| Maukhari Empire | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 550 CE–c. 606 CE | |||||||||||
 Maukharis and their contemporaries in India | |||||||||||
| Capital | Kannauj | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Sanskrit | ||||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism Buddhism | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Maharajadhirajas | |||||||||||
| Historical era | Classical India | ||||||||||
| • Established | c. 550 CE | ||||||||||
| • Disestablished | c. 606 CE | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Outline of South Asian history |
|---|
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The Maukhari dynasty was a post-Gupta royal Indian dynasty that controlled vast areas of Northern India for over six generations. They earlier served as vassals of the Guptas and later by Harsha's Vardhana dynasty. The Maukharis established their independence at Kannauj, during the mid 6th century. The dynasty ruled over much of Uttar Pradesh and Magadha. Around 606 CE, a large area of their empire was reconquered by the Later Guptas.[2] According to Huien Tssng, the territory may have been lost to King Shashanka of Gauda, who declared independence circa 600 AD.[3][4]
Religion[edit]
The Maukharis were staunch Hindus. They tried to enforce and maintain the traditional social order among the people. Hinduism received state support, but Buddhism also managed to remain as a prominent religion.[5]
Army[edit]
The Maukhari army consisted of elephants, cavalry and infantry. Ishanavarman in all probability would have taken much pains to reorganize the army and make it strong and worthy. The Maukhari strategy mainly focused on deploying elephant corps to crush the enemy armies. They were used against the Hunas and the Later Gupta armies.[5]
Administration[edit]
Kannauj, the Maukhari capital, grew in prosperity and importance and as a great cosmopolitan town. After the demise of the Maukharis, it even became the capital of Harsha. Hence, the city of Kanyakubja was largely contested by imperial powers.[6]:20[5][7]
The first three Maukhari kings are mentioned in the inscriptions as Maharaja, but their successors assumed more pompous titles showing the increase in power. Ishanavarman was the first Maukhari ruler to adopt the title Maharajadhiraja.[5]
Literature[edit]
The Maukhari kings were patrons of poets and writers and many literary works were composed during their reign.[5]
Rulers[edit]
The known Maukhari rulers of madhya-desha include:[8]
- Hari-varman[9]
- Aditya-varman
- Ishvara-varman (Iśvaravarman)
- Ishana-varman (Iśanavarman), r. c. 550-560 CE
- Sharva-varman (Śarvavarman), r. c. 560-575 CE
- Avanti-varman, r. c. 575-600 CE
- Graha-varman, r. c. 600-605 CE
The Barabar Caves inscriptions attest the existence of another Maukhari branch. This branch ruled as feudatories, probably that of the Later Guptas. The known rulers of this branch include:[10]
- Nrpa Shri Yajna-varman
- Nrpa Samantachudamani Shri Shardula-varman
- Ananta-varman
Inscriptions[edit]
Asirgarh seal inscription of Sarvavarman, Maukhari dynasty, 6th century .
Lomas Rishi cave inscription of Anantavarman
Gopika Cave Inscription of Anantavarman
Vadathika Cave Inscription of Anantavarman
See also[edit]
- Megasthenes
- List of Hindu Empires and Dynasties
References[edit]
- ^ Tripathi, Rama S. (1989). History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 45 Note 1. ISBN 9788120804043.
- ^ "Maukhari dynasty (Indian dynasty) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
- ^ Reza, Mohammad Habib; Bandyopadhyay, S.; Mowla, Azizul. "Traces of Buddhist architecture in Gupta and post-Gupta Bengal: evidence from inscriptions and literature". Journal of Eurasian Studies. S2CID 163998400. Cite journal requires
|journal=(help) - ^ Dasgupta, Biplab (2005). European Trade and Colonial Conquest, Volume 1. ISBN 9781843310280. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Lal, Avantika. "World History Encyclopedia: Maukhari Dynasty". World History Encyclopedia.
- ^ Sen, S.N., 2013, A Textbook of Medieval Indian History, Delhi: Primus Books, ISBN 9789380607344
- ^ Tripathi, Rama S. (1989). History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 215. ISBN 9788120804043.
- ^ Ronald M. Davidson 2012, p. 34-35.
- ^ Documented by the Shankarpur copper-plate inscription: see SIDDHAM: the asia inscriptions database: https://siddham.network/inscription/in00067/
- ^ Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha (1977). Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450-1200 A.D. Abhinav. pp. 109–110. OCLC 464639312.
Bibliography[edit]
- Ronald M. Davidson (2012). Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231501026.
External links[edit]
- Joseph Schwartzberg. The Historical Atlas of South Asia. Map of the “Age of Pusyabhutis & Calukyans, c. A.D. 550-700”. (Pg 26).
