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Find out more. Harsha From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search For the Romanian village of Hrsa, see Plopu. Empire of Harsha 606647 Harsha's empire at its greatest extent. CapitalKannauj ReligionBuddhism and Hinduism GovernmentMonarchy Emperor - 606647Harshavardhana History - Established606 - Disestablished647 Outline of South Asian history History of Indian subcontinent Stone age (70003000 BCE)[show]Mehrgarh Culture (70003300 BCE) Bronze age (30001300 BCE)[show]Indus Valley Civilization (33001700 BCE) Early Harappan Culture (33002600 BCE) Mature Harappan Culture (26001900 BCE) Late Harappan Culture (17001300 BCE)Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (from 2000 BCE)Swat culture (1600500 BCE) Iron age (120026 BCE)[show]Vedic period (2000500 BCE) Black and Red ware culture (13001000 BCE) Painted Grey Ware culture (1200600 BCE) Northern Black Polished Ware (700200 BCE) Maha Janapadas (700300 BCE)Magadha Kingdom (684424 BCE)Ror Kingdom (450 BC489 AD)Nanda Empire (424321 BCE)Pandya Empire (300 BCE1345 CE)Chera Kingdom (300 BCE1102 CE)Chola Empire (300 BCE1279 CE)Maurya Empire (321184 BCE)Pallava Empire (250 BCE800 CE)Sunga Empire (18573 BCE)Kanva Empire (7526 BCE)Maha-Megha-Vahana Empire (250s BCE400s CE)Satavahana Empire (230220 BCE)Kuninda Kingdom (200s BCE300s CE)Indo-Scythian Kingdom (200 BCE400 CE)Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE10 CE) Classical period (11279 CE)[show]Indo-Parthian Kingdom (21130s CE)Western Satrap Empire (35405 CE)Kushan Empire (60240 CE)Indo-Sassanid Kingdom (230360 CE)Vakataka Empire (250s500s CE)Kalabhras Empire (250600 CE)Gupta Empire (280550 CE)Kadamba Empire (345525 CE)Western Ganga Kingdom (3501000 CE)Kamarupa Kingdom (3501100 CE)Vishnukundina Empire (420624 CE)Maitraka Empire (475767 CE)Huna Kingdom (475576 CE)Rai Kingdom (489632 CE)Chalukya Empire (543753 CE)Shahi Empire (500s1026 CE)Maukhari Empire (550s700s CE)Harsha Empire (590647 CE)Eastern Chalukya Kingdom (6241075 CE)Gurjara Pratihara Empire (6501036 CE)Pala Empire (7501174 CE)Rashtrakuta Empire (753982 CE)Paramara Kingdom (8001327 CE)Yadava Empire (8501334 CE)Solanki Kingdom (9421244 CE)Western Chalukya Empire (9731189 CE)Lohara Kingdom (1003-1320 CE)Hoysala Empire (10401346 CE)Sena Empire (10701230 CE)Eastern Ganga Empire (10781434 CE)Kakatiya Kingdom (10831323 CE)Kalachuri Empire (11301184 CE) Late medieval age (12061596 CE)[show]Delhi Sultanate (12061526 CE) Mamluk Sultanate (12061290 CE) Khilji Sultanate (12901320 CE) Tughlaq Sultanate (13201414 CE) Sayyid Sultanate (14141451 CE) Lodi Sultanate (14511526 CE)Ahom Kingdom (12281826 CE)Reddy Kingdom (13251448 CE)Vijayanagara Empire (13361646 CE)Gajapati Kingdom (14341541 CE)Deccan Sultanates (14901596 CE) Early modern period (15261858 CE)[show]Mughal Empire (15261858 CE)Maratha Empire (16741818 CE)Durrani Empire (17471823 CE)Sikh Empire

