SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Kanauj was founded prior to the Christian era, but it first rose to importance in the sixth century A.D., when it became the capital of the Maukharis. Under Isanavarman and Sarvavarman this dynasty rapidly grew to power, which brought them into conflict with the Later Guptas. The effects of the struggle were far-reaching, for it ended in transferring the centre of political gravity from Magadha to Kanauj. In the beginning of the seventh century however, circumstances so conspired that Harsha of Thanesvar had to assume control of affairs in Kanauj. It is usually asserted that Harsha extended his suzerainty throughout Northern India, but in our opinion his dominions comprised only parts of Eastern Panjab, almost the whole of United Provinces, Magadha, Orissa and Bengal. An attempt has also been made here to show what were Harsha's achievements of peace, and how he governed the kingdom. Harsha's death plunged Kanauj into anarchy and darkness that lasted for about half a century, till the appearance of Yasovarman, after certain preliminary successes, he was ultimately reduced to subservience by Lalitaditya of Kashmir. The next rulers of note were the Pratiharas, whose power reached its zenith during the time of Bhoja I and Mahendrapala. As a result of their protracted campaigns the empire of kanauj grew to enormous dimensions, comprising territories as widely apart as Surashtra, Magadha, Gorakhpur district, Ujjain, Karnal district, Bundelkhand and Rajputana. The interesting feature of this epoch is the tripartite struggle that continued intermittently between the Pratiharas, the Palas, and the Rashtrakutas. Later on, the prosperity of Kanauj received a rude shock from the arms of Mahmud, but it partially revived its glories under the Gahadavalas, who, like previous rulers, regained control of the lower course of the Ganges by Govindachandra's conquest of Magadha Eventually Shihab ud-Din involved the contemporary Hindu states in one common ruin, and thus Kanauj fell from its high position.