Harsha | |
---|---|
Maharajadhiraja of Kannauj | |
Reign | c. April 606 – c. 647 CE |
Predecessor | Rajyavardhana (as King of Thanesar) |
Successor | Arunāsva (as King of Kannauj) |
Born | 4 June 590 CE[2] possibly Sthanvishvara, Kingdom of Thanesar (present-day Thanesar, Haryana, India)[3][4] |
Died | 647 CE (aged 56-57) possibly Kanyakubja, Empire of Kannauj (present-day Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, India)[5] |
Dynasty | Pushyabhuti |
Father | Prabhakarvardhana |
Mother | Yasomati |
Religion | Shaivism Buddhism (according to Xuanzang) |
Signature |
Harshavardhana (IAST Harṣa-vardhana; 4 June 590–647 CE) was emperor of Kannauj from 606 until his death in 647 CE. He was the son of Prabhakaravardhana, the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns,[7] and the younger brother of Rajyavardhana, son of Prabhakaravardhana and last king of Thanesar. He was one of the greatest kings of the Kingdom of Kannauj, which under him expanded into a vast realm in northern India. He belonged to Bais clan of Rajputs and a ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.[8]
At the height of Harsha's power, his realm covered much of northern and northwestern India, with the Narmada River as its southern boundary. He eventually made Kanyakubja (present-day Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh state) his imperial capital, and reigned till 647 CE.[9] Harsha was defeated by the Emperor Pulakeshin II of the Chalukya dynasty in the Battle of Narmada, when he tried to expand his empire into the southern peninsula of India.[10]
The peace and prosperity that prevailed made his court a centre of cosmopolitanism, attracting scholars, artists and religious visitors from far and wide.[9] The Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited the imperial court of Harsha and wrote a very favourable account of him (as Shiladitya), praising his justice and generosity.[9] His biography Harshacharita ("The Life of Harsha") written by the Sanskrit poet Banabhatta, describes his association with Sthanesvara, besides mentioning a defensive wall, a moat and the palace with a two-storied Dhavalagriha (white mansion).[11]
Thanesar near Kurukshetra , is the birthplace of the ruler Harsha Vardhana ( 590-647)...
Born: c. 590; probably Thanesar, India
The king is a Bais Rajput. His name is Harsha- vardhana; his father's name was Prakaravardhana;" his senior brother was called Rajyavardhana. Harsha- vardhana, the present king, is virtuous and patriotic; all people celebrate his praises in songs.
BAIS A sept of Rajputs found in Uttar Pradesh , Gautam Raja is said to be their founder. Harsha Vardhana who was ruler of Mathura and Kannauj ( Uttar Pradesh ) in 7th century was a Bais Rajput.
The Chinese text simply states that Harsha was of fei-she (vaisya) extraction. The explanation given in the notes (Beal i, p. 209 n. 12, 'Life', p. 83 n. 1, cf. Watters i, pp. 344-5) that he was a Bais Rajput stems from Cunningham.
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: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)Thereafter, in the begin ning of the 7th century, Harsha Vardhan, who was a Kshatriya of the Bais clan, ceded a large part of this province into his territory.
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