197 / 822
LURE - THRU THE AGES
Eternal India
encyclopedia
HARSHA OF KANAUJ c. 580 647 A.D.
Overview
*
One of the great rulers of India.
*
The empire was built by Harshavardhana
who ruled it from 606-647 A.D.
*
The visit of Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang
(630 and 644 A.D.).
*
Chief source of information is the writings
of Hieun-Tsang and Banabhatta, supple-
mented by epigraphic and numismatic evi-
dences.
Advent
The kingdom of Thaneshwar (eastern
Punjab) was founded by Pushpabhuti; but the
real founder was supposed to be Prabhakar-
vardhana (father of Harsha); by his conquests
he attained the position of an emperor and left
for Harsha, a great kingdom with solid founda-
tion. Harsha occupied the throne after the death
of his brother Rajyavardhana in 606 A.D.
Chronology
*
Adityavardhana(c. 580)
*
Prabhakaravardhana (580-605)
*
Rajyavardhana (605-606)
*
Harshavardhana (606-647)
*
Hiuen-Tsang in India (630-644)
*
Harsha's envoy to China (641)
*
Chinese mission to Harsha's court (643)
*
Second Chinese mission to India (646)
Wars
*
The defeat of Hunas, the king of Sindhu, the
Gurjaras, the Latas, and the Malwas by
Prabhakaravardhana.
*
Conflict between Rajyavardhana and Sas-
anka of Bengal and the death of the former.
*
Capture of Magadha and Orissa by Harsha.
*
Harsha's war against Pulakesin II of Cha-
lukyas and the defeat of Harsha.
*
Harsha's battle against the king of Valabhi
and Sind.
Harshavardhana
606-647 A.D.
Harshavardhana
was
the
son
of
Prabhakaravardhana who belonged to the
Pushpabhuti dynasty, later called the Vardhana
dynasty; he came to the throne after the death
of his brother Rajyavardhana in a battle. He
made Kanauj his capital, he was a great warrior
and conqueror; the
Harshacharita
of Banabhata
and the writings of Hiuen-T sang are the main
sources of information. It is possible that he
defeated Sasanka of Bengal in 637 A.D.; later
Harsha conquered Magadha and proceeded up
to Kongoda; captured Orissa. The significant
event of Harsha's period was his conflict
with Pulakesin II (620 A.D.) a powerful king
of Badami Chalukyas. Hiuen-Tsang says that
Harsha himself guided the troops to fight
against Pulakesin II but the superior war tactics
of Pulakesin II resulted in the defeat of Harsha
on the banks of river Narmada;
"Pulakesin II
guarded the passes on the Narmada so
effectually that Harsha was constrained to
retire discomfited and to accept that river as
his frontier".
(V.A. Smith); he also carried on
war against king of Valabhi and Sind; the exact
extent of his empire cannot be determined
owing to conflicting claims of records. It is
possible that it
“comprised... the whole of the
United Provinces, larger part of Bihar and
Bengal, Orissa, parts of Punjab, Rajaputana,
central and western India”.
(Dr. R.K.
Mookerji); maintained good relations with
China, sent an envoy to Chinese court in 641
A.D. Received two Chinese missions (643,
646 A.D.) Harsha was the devotee of Siva,
Surya and Buddha. He summoned a religious
assembly at Kanauj in 643 A.D. presided over
by Hiuen-Tsang a Chinese travellor and
religious scholar; another assembly was
convened at Prayaga; he was a man of letters,
had in his court Banabhatta, who wrote
Harshacharita
in praise of Harsha and
Kadambari.
He himself wrote
Ratnavali,
Priyadarsika
and
Nagananda\
the Nalanda
University flourished during his reign. He held
debates in his court in which his widowed
sister, whom he had rescued from the funeral
pyre when her husband was killed in battle,
took a prominent part.
Impact
As a consequence of Harsha's wars, he
was able to consolidate his empire and became
the last great Hindu emperor of North India. In
his later years he began to favour the Mahay-
ana form of Buddhism.
Friends
: The king of Assam (Kamrup).
Foes
: Sasanka of Bengal, Pulakesin II of
Badami.
Strengths
*
Religious toleration - the practice of Hindu
and Buddhist faiths.
*
The strong and powerful personality of Ha-
rsha.
Achievements
*
The kingdom of Kanauj was founded de-
spite strong resistance from the powers
ruling northern India.
*
Carving of North Indian empire consisting
of the 5 kingdoms by Harshavardhana.
*
Progress of literature and art.
Administration
*
King was the pivot of administration; a lot
of self-government was allowed to the
people; the King was assisted by a council
of ministers; a well-organised secretariat at
the capital existed, Army was headed by a
Commander-in-Chief; the superior civil
service was manned by
kumaramatyas.
*
The provinces were divided into
Bhuktis.
Weakness
*
The political unity of northern India
achieved under Harsha could not be main-
tained after his death.
*
Absence of powerful successor to the
throne.
Decline
After the death of Harsha, one Arjuna
usurped the throne and humiliated the Chinese
mission under Wang-Hiuen-Tse; later the
same
mission with Tibetian help defeated him and
the history of Kanauj after his defeat is not
known.