Tag: the vardhans

After the downfall of the Gupta Empire in the middle of the 6th century, North India was split into several independent kingdoms. The northern and western regions of India passed into the hands of a dozen or more feudatory states. Prabhakara Vardhana, the ruler of Sthanvisvara, who belonged to the Vardhana family, extended his control over neighbouring states. Prabhakar Vardhana was the first king of the Vardhana dynasty with his capital at Thaneswar. After Prabhakar Vardhana's death in 605, his eldest son, Rajya Vardhana, ascended the throne. Harsha Vardhana was Rajya Vardhana's younger brother. This period of kings from the same line has been referred to as the Vardhana dynasty or Pushyabuthi dynasty in several sources.

In the year 643 A.D.Harsha held a great religious assembly in his capital at Kanauj on the bank of the river Ganges. The purpose of the assembly was to highlight the teachings of Buddha. On that occasion, Harsha also wanted to honour the Chinese Master of the Law, Hiuen Tsang.
This grand function was attended by twenty tributary kings. Three thousand Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhists, three thousand Brahmins and Jainas, and one thousand Buddhist scholars from the University of Nalanda attended this assembly. Harsha himself proposed the name of Hiuen Tsang to take the chair. The subject of discussion in the assembly related to Mahayana Buddhism. The assembly continued for long 23 days.

As North India reverted to small republics and small monarchical states ruled by Gupta rulers after the fall of the prior Gupta Empire, Harsha united the small republics from Punjab to central India, and their representatives crowned him king at an assembly in April 606 giving him the title of Maharaja. 

Harsha established an empire that brought all of northern India under his control. The peace and prosperity that prevailed made his court a centre of cosmopolitanism, attracting scholars, artists and religious visitors from far and wide. The Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang visited the court of Harsha, and wrote a very favourable account of him, praising his justice and generosity.

Pulakeshin II defeated Harsha on the banks of Narmada in the winter of 618-619 CE. Pulakeshin entered into a treaty with Harsha, with the Narmada River designated as the border between the Chalukya Empire and that of Harshavardhana.

Administrative system during Harshavardhana's reign continued to be as that of the Gupta empire. Kumaramatyas were the most important bureaucratic officers of the empire. The other important bureaucratic posts were mantris (ministers), dutakas (messengers), ayuktas (district officers), and Senapati (commander).

In the year 643 A.D. Harsha held a great religious assembly in his capital at Kannauj on the bank of the river Ganges. The purpose of the assembly was to highlight the teachings of Buddha. On that occasion, Harsha also wanted to honour the Chinese Master of the Law, Hiuen Tsang. The assembly continued for long 23 days.

As North India reverted to small republics and small monarchical states ruled by Gupta rulers after the fall of the prior Gupta Empire, Harsha united the small republics from Punjab to central India, and their representatives crowned him king at an assembly in April 606 giving him the title of Maharaja. 

Harsha established an empire that brought all of northern India under his control. The peace and prosperity that prevailed made his court a center of cosmopolitanism, attracting scholars, artists and religious visitors from far and wide. The Chinese traveler Heun Tsang visited the court of Harsha, and wrote a very favourable account of him, praising his justice and generosity.