The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c9.s1: Early North India

The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c9.s1

Language: English

c9.s1.t1 Saiśunāga Dynasty of Magadha — 9 parts
c9.s1.t2 Nanda Dynasty — 2 parts
c9.s1.t3 Maurya Dynasty — 7 parts
c9.s1.t4 Sunga Dynasty — 4 parts
c9.s1.t5 Kanva Dynasty — 5 parts
c9.s1.t6 Kushan Dynasty — 2 parts
c9.s1.t7 Saka Satraps of Mahārāshtra — 1 part
c9.s1.t8 The Śaka Dynasty — 6 parts

Early North India

Saiśunāga Dynasty of Magadha

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He was succeeded in turn by Kākavarṇa, Kṣēmadharma, Kṣattraujas or Kṣatrajit, and Bimbisāra

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Bimbisāra 543-500 B.C { alias Śrēṇika, or Sēṇiya. Md. princesses of the Kōsala and Lichchavi families. Murdered by his son. }

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Udayin or Udaya, or Udayibhaddha C. 450-417 B.C.

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He was succeeded by Nandivardhana (C. 417-375 B.C.), and he by Mahānandin (C. 375 B.C.).

[N.B. Authorities differ as to the dates of the reigns of the kings down to the end of the Nanda dynasty. The dates here given are taken from the Cambridge History of India, with which, I note, Dr. L. D. Barnett generally agreed. Vincent Smith placed them all about forty years earlier. There is no dispute as to Chandragupta's initial date, 322-21 B.C.]

Nanda Dynasty

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Mahānandin's illegitimate son Mahāpadma Nanda usurped the throne of Magadha about 371 B.C.

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He was succeeded by nine kings, all included in two generations. The dynasty was rooted out by the Maurya Chandragupta in 322-21 B.C.

Maurya Dynasty

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Chandragupta was a man of mixed birth, the illegitimate son of a Nanda Prince by a woman of the people. In the troubles following Alexander's invasion he collected troops, fought the Macedonian garrisons and acquired extensive power. Then he turned against Nandas, killed the last king of that line, and finally established his authority over the greater part of Northern India from about 322-21 B.C.

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[Figure: Chandragupta 322/21--296 B.C.

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Bindusāra { 'Amitraghāta,' 296-268 B.C. Extended his rule far to the south. }

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Aśoka. 268-226 B.C. He was crowned 264 B.C. (Hultzsch)

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(a son)

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Daśaratha (ruling Eastern Provinces) Samprati (ruling Western Provinces)]

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Several kings of the Maurya dynasty followed the grandsons of Aśoka but little is known about them. The Empire broke up in 184 B.C. when the Andhra kings of the Telingana country and others had acquired power. The last Maurya king Brihadratha was killed in 185 B.C. by his general Pushyamitra, who usurped the throne and founded a new but short-lived dynasty.

Sunga Dynasty

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[Figure: Pushyamitra { 184-148 B.C. Claims to have defeated the Andhra king, Yajna-Śri-Sātakarni in 170 B.C. }

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Agnimitra 148-140 B.C.

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Sujyēshtha C. 140-133 B.C. Vasumitra C. 133-123 B.C.]

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Five successors are named but their relationships and dates are not definitely established. The last king of the line was Dēvabhūmi (82-72 B.C.). He was killed, in the carrying out of a plot against him, by his minister Vāsudēva, who founded the Kānva dynasty.

Kanva Dynasty

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[Figure: Vāsudēva C. 72-63 B.C.

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Bhūmimitra { C. 63-49 B.C. The Śakas were now in great force in Upper India }

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Nārāyaṇa C. 49-37 B.C.

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Suśarman { C. 37-27 B.C. He was killed by an Andhra king. }]

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The Śakas then swept the dynasty out of existence, and the Kushan dynasty then founded which lasted till about 124 A.D.

Kushan Dynasty

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It seems useless at present to attempt to fix dates for the individual kings of this dynasty, as authorities differ widely on the subject; but it is advisable to give some notion to guide readers, and I have noted against some of the kings' names, dates which have received support from some quarters. At the same time it must be noted that Dr. Sten Konow's fixture for Kanishka's accession is about A.D. 125 or later.

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After Huvishka the Kushan rule ceased for a time. See Fleet (J.R.A.S., 1912, p. 1009). Vasudēva ruled c. A.D. 17-41. In his day Gondophares was ruling Bactria. Kozulo-Kadphises, c. A.D. 45-85 (Fleet's date for him is A.D. 65). In his time the Yuch-chi hordes overran Afghanistan and Gandhara. His son Wima-Kadphises, c. A.D. 85-125. Sent an Embassy to Rome in A.D. 99.

Saka Satraps of Mahārāshtra

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A line of Śaka Satraps established themselves as rulers in the country about the Western Ghāts, with capital at or near Nasik. The names of only two are known—Bhūmaka and Nahapāna. Nahapāna was completely defeated by the Āndhra king Gautamiputra-Vilivāyakura II about A.D. 124, and his kingdom annexed.

The Śaka Dynasty

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These rulers called themselves at first 'Satraps' or 'Kshatrapas'. Afterwards they were further dignified by the title 'Mahākshatrapa'. This line of kings was quite distinct from the Mahārāshtra Kshatrapas (Cf: Bombay Gazetteer I, Part I, Gujarat, p. 20 ff., and p. 54)

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After A.D. 300 the old line ceased to exist.

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¹ J.R.A.S. 1913, pp. 914 f.

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² This ought to be 130 corresponding to 52 of the Andhau inscription—*Fleet*.

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21. Rudrasimha II, ‘son of Jīvadāman.’ A.D. 308, 311, 317 (E.I. xvi. 230).
22. Yaśodāman II, A.D. 320
23. Dāmasiri, his brother A.D. 320.
24. Rudrasena III, ‘son of Rudradāman.’ A.D. 348-376.
25. Simhasena, ‘sister’s son of Rudrasena’ III. Ruled as Western Kshatrapa. c. A.D. 382.
26. Rudrasena IV ‘son of Simhasena.’
27. Satyasimha, c A.D. 388, and his son Rudrasimha III