Harsa
(c. 590–647 CE), Indian ruler and poet. Born in Thaneswar, Harsa (also Harsha or Harsavardhana) brought order to northern India when he conquered the region and became king (reigned 606–647). Harsa first ascended the throne of a small kingdom in the state of Haryana, Sthanvishvara (modern Thaneswar), but became the last monarch of classical India to rule an empire covering the Indo-Gangetic Plain from Bengal to Gujarat and from the Himalayas to the Vindhya Range. Kanauj was his chosen capital. To conquer this hard-won territory, Harsa collected a large army and waged incessant war against other kings for six years.
His reign was noteworthy not only for the vast lands he ruled but also for the philosophical change that marked the emergence of medieval Hinduism from the earlier Brahmanic religion. Harsa proved to be as efficient in administration as in war. His court was celebrated by later authors for the king's patronage of art and literature; he himself was a poet and author of three major Sanskrit plays. His own religious practices were eclectic, as he worshiped Siva, the Sun, and the Buddha. In later life he was especially attracted to Mahayana Buddhism.
Further Reading
Devahuti, D. (1998) Harsha: A Political Study. New York: Oxford University Press.
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