Ancient Indian history

Post-Gupta Period
 7th Century India
Harshavardhan

Bhaskarvarman

Shashank

Pulkesin II

Narshimvarman
 Chalukyas of Badami
❑ The most notable of the early medieval dynasties of the Chalukya
Deccan was that of the Chalukyas.
❑ Jayasimha was the first Chalukyan king. But Pulakeshin I
is generally attributed to be the first Chalukyan king.
❑ He was succeeded by Maharaja Kirtivarman in 566.
❑ Pulakeshin II was the most prominent ruler of the dynasty
who ruled from 608 and was a contemporary of
Harshavardhan.
❑ His fame was far extended even up to Persia, with whom he
exchanged embassies.
❑ He had defeated Harshavardhan and stopped him moving
towards Deccan.
❑ However, he was defeated and killed by the Pallava ruler
Narsimvarman.
❑ 32 years later in 674, one of Pulakeshin’s sons avenged his
father’s death and captured Kanchi.
❑ Pulakesin II was a patron of arts and architecture.
❑ During his reign, significant architectural marvels
were constructed, including the exquisite rock-cut
temples at Badami, Aihole, and Pattadakal.
❑ His administration was characterized by a
decentralized system with local governance structures
 Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi
Chalukya
❑ Pulkeshin II’s brother, Kubja Vishnu
Vardhan established a new dynasty with its
capital at the ancient city of Vengi.
❑ But soon its power declined and in about the
10th century they allied with the Cholas but
the Chola king did not maintain the alliance
and annexed the kingdom in 1076.

Western Chalukyas of Kalyani

❑ The kingdom founded by Taila II in 973, after
defeating Amoghavarsha IV, the last
Rashtrakuta ruler.
❑ He extended his kingdom up to the southern Art and Architecture
part of the Pormera kingdom of Malwa.
❑ Vikramaditya II Tribhuvanmall (1076- ❑ Art made great progress under their patronage. The temple architecture was
1126) was the greatest ruler of this dynasty a blend of Dravida and Nagara styles.
and he was regarded as the hero of Bilhana’s ❑ They built about 70 temples at Aihole which is rightly regarded as the
Vikramankadevacharita. ‘cradle of Indian temple architecture’.
❑ He is the founder of the Vikarm Samvat Era. ❑ Other famous temples include the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal, the
❑ Jagadekamall II was the last ruler after whose Vishnu temple of Badami, the Shiva temple of Maguti and the Kasi
death his Kalachuri minister Vijjala usurped Vishvesvara temple of Lakhundi.
his throne. ❑ They gave patronage to Hinduism and Jainism.
❑ Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas.
❑ Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Kanchi Kailasanathar Pallavas
Temple at Kanchipuram are famous temples that were constructed
during the reign of Pallavas
Ruler Reign Key Achievements/Characteristics
Early 4th Considered the greatest among early rulers; performed Ashwamedha and other Vedic
Sivaskanda Varman
century AD sacrifices
Was a Buddhist; included Sri Lanka in his kingdom; defeated contemporary Tamil
Simhavarman/Simhavishnu 575 AD – 600
ruler
Poet, composed Vichitrachita and Mahavilasa Prahasana; introduced rock-cut temple
Mahendravarman 600 AD – 630 architecture; converted from Jainism to Saivism; engaged in rivalry with Pulakesin II
of Chalukya dynasty

Defeated and killed Pulakesin II; assumed title 'Vatapikonda'; vanquished Cholas,
Narasimhavarman I 630 AD – 668 Cheras, and Pandyas; sent naval expedition to Sri Lanka; founded Mahabalipuram;
patronized Nayannar saints; noted for agricultural prosperity

