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Age of Harshavardhan India After the Gupta Period

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Age of Harshavardhan India After the Gupta Period Age of Harshavardhan India after the Gupta period • 4 major kingdoms in north India between the Guptas decline and the rise of Harsha, namely: • Guptas of Magadha • Maukharis of Kannauj • Maitrakas of Valabhi (Saurashtra) • Pushyabhutis of Thaneswar • Maukharis - western Uttar Pradesh around Kannauj • Maitraka clan - Saurashtra in the west, capital - Valabhi. • Maitrakas - ruled until the middle of the 8th century Pushyabhutis • Prabhakarvardhana - title of • ‘Paramabhattaraka Maharajadhiraja ‘ • Extent - whole of Punjab in the north-west and part of Malwa in the south • Maukharis marriage alliance with Pushyabhutis • Sasanka invasion of Kannauj after the death of Prabhakarvardhana • Later campaign by Rajyavardhana – deceitfully killed Harshavardhana • Ascended throne in 606 CE after the death of elder brother Rajyavardhana • ‘Sakalauttarapathnatha’ - Lord paramount of the north • Conquest of the five indies - Eastern Punjab, Kannauj, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa Harshavardhana • System of alliance • Bhaskaravarman, Kamarupa • Udito of Jalandhar, Punjab • Saivite initially - Buddhism after conquests • ‘Harshacharita’ by court poet Banabhatta • Hiuen Tsang visited his court Harshavardhana • Direct territories - Central Provinces, Bengal, Kalinga, Rajputana, Gujarat • Feudatories - Jalandhar, Kashmir, Kamarupa, Sind, Nepal • Southern conquest checked by Chalukyan king, Pulakesin II - Defeat in 618-619 A.D - southern territorial limit as the Narmada River • Reference in Aihole inscription by Ravikirti Military Conquests of Harsha • In his first expedition, Harsha drove out Sasanka from Kanauj and made it his new capital • Harsha fought against Dhuruvasena II of Valabhi and defeated him. Dhuruvasena II became a vassal • Harsha led another campaign against the ruler of Sindh, which was an independent kingdom • Nepal had accepted Harsha’s over lordship Military Conquests of Harsha • Established his control over Kashmir and its ruler sent tributes to him • Maintained cordial relations with Bhaskaravarman, the ruler of Assam • Conquest of Ganjam: • Last conquest of Harsha - Ganjam, Odisha • Ganjam conquered in 642-643 AD • Change in outlook after Ganjam’s conquest Hiuen Tsang • To collect texts and gain knowledge on Buddhism • His account - ‘Si- Yu - Ki’ (Record of Western countries) • From China in 629 AD - Gobi desert – Central Asia (Kashagar, Samarkand) – Balkh - Afghanistan - Taxila - Kashmir – Various places in North and East India (Kannauj, Mathura, Pataliputra, Nalanda) Hiuen Tsang • Remained at Nalanda at five years before proceeding to South India • Guest of Bhaskar Varmana of Kamrup – visited Harsha’s court • Presided over the Kannauj Assembly • Detailed account of administrative, social and cultural condition of India Hiuen Tsang About Harsha •Praised emperor Harsha and his administration very much •A laborious king - in direct contact with his subjects, welfare oriented •3/4th of the state-income for religious purposes Harsha’s Kingdom •Well governed and free from revolts (But Hiuen Tsang himself robbed twice) •Stern criminal law system - offenders awarded •physical punishments and tortured as well to extract the truth; traitors - death sentence Hiuen Tsang • Burden of taxation - 1/6th of produce • Harsha’s income in four parts - administrative routine of the state; the second - distributed among government employees; third - scholars; fourth - as charity to Brahamanas and the Buddhist monks Harsha’s army - Large Army - 60,000 war-elephants, 50,000 strong cavalry chariots and a 1,00,000 strong infantry • Harsha as a devotee of Buddha but Hinduism more popular than Buddhism Hiuen Tsang Social condition and city life • Rigid Caste system, prevalence of Sati, Education of Women • High morality in personal lives • Overall prosperity but avoided meat eating and liquor • Prayag , Pataliputra - Kannauj • Sravasti and Kapilvastu lost their religious importance • Nalanda and Valabhi centres of Buddhist learning Hiuen Tsang Economic condition • Description of cropping pattern, textiles • Use of Jewellery by people - Ivory and pearl • Foreign trade (City ports) - Export of cloth, sandalwood, medicinal herbs, ivory, pearls, spices etc. to foreign countries and import of gold, silver and horses Hiuen Tsang Religion • Brahamanism, Buddhism and Jainism • Religious tolerant • Brahmanism more popular • Religious assemblies organised by Harsha – • Kannauj and Allahabad Administration Elements of Gupta’s administration as well as feudal elements Administrative divisions - Provinces (Bhuktis) - Uparika Vishaya - Vishayapati Taluka (Prathaka) Grama • District administration through city representatives - Adhisthana Adhikarna (Municipal boards) and • Vishaya Adhikarna (District office) Administration • Smallest unit of administration - Gramma – Gramma Adhyaksha with the help of ‘Mahattaras’ • Elaborate Bureaucracy according to • ‘Harshacharita’ - Mahasandhivigrahadhikarta, Mahabaladhikarta etc • Uparika Maharaj • Payment to officials through land grants Harshacharita • Harshacharita authored by Banabhatta • Banabhatta a Brahmin who stayed in the court of Harsha and enjoyed his patronage • His other work - Kadambari Harsha and Buddhism • Earlier a devout Saiva - ardent Hinayana Buddhist • Hiuen Tsang converted - Mahayana Buddhism • Influence of Buddhism on his policies – Advocated vegetarianism • Patronage to Buddhism • Thousands of stupas Harsha and Buddhism • Buddhist monasteries at sacred places • Religious tolerance - Gathering of representatives of all religions and honoured them with gifts and costly presents • Convened frequent assemblies of monks – discuss and examine the Buddhist doctrine Harsha and Buddhism Kanauj Assembly (643 AD) • To populrise Mahayana Buddhism and to honour the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang - Invited representatives of all religious sects • Attended by 20 kings, 1000 scholars from the Nalanda University, 3000 Hinayanists and Mahayanists, 3000 Brahmins and Jains • Assembly went on continuously for 23 days Society and Economy under Harsha • From accounts of Banabhatta and Hiuen Tsang • Fourfold division of the society • Brahmins - privileged section ; land grants by the kings • Kshatriyas as ruling class, Vaishya as traders and Shudras as agriculturists Society and Economy under Harsha • Reference of sub-castes - vernacular poets, class of bards, class of betal-bearers etc. • Hiuen Tsang’s reference of the class of untouchables - butchers, fishermen, executioners and scavengers • Shudras as agriculturist • Decline in the position of women - Syamavara not popular, Prevalence of dowry system, Sati, no widow remarriage among higher class Society and Economy under Harsha Economy • Decline of trade and commerce - decline of trade centres, less number of coins, and slow activities of merchant guilds • Localisation of villages Cultural development • Art and architecture - followed the Gupta style • Brick Lakshmana temple, Sirpur • Hiuen Tsang’s reference of multi-storeyed Buddhist Nalanda monastery and a eight feet copper statue of Buddha Cultural development Literature • Patronage to scholars in court - Banabhatta, Matanga Divakara and the famous Barthrihari, who was the poet, philosopher and grammarian • Harsha – Ratnavali, Priyadarsika and Nagananda • Patronised the Nalanda University Harsha’s death • Harsha died in 647 AD after ruling for 41 years. • Since he died without any heirs, his empire disintegrated very soon after his death.
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