(17991849 CE) Other states (11021947 CE)[show]Zamorin Kingdom (11021766 CE)Deva Kingdom (1200s1300s CE)Chitradurga Kingdom (13001779 CE)Garhwal Kingdom (13581803 CE)Mysore Kingdom (13991947 CE)Keladi Kingdom (14991763 CE)Koch Kingdom (15151947 CE)Thondaiman Kingdom (16501948 CE)Madurai Kingdom (15591736 CE)Thanjavur Kingdom (15721918 CE)Marava Kingdom (16001750 CE)Sikh Confederacy (17071799 CE)Travancore Kingdom (17291947 CE) Colonial period (15051961 CE)[show]Portuguese India (15101961 CE)Dutch India (16051825 CE)Danish India (16201869 CE)French India (17591954 CE)Company Raj (17571858 CE)British Raj (18581947 CE)Partition of India (1947 CE) Kingdoms of Sri Lanka (543 BCE1948 CE)[show]Kingdom of Tambapanni (543505 BCE)Kingdom of Upatissa Nuwara (505377 BCE)Kingdom of Anuradhapura (377 BCE1017 CE)Kingdom of Ruhuna (200 CE)Polonnaruwa Kingdom (3001310 CE)Kingdom of Dambadeniya (12201272 CE)Kingdom of Yapahuwa (12721293 CE)Kingdom of Kurunegala (12931341 CE)Kingdom of Gampola (13411347 CE)Kingdom of Raigama (13471415 CE)Kingdom of Kotte (14121597 CE)Kingdom of Sitawaka (15211594 CE)Kingdom of Kandy (14691815 CE)Portuguese Ceylon (15051658 CE)Dutch Ceylon (16561796 CE)British Ceylon (18151948 CE) Nation histories[show]AfghanistanBangladeshBhutanIndiaMaldivesNepalPakistan Regional histories[show]AssamBiharBalochistanBengalHimachal PradeshMaharashtraUttar PradeshPakistani RegionsPunjabNWFPOrissaSindhSouth IndiaTibet Specialised histories[show]CoinageDynastiesEconomyIndologyLanguageLiteratureMaritime MilitaryPakistan StudiesScience & TechnologyTimeline vte ) (c. 590647) was an Harsha or Harsha Vardhana or Harshvardhan (Hindi: Indian emperor who ruled northern India from 606 to 647 AD. He was the son of Prabhakara Vardhana and younger brother of Rajya Vardhana, a king of Thanesar, Haryana. At the height of his power his kingdom spanned the Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal, Orissa and the entire Indo-Gangetic plain north of the Narmada River. After the downfall of the prior Gupta Empire in the middle of the sixth century CE, North India reverted to small republics and small monarchical states ruled by fractured fragments of Gupta rulers. Harsha, a Buddhist convert,[1] united the small republics from Punjab to central India, and they, at an assembly, crowned Harsha king in April 606 AD when he was merely 16 years old.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Ancestry 1.1 Period prior to his reign 2 Ascension 3 Wars and reign 4 Patron of Buddhism and literature 5 Aftermath 6 See also 7 References [edit] AncestryThey were descended from a certain Pushyabhuti who founded and ruled the kingdom of Sthanvisvara or modern Thanesar, an ancient Hindu pilgrimage centre and one of the 51 Shaktipeeth's, now a small town in the vicinity of the newly created Kurukshetra in the state of Haryana north of Delhi. The name Pushpabhuti is the key to Harsha's origins and the relevant reference point is an inscription dated 181 AD and found at Gunda in the state

of Gujarat. That inscription mentions a general of Rudrasimha I or Rudrasingh by the name Rudrabhuti.[3] Rudradaman I, an ancestor of Rudrasimha I had conquered the Yaudheya, who were the original masters of Haryana. Xuanzang, the famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the Harsha period, stated that Harsha was of Vaishya caste.[4][5][6] "[7][8][9] Moreover, upon his formal coronation ceremony, Harsha took the title Rajputra.[10] [edit] Period prior to his reignAfter the downfall of the Gupta Empire in the middle of the sixth century CE, North India was split into several independent kingdoms. The Hunas had established their supremacy over the Punjab. 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 Pushyabhuti family, extended his control over neighboring states. Prabhakar Vardhan was the first king of the Vardhana dynasty with his capital at Thaneswar. After Prabhakar Vardhans death in 605 CE, his eldest son, Rajya Vardhana, ascended the throne. Harsha Vardhana was Rajya Vardhanas younger brother. This period of kings from the same line has been referred to as the Vardhana dynasty in many publications,[11][12][13]. [edit] AscensionRajya Vardhanas and Harshas sister Rajyasri had been married to the Maukhari king, Grahavarman. This king, some years later, had been defeated and killed by king Devagupta of Malwa and after his death Rajyasri had been cast into prison by the victor. Harsha's brother, Rajya Vardhana, then the king at Thanesar, could not stand this affront on his family, marched against Devagupta and defeated him. But it so happened at this moment that Shashanka, king of Gauda in Eastern Bengal, entered Magadha as a friend of Rajyavardhana, but in secret alliance with the Malwa king. Accordingly, Sasanka treacherously murdered Rajyavardhana.[14] On hearing about the murder of his brother, Harsha resolved at once to march against the treacherous king of Gauda and killed Deva Gupta in a battle. Harsha ascended the throne at the age of 16. [edit] Wars and reignThough quite a young man when he came to power, Harsha proved himself a great conqueror and an able administrator. After his accession, Harsha united the two kingdoms of Thanesar and Kannauj and transferred his capital from Thanesar to Kannauj. Harsha set out to punish his rival, Shashanka, the lord of Gauda (Bengal). He formed an alliance with Bhaskaravarman, king of Kamarupa and marched on Shashanka. Although he defeated his rival, the result was indecisive as Shashanka continued to rule much of his kingdom and it was only after his death that Harsha was able to oust Shashanka's son, Manava and bring Bihar, Kanauj and northern Bengal under his rule (Bhaskaravarman was able to conquer the remainder of the Shashanka's kingdom).[15] He conquered Dhruvasena of Gujarat and gave his own daughter in marriage to him. He also conquered Ganjam (whose king was a vassal of Shashanka), a part of the modern Orissa State.[16] Harsha's ambition of extending his power to the Deccan and Southern India were stopped by the great Chalukya Empreror of South India Pulakeshi II, the Chalukya king of Vatapi in Northern Karnataka along the banks of river Narmada. Pulakeshi defeated Harsha's army on the banks of the river Narmada in 620 AD. A truce was agreed upon and the river Narmada was marked as the southern boundary of Harsha's kingdom.[16] Harsha was an energetic ruler who travelled frequently in order to keep himself accessible to his subjects. In the latter half of his reign, he spent most of his time in camp, travelling from place to place. He was a man of considerable

