KAS UPSC Study Notes from Vardhana Dynasty Important Study Materials Harshavardhana King Medieval Indian History KAS IAS Malayalam Class
- North India into several warrior kingdoms
- Huns - modern Punjab, Rajasthan and Malwa
- Regional emergence of many small states.
- Founder of the Vardhana dynasty - Pushyabhuti who ruled from Thaneswar (6th Century)
- He was military general under Guptas and rose to power after the fall of the Guptas
Harsha Vardhana
- Harsha-vardhana became the king of Thanesar in 606 AD
- He conquered his neighbours to integrate them into his empire
- Harsha shifted his capital from Thanesar to Kanauj (Kanpur)
- Harsha later converted Harsha to Buddhism
- Harsha ruled for 41 years
- Harsha’s Empire comprised Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Kanauj, Malwa, Odisha, the Punjab, Kashmir, Nepal and Sindh
- Kingdom of Harsha disintegrated rapidly into small states after his death
- Hieun Tsang, the Chinese pilgrim, spent nearly 13 years in India (630–643 CE)
- He was known as the “prince of pilgrims” – visited pilgrim centres associated with the life of Buddha
- Banabhatta’s (Court Poet) Harshacharita was the first formal biography of a king - Sanskrit
- Nalanda University reached its utmost fame during this period – Mahayana Buddhist teachings
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