After Mahendravarman II, his son Parameswaravarman became the king. During his
rule, Kanchipuram was occupied by the Chalukyas. Nripatunga was an important
Last Rulers
king who defeated a Pandya king. There were a few other rulers. The last ruler of the
Pallava dynasty was Aparajitavarman who was killed in battle with the Cholas.
 Chalukya-Pallava Conflict
Causes of the Conflict Key Events in the Struggle
1. Agricultural Fertility: The Doab ❖ Pulakeshin I and Mahendravarman I: Pulakeshin I, the Chalukya ruler, defeated
region's rich, fertile land was highly Mahendravarman I of the Pallavas and acquired Vengi. However, his ambition
suitable for agriculture, making it a extended beyond this initial victory.
valuable asset for both dynasties. ❖ Pulakeshin II and Narasimhavarman I: Pulakeshin II sought to completely subdue
2. Strategic Importance: Control over this the Pallavas but was eventually defeated by Narasimhavarman I, the most
region provided strategic advantages in powerful Pallava ruler, who took the title of 'Vatapikonda' (Conqueror of Vatapi)
terms of trade routes and military after his victory.
positioning. ❖ Vikramaditya and the End of Pallavas: After a period of relative calm, the
3. Political Dominance: Both dynasties aggressive Chalukyan ruler Vikramaditya repeatedly defeated the Pallavas and
aimed to establish political supremacy in overran Kanchi thrice. Despite these successes, the Chalukyas could not sustain
the Deccan, and control over the Doab was their dominance for long, as Vikramaditya was ultimately defeated by
crucial for asserting dominance. Dantidurga, heralding the rise of the Rashtrakutas.
Importance of the Struggle

- Military and Political Dynamics: The continuous warfare between the Chalukyas and Pallavas significantly influenced the
military and political dynamics of the Deccan region.
- Cultural and Architectural Developments: The competition for supremacy also spurred the construction of new cities and
temples, contributing to the cultural and architectural heritage of South India.
- Titles and Legitimacy: The adoption of grand titles like 'Vatapikonda' highlighted the importance of military victories in
establishing royal legitimacy and prestige.
 Maukhari Dynasty
1. Rise to Power: The Maukharis initially 4. Tussle with Later Guptas: The relationship between the Maukharis and the
existed as feudal rulers during the Gupta Later Guptas of Magadha evolved from feudal ties to a state of rivalry and
period. After the decline of the Gupta Empire, conflict. Ishanavarman and later his son Sarvavarman challenged the Later
they consolidated their power in the region of Guptas, particularly during the reign of Kumaragupta III and Damodaragupta.
modern-day Uttar Pradesh, with their capital 5. Political Supremacy: Sarvavarman succeeded Ishanavarman and continued to
at Kanyakubja (modern Kannauj). assert Maukhari dominance over the Magadha region. The presence of coins
2. Feudatory Relations with Guptas: minted by Ishanavarman, Sarvavarman, and Avantivarman during this period
During the early phases, some branches of the attests to their political supremacy and control over significant parts of Northern
Maukhari family served as feudatories or India.
subordinates under the Guptas. They had
matrimonial relations with the Gupta rulers, •Harivarman
which helped in consolidating their influence
and expanding their territories. •Adityavarman
3. Conflict and Dominance: As Gupta power •Ishvaravarman
weakened further, the Maukharis saw an •Ishanavarman r.c. 550–574 CE
opportunity to assert their independence and
dominance. Ishanavarman, one of the •Sharvavarman r. c. 574–586 CE
prominent rulers of the Maukhari dynasty, •Avantivarman
seized the opportunity to expand his •Grahavarman, r. c. 600–605 CE
influence. He defeated several local
feudatories in the Magadha region,
establishing his dominance there.
 The Maukharis and Their Role in Paving the Way for Harshavardhana's Glory
Maukhari Dynasty
Political and Matrimonial Alliances The Fall of the Maukharis and the Rise of Harshavardhana
1. Alliance with the Pushyabhuti
Dynasty: The Maukharis formed a 1. Conflict with Shashanka: The Maukhari dynasty faced a significant setback when
significant matrimonial alliance with the Shashanka, the ruler of Gauda (Bengal), assassinated Grahavarman and captured
Pushyabhuti dynasty of Thaneswar, Rajyashri. This event precipitated the fall of the Maukhari dynasty and created a power
which would eventually lead to the rise vacuum in the region.
of Harshavardhana. The marriage - Harshavardhana, motivated by personal and political reasons, launched a campaign
between Grahavarman, a Maukhari to avenge his brother-in-law’s death and rescue his sister. This led to his successful
prince, and Rajyashri, the sister of takeover of the Maukhari territories and marked the beginning of his rise to
Harshavardhana, cemented this alliance prominence.
and linked the two powerful dynasties.
2. Impact of the Alliance: 2. Acquisition of Maukhari Territory: With the fall of the Maukhari king
- The alliance with the Pushyabhutis Grahavarman, Harshavardhana took control of the extensive Maukhari territories
facilitated Harshavardhana's without significant military conquest. This acquisition was crucial in establishing his
consolidation of power after the authority and expanding his empire.
assassination of his brother, - By integrating the Maukhari territories, Harsha effectively became the ruler of a vast
Rajyavardhana, and the capture of his and strategically important region, which laid the foundation for his subsequent
sister, Rajyashri. Harsha's subsequent campaigns and the expansion of his empire.
efforts to rescue his sister and avenge
the death of Grahavarman, her husband, Coins of
positioned him as a key figure in the Ishanvarman
region's power dynamics.
 Vardhanas
Pushyabhutis of Thanesar

