The Vardhanas
The Vardhanas
The Vardhanas
HarshaVardhanas History
Study Materials
As the Gupta Empire disintegrated, the kingdom empire conquering Bengal, Malwa, eastern
of Sthameshwar emerged as a seat of power in Rajasthan and the entire Gangetic pluin
the region of Kanauj (earlier known as Thanes up to Assam, Under Harshavardhana, North
war). The first known king of this kingdom was India was reunited briefly, but neither the
Pushyabhuti. Their forefathers were never full Guptas nor Harsha controlled a centralised state,
kings as they were subordinates or appointed and their administrative styles rested on the
officials under the Imperial Guptas or the Hunas. collaboration of regional and local officials for
Many records testify the rise of the Vardhanas to administering their rule rather than on centrally
power and how they flourislied under appointed personnel. However, he was
Prabhakaravardhana and his two sons, successful in consolidating all the North Indian
Rajyavardhana and Harshavardhana. feudal states, which had emerged because of
land grants after the fall of the Gupta Empire,
HARSHAVARDHANA (AD 606-646) under his sovereignty. By the end of his reign
Harsha's Empire extended from the Brahmaputra
Harshavardhana, the younger son of
to eastern Punjab, from the Himalayas to the
Prabhakaravardhana, belonged to the
Narmada.
Pushyabhuti family who ruled in Thanesar. north
of Delhi. He ascended the throne in ad 606 in
ADMINISTRATION
difficult circumstances at a very young age of 16
years. Prabhakaravardhana had a daughter, Harshucharita by Bana and biography
Rajyashree, who was married to Grihavarman. of the Chinese traveller Huien Tsang by Heuili
the Maukhan King of Kanauj. After throw light on Harshavardhana's reign.
Prabhakaravardhana's death, the King of Malwa. Harshavardhan personally supervised all the
Devaguptu, attacked Kanauj, killed business in the state. The empire was divided
Grihavarmun and look Rajyashree as a prisoner. into provinces called bhuktis and put under the
His elder brother, Rajyavardhana, who had charge of governors called the bhuktis.
succeeded his father to the throne, attacked the Bhuktis were further sub-divided into
Malwa king to restore Kanauj and free his sister. districts called visayas, tehsils or pathaks and
Rajyavardhana was killed in the battle and it was villages or gramas. A large army was maintained
later llarshavardhana who defeated Devagupta during his reign. The tax levied by him was a
and his allies and reclaimed Kanauj. As his convenient one-sixth of the produce.
brother-in-law Grihavarman had no heir to the
Kanauj throne, Harshavardhana merged it to his
kingdom. He later moved his capital from
Sthaneshwar to Kanauj. He established a strong
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The Vardhanas –
HarshaVardhanas History
Study Materials
.
1. Maithrakas Gujarat Vallubhi Religion
2. Yashodhrama Malwa Mondasar Buddhism no longer received royal patronage.
3. Maukharis Kanauj Kanauj Jainism remained unchanged and continued to
4. Gurajaras Jodhpur Jodhpur be supported by the merchant communities of
5. Gurajaras Nandipur Naandoda
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The Vardhanas –
HarshaVardhanas History
Study Materials
Western India. Christianity remained confined a famous centre of Buddhism, which flourished
to the region of Malabar. In Hinduism, the during Harshavardhana’s period. He stayed in
image emerged as the centre of worship and India for 8 years (ad 635-643). Another Chinese
encouraged Bhaktl [devotional) worship rather traveller, Yuangchang, wrote Si-yu-ki (a record
than sacrifice. of the western kingdom), which also discented
Harsha’s reign. Banabhatfa, one of the four
all religions. He patronised both Hinduism and poets of Harshavardhana wrote Hanrshacharita a
Buddhism. He held many religious conferences biography of the king. The history of
and among them the most significant were the Harshavardhana is reconstructed from a study of
Kanauj Conference and the Prayaga Conference these two works. Buna also wrote Kadambri and
in which all religions were given equal Chandishataka but Harshacharita is the most
importance. He sent a Brahmin priest as an prominent of them all.
ambassador to the Chinese king and welcomed
Wand-Huc-Itsi, an ambassador of the Chinese Haridatta,
king, in his court. Siddhasana,Mathangadivakara.
SOCIAL Mayura (author of Suryaihathakam) and
Bhartruhari (who wrote Hhartruharishatakam)
There was no purdah system, but sati are prominent literary figures of this era. The
was prevalent. The government used to latter penned various dramas, prominent among
adequately support all public welfare causes and them are Tarnavalli, Naiftinandan and
adopted measures to keep people happy. Priyadarshika, which were considered to be of
Hospitals and nest houses were built in good very high standard by the Chinese traveller I-
numbers to help the sick and poor people and tsing, in his accounts on India. I-tsing had
travellers. The Nalanda University was visited India sometime after the death of Harsha.
patronised by the king and a fixed amount of
funds were deposited with the university Ancient/Medieval Eras
administrators to carry out the proper
functioning of the university. Buddha Samval: 544 BC
Mahavira Samvat: 528 BC
LITERATURE Vikram Samvat: 57 BC
(Chardragupta Vikaramaditya)
Harshavardhana had profound interest Saka Samvat: AD 78
in literature and administration. A prominent (Kanishka)
Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang. who stayed in Gupta Samvat: AD [Chandrartnpta)
India during the reign of Harshavardhana wrote Vallabhi Samvat: AD 319
a detailed account on India as it was at that time. Kalchuri (Samvat: AD 248
He described Indians as hot tempered but honest (Isvarsena)
and observed that there was no death sentence. Harsha Samvat: AD 606
He studied at Nalanda, a Buddhist university and
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The Vardhanas –
HarshaVardhanas History
Study Materials
(Harshavardhan)
Hijarai Samvat: AD 622
(Prophel Muhammad)
Laxman Samvat: AD 1119
(Laxmansena of Bengal)
Ilahi Samvat: AD 1584
(Solar calendar of Akbar)
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