 AD
75. Shrishantyanand 1916 - 1925 AD
76. Shrichandrashekhar Ashram 1925 - 1945 AD
77. Abhinavsachchidanand Tirth 1945 - 1982 AD
78. Swaroopanad Saraswati 1982 - (Present)