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Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty
Dynasty
Level 2
★ Major power
c. 500 CE – c. 647 CE
Dynasty of Harshavardhana, the last great north Indian emperor before the Pratiharas.
- Capital
- Thanesar, later Kannauj
- Region
- North
- Duration
- 147 years
- Main period
- Post-Gupta / Early Medieval
Changing extent
Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).
Rulers
- Prabhakaravardhana Kingc. 580 CE – c. 605 CE
- Rajyavardhana King605 CE – 606 CEKilled by Shashanka.
- Harshavardhana Emperor606 CE – 647 CEKannauj assembly; Banabhatta's Harshacharita.
Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.
Key events
| Year | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 606 CE | Harsha becomes king | Thanesar |
| c. 612 CE | Harsha makes Kannauj his capital Kannauj became the imperial city of north India. |
Kannauj |
| c. 636 CE | Xuanzang studies at Nalanda Chinese pilgrim travelled in India c. 630-645. |
Nalanda |
| 643 CE | Harsha's assemblies at Kannauj and Prayag | Kannauj |
| 647 CE | Death of Harsha | Kannauj |
Personalities
Xuanzang
c. 602 CE – c. 664 CE
Chinese pilgrim who studied at Nalanda and visited Harsha's court
Banabhatta
active c. 630 CE
Author of the Harshacharita and Kadambari
📚 Recommended reading on the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty
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Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
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An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
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Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty for a significant part of its history.
Anuradhapura Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 437 BCE – c. 1017
Gupta Empire ★
Gangetic Plain · c. 240 CE – c. 550 CE
Pallava Dynasty ★
South · c. 275 CE – c. 897 CE
Chalukyas of Badami ★
Deccan · c. 543 CE – c. 753 CE
Kalabhra Interregnum
South · c. 250 CE – c. 600 CE
Kadamba Dynasty
South · c. 345 CE – c. 525 CE
Western Ganga Dynasty
South · c. 350 CE – c. 1000
Kamarupa
Northeast · c. 350 CE – c. 1140
Licchavi Kingdom of Nepal
Himalaya · c. 400 CE – c. 750 CE
Alchon Huns (Hunas)
Northwest · c. 460 CE – c. 560 CE
Maitraka Dynasty
West · c. 475 CE – c. 776 CE
Rai Dynasty of Sindh
Northwest · c. 489 CE – c. 632 CE
Later Guptas of Magadha
East · c. 490 CE – c. 750 CE
Maukhari Dynasty
Gangetic Plain · c. 550 CE – c. 606 CE
Gauda Kingdom (Shashanka)
East · c. 590 CE – c. 626 CE
Pandya Kingdom (First Empire)
South · c. 590 CE – c. 920 CE