literary interests and talents and despite his administrative duties, he managed to write plays i.e. Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda, of which, the first two are comedies in the classical style and the third has a serious religious theme. He maintained a magnificent court where philosophers, poets, dramatists and painters flourished. Bana, the author of Harsha-Charita and Kadambari, was the court poet of Harsha. Maurya, the author of Mayurashataka, and Bhartrihari, the author of Vakyapadiya and a grammarian, also lived at the court of Harsha. Harsha was the chief patron of the University of Nalanda where about 10,000 students from all parts of India and abroad studied. [edit] Patron of Buddhism and literatureHarsha's father, Prabhkara was, apparently a sun-worshipper and of Bargujar clan, his brother followed Hinayana Buddhism while, according to Bana, Harsha himself was a Mahayana Buddhist. Harsha was a tolerant ruler and supported all Indic faiths Buddhism, Vedism and Jainism. Early in his life, he seems to have been a follower of Sun Worship, becoming a patron of Shaivism and Buddhism later on.[17] His sister Rajyashri's conversion to Buddhism presumably had a positive effect on his support to the religion. His approach to religion is evident in his celebrated play Nagananda. The play's theme is based on the Jataka tale of the Bodhisattva Jimutavahana, but Harsha introduces the Goddess Gauri, Shiva's consort, as the saviour of Jimutavahana, a feature not found in the Jataka. The great Indian mathematician Brahmagupta also lived in the Empire of Harshavardhana. According to the Chinese Pilgrim Xuanzang, who visited his kingdom in 636 CE, Harsha built numerous stupas in the name of Buddha. Xuanzang entered a grand competition organized by Harsha and won the theological debate. Harsha also became a patron of art and literature. He made numerous endowments to the University at Nalanda. Two seals of Harsha have been found in Nalanda in the course of the excavations. All these favours and donations of the great emperor were crowned by the construction of a lofty wall enclosing all the buildings of the university to defend the institution from any other possible attack. In 643 he held a Buddhist convocation at Kannauj which was reputedly attended by 20 kings and thousands of pilgrims.[18] In 641, following Xuanzang's visit, Harsha sent a mission to China which established the first diplomatic relations between China and India. The Chinese responded by sending an embassy consisting of Li Yibiao and Wang Xuanze, who probably traveled through Tibet and whose journey is commemorated in inscriptions at Rajagriha modern Rajgir, and Bodhgaya. Harsha was a noted author on his own merit. He wrote three Sanskrit plays Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarsika. His reign is comparatively well documented, thanks to his court poet Bana and Xuanzang. Bana composed an account of Harsha's rise to power in Harsha Charitha, the first historical poetic work in Sanskrit language. Xuanzang wrote a full description of his travels in India.[19] Harsha's participation in the cultured life of his court was more direct than that of most kings, and it is in his personal contribution to Sanskrit literature that he clearly overshadows them. To him are assigned three plays: Priyadarsika, Ratnavali, and the Nagananda. In addition, he is credited with two significant poems on Buddhist themes - the Ashtamahasricaityastotra (Praise to Eight Grand Caityas [Buddhist assembly halls]) and Suprabhatastotra (Laud to Morning) - and a tract on grammatical gender, the Linganusasanam. Harsha's authorship has been disputed on several occasions, but no decisive contrary arguments have been proposed. The Priyadarsika appears to be the earliest of Harsha's plays. It and the Ratnavali deal with the amorous adventures of the king Vatsa, his queen Vasavadatta, and newcomers to the royal harem. Both plays borrow from the earlier works of Bhasa and Kalidasa (especially the latter's Malavikagnimitra)