• An important ruling family that gained

prominence after the decline of the Gupta
was the Pushyabhutis, whose capital was at
Thanesar (near Kurukshetra, Haryana).
• Two major historical sources providing
information regarding the Pushyabhuti
dynasty are the Harshacharita, a biography
of Harsha written by Harsha’s court poet
Banabhatta, and travelogues of the Chinese
pilgrim Hsuan Tsang/Xuanzang (Si-Yu-Ki).
 Prabhakar Vardhana

• The fourth king of the dynasty laid the

foundations of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.
➢ He was a great general with several military
victories.
• He established important marital alliances with
the Maukharis of Kanyakubja/Kannauj (the
neighbours to the east) by marrying his own
daughter Rajyashri to Maukhari ruler
Grahavarman.
• Following his death, his elder son Rajya
Vardhana came to the throne, but Shashanka,
the king of Gauda, treacherously killed him.
❑ Harsha Vardhana was the last great Hindu king of ancient
India. He was initially a Shaiva and supported Buddhism to
a great extent, and made generous endowments to
Buddhists.
❑ Harsha was only sixteen years of age when ascending the
throne, but he still proved to be a great soldier and an
efficient ruler.
❑ Numerous military victories marked Harsha’s reign, and he
brought most of north India under his control as he got
control of the five ‘Indies (regions)’ — Punjab, Kannauj,
Bengal, Orissa, Mithila and assumed the title of ‘Siladitya’
(as mentioned in travel records of Chinese traveller
Xuanzang (Hsuan Tsang).
❑ He also got a victory against the ruler of Sindh in the north-
west. He defeated the Vallabhi king, Dhruvasena II, as ❑ Harsha’s empire probably included Thaneswar, Kannauj,
mentioned in the Nausasi copper plate inscription. Ahichchhatra, Shravasti, and Prayag, and he extended
❑ However, he was then defeated by Pulkesin II of western his empire into Magadha and Orissa.
Chalukyan King of Badami on the banks of Narmada, who ❑ Initially, the Capital of Harsha was Thaneswar, but it was
conferred himself with the title of “Sakal-auttara- shifted to Kannauj.
pathanatha’’, meaning “Lord of the entire north”.
• The Chinese pilgrim Hsuan Tsang, also
known as the Prince of Travelers and author
of Si-Yu-Ki, visited India from 629–644 CE.
➢ Si-Yu-Ki earned Harsha’s friendship and
left a vivid account of the beauty,
grandeur, and prosperity of Kannauj.
➢ He gives a detailed account of a grand
assembly held at Kannauj in 643 CE,
attended by Hinduism, Jainism, and
Buddhism representatives. Xuanzang
and others gave discourses on Mahayana
doctrines.
• This grand conclave was also attended by
various subordinate kings, including those of
Vallabhi and Assam.
➢ A huge tower with a golden Buddha
statue was constructed for the occasion,
which Harsha himself later worshipped.
 Great assembly
Kanauj Prayag
Hsuan Tsang
Bhaskarvarman (Kampura ruler), Tributary princes
Kings of 20 countries Ministers & nobles
A Number of priests An image of the Buddha, the Sun
Gold statue of the Buddha and Shiva
Revenue Administration
 Harshavardhan’s Death
The death of Harshavardhana in 647 A.D. was a turning point in Indian history. His demise not only marked the end of a
significant era of empire-building but also heralded the onset of profound political and socio-economic changes that reshaped the
Indian subcontinent. The implications of Harsha's death can be understood through various lenses, including political
fragmentation, the rise of feudalism, and the transition from ancient to medieval India.
1. End of Political Unity and Stability: 2. Rise of Feudalism:
- Last Great Empire-Builder: Harshavardhana was - Feudal System Emergence: The absence of a strong central authority