and are based ultimately on material in the collection Brhatkatha. These plays lack thematic novelty but sustain interest through brisk dialogue. Both are frequently cited by later writers on dramatic theory and technique. Harsha's Nagananda is his most important play. It is, in fact, a singular creation in Sanskrit drama. This five-act drama draws again on the Brhatkatha for the substance of its first three acts. In them, the hero, Jimutavahana, Prince of the Vidyadharas, meets and marries the Siddha princess Malayavati. To that point, the romance of the fairy prince and princess is quite conventional. The mood of the play changes sharply in the fourth act. Jimutavahana discovers mounds of skeletons which evidence the daily sacrifice of serpents to the celestial bird Garuda. The hero resolves to offer his own body so that the serpents may be spared (a type of resolution very familiar in Buddhist literature). At the drama's conclusion it is the non-Buddhist goddess Gauri, however, who restores the bodhisattva, Jimutavahana, to life. In this attractive and moving drama, Harsha combined Buddhist and "Hindu" themes adroitly and uniquely, and through it one sees clearly his artistic and political genius. [edit] AftermathHarsha died in the year 647 AD. He ruled for 41 years. After Harsha's death, apparently without any heirs, his empire died with him. The kingdom disintegrated rapidly into small states. The succeeding period is very obscure and badly documented, but it marks the culmination of a process that had begun with the invasion of the Huns in the last years of the Gupta Empire. Neither Bana's nor Xuanzang's account gives any details of this period. A few tantalising glimpses are offered in some ancient Chinese and Tibetan Books. The one in the Tibetan book The White Annals[20] tells that Harsha had sent an envoy to the Chinese Emperor, who in turn sent a Chinese one(named in the Chinese sources as Wang Xuance) with a convoy of thirty horsemen. When they reached India they found that Harsha was dead and his minister Arjuna had usurped the throne. Arjuna is said to have been persecuting the Buddhists and attacked the envoy who had to flee to Tibet. The Tibetan king decided to avenge the insult to the Chinese emperor and sent the envoy back with an army that finally managed to defeat and take Arjuna and his family as prisoners, and sent them back as prisoners to the Chinese emperor. Historians have not yet managed to unravel what the facts were from these meagre accounts. Harsha had two sons named Vagyavardhan and Kalyanvardhan. They were killed by Arunashwa, a chief minister in harsha's court. Harshavardhan's wife was durgavati was taken prisoner.[citation needed] [edit] See alsoSurasena Kingdom Shoorsaini - Chandravanshi Rajputs History of India Middle kingdoms of India Timeline:Northwestern IndiaNorthern IndiaSouthern IndiaNortheastern India 6th century BCE 5th century BCE 4th century BCE 3rd century BCE 2nd century BCE 1st century BCE 1st century CE 2nd century 3rd century 4th century

5th century 6th century 7th century 8th century 9th century 10th century 11th centuryGandhara (Persian rule) (Greek conquests)

Indo-Greeks Indo-Scythians Indo-Parthians Kushan Empire

Indo-Sassanids Kidarite Kingdom Indo-Hephthalites (Islamic conquests) Shahi (Islamic Empire) Magadha Shishunaga dynasty Nanda empire Kalinga Maurya Empire Sunga Empire Kuninda Kingdom

Western Satraps Gupta Empire Harsha Gurjara Pratihara Pala Empire Solanki Eastern Ganga dynasty Sena dynasty

Pandyas

Cholas Cheras Satavahana Empire

Kalabhras Kadamba Dynasty Gangas Pallava Chalukya Rashtrakuta Western Chalukyas Hoysala Empire