the last ruler in ancient India to attempt the following Harsha's death accelerated the process of feudalization. Local
consolidation of a large empire after the fall of the chieftains and landlords, known as feudal lords, gained greater
Guptas. His empire spanned much of northern India, but autonomy and control over land and resources. This shift laid the
his death left a power vacuum that no subsequent ruler groundwork for the feudal structure that would dominate medieval
could fill effectively. India.
- Political Fragmentation: After Harsha's death, the - Economic Decentralization: The rise of feudalism resulted in the
empire quickly disintegrated into several small, decline of a centralized economic system. The economy transitioned
independent kingdoms and regional powers. This from a money-based economy to a land-based economy, with land
fragmentation undermined the political unity of northern grants becoming a common means of rewarding loyalty and service.
India, leading to a period of decentralization and This change diminished trade and commerce, weakening the economic
instability. fabric of the region.
 Harshavardhan’s Death 4. Impact on Buddhism and Hinduism:
- Decline of Buddhism: Harsha was a patron of Buddhism, and his death led to the
decline of this religion in northern India. With the loss of royal patronage and the rise of
3. End of the Classical Age:
Brahmanical Hinduism, Buddhism gradually lost its prominence and support.
- Transition to Medieval Period:
- Rise of Hinduism: The period following Harsha's death saw a resurgence of Hinduism,
Harsha’s death is often viewed as the
particularly the Bhakti movement and the construction of Hindu temples. The regional
demarcation between ancient and
kingdoms that emerged often favored Hindu practices and deities, further diminishing the
medieval India. The classical age,
influence of Buddhism.
characterized by relative political
5. Regional Kingdoms and Cultural Diversity:
unity and cultural flourishing, gave
- Proliferation of Regional Powers: The collapse of Harsha's empire paved the way for
way to the medieval period marked by
the emergence of powerful regional kingdoms such as the Pratiharas, Palas, and
regionalism, the rise of local
Rashtrakutas. These kingdoms fostered distinct cultural and political identities,
kingdoms, and a shift in socio-
contributing to the rich diversity of medieval India.
economic structures.
- Cultural Syncretism: The fragmentation of political power allowed for the
- Cultural and Intellectual Decline:
development of regional cultures and traditions, leading to a syncretic blend of local and
With the fall of Harsha's empire, the
classical influences. This period saw the rise of various regional languages, literary
cultural and intellectual centers that
traditions, and artistic styles.
had flourished under his patronage,
such as universities and monasteries, The death of Harshavardhana in 647 A.D. was a watershed moment in Indian history. It
experienced decline. The focus shifted marked the end of an era of centralized political authority and heralded the onset of
from the grand cultural achievements feudalism, leading to significant changes in the socio-economic and political landscape of
of the classical period to the more India. The fragmentation of power and the rise of regional kingdoms set the stage for the
localized and diverse cultural diverse and dynamic medieval period. While Harsha’s contributions to cultural and
expressions of the medieval age. religious life were significant, his death underscored the challenges of maintaining a
unified empire in the face of rising regionalism and changing socio-economic structures.