Kamarupa Kingdom [edit] References^ <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/256065/Harsha> ^ RN Kundra & SS Bawa, History of Ancient and Meddieval India ^ Page 21, The tribes and castes of Bombay, By Reginald Edward Enthoven, Published 1990 by Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-0630-2 ^ http://books.google.co.in/books/about/Gestorben_647.html?id=M9ZacAAACAAJ&redir _esc=y ^ http://intranet.daiict.ac.in/~ganesh_devy/answers/200501088%20Mohit_Jain_1st_I nsem_Exam.pdf ^ Cunningham, Alexander. The Ancient Geography of India: The Buddhist Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. 1871, Thbner and Co. Reprint by Elbiron Classics. 2003., p. 377. ^ Watters, Thomas. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India. Two volumes. 19041905, Royal Asiatic Society, London. One volume reprint: Munzang had an expert knowledge of Sanskrit and the caste system, which he discusses, in some detail in his book. He mentions that rulers traditionally belonged to the Kshatriya caste and his specific mention that Harsha was a feishe was probably because this was an uncommon occurrence ^ Watters, Thomas. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India. Two volumes. 19041905, Royal Asiatic Society, London. One volume reprint: Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1973, p. 168. ^ Li, Rongxi. The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions. Numata

Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, pp. 5859. ^ Encyclopaedia of Indian Events and Dates by Satya Bikash Bhattacherje, Sterling Publ. 1995, p12 ^ Legislative Elite in India: A Study in Political Socialization by Prabhu Datta Sharma, Publ. Legislators 1984, p32 ^ Revival of Buddhism in Modern India by Deodas Liluji Ramteke, Publ Deep & Deep, 1983, p19 ^ Some Aspects of Ancient Indian History and Culture by Upendra Thakur, Publ. Abhinav Publications, 1974, p77 ^ http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Harsha_(Indian_emperor).aspx ^ Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1943). History of Bengal. Calcutta: B.R. Publishing Corporation. pp. 5868. ISBN 81-7646-238-1. ^ a b http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/256065/Harsha ^ Drekmeier, Charles. 1962. Kingship and Community in Early India. nalanda University Press, Stanford, California. ISBN 0-8047-0114-8, p. 187 ^ Watters, Thomas. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India. Two volumes. 19041905, Royal Asiatic Society, London. One volume reprint: Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1973, pp. 343344. ^ Beal, Samuel, Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World, by Hiuen Tsiang. 2 vols., 1884, Translated by Samuel Beal. London. 1884. Reprint: Delhi. Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. 1969. ^ Deb-Ther-Dkar-Po, The White Annals, Tibetan Freedom Press, Darjeeling, 1964 Sri-harsha-charita, trans. Cowell and Thomas (1897) Ettinghausen, Harsha Vardhana (Louvain, 1906). Political and Social history of the Jats, Dr B K Dabas, 2001. Sanjay Prakashan, New Delhi, India Jat Viron ka Itihaas, Dilip Singh Ahlawat, 1998, Mathan Press, Rohtak, India Deb-Ther-Dkar-Po, The White Annals, Tibetan Freedom Press, Darjeeling, 1964. harsha period also have the nalanda university Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harsha&oldid=492212252" View page ratingsRate this page Rate this page Page ratings What's this?Current average ratings. Trustworthy Objective Complete Well-written I am highly knowledgeable about this topic (optional) I have a relevant college/university degreeIt is part of my professionIt is a deep personal passionThe source of my knowledge is not listed here I would like to help improve Wikipedia, send me an e-mail (optional) We will send you a confirmation e-mail. We will not share your e-mail address with outside parties as per our feedback privacy statement.Submit ratings Saved successfullyYour ratings have not been submitted yetYour ratings have expiredPlease reevaluate this page and submit new ratings. An error has occurred. Please try again later. Thanks! Your ratings have been saved.Please take a moment to complete a short survey.Start surveyMaybe later Thanks! Your ratings have been saved.Do you want to create an account?An account will help you track your edits, get involved in discussions, and be a part of the community.Create an accountorLog inMaybe later Thanks! Your ratings have been saved.Did you know that you can edit this

page?Edit this pageMaybe later Categories: Former monarchies of AsiaFormer countries in AsiaStates and territories established in 606States and territories disestablished in 647Indian monarchsHistory of IndiaAncient Indian dramatists and playwrights6th-century monarchs in Asia7th-century monarchs in AsiaHidden categories: All articles with unsourced statementsArticles with unsourced statements from April 2012Personal tools Log in / create accountNamespaces ArticleTalkVariantsViews ReadEditView historyActions Search Navigation Main pageContentsFeatured contentCurrent eventsRandom articleDonate to WikipediaInteractionHelpAbout WikipediaCommunity portalRecent changesContact WikipediaToolboxWhat links hereRelated changesUpload fileSpecial pagesPermanent linkCite this pageRate this page Print/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFPrintable version Languages eskyDeutschEspaolFranais Bahasa IndonesiaItaliano Norsk (nynorsk) Polski Simple EnglishSrpskohrvatski / Svenska Ting VitThis page was last modified on 12 May 2012 at 15:14. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. Contact us Privacy policyAbout WikipediaDisclaimersMobile view