History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Naga–Vakataka Imperial Period c24.7

c24.7

The Kauṇḍinyas kept up a continuous war of aggression against the Chinese empire from 248 A.D. They seem to gather strength about that year. In 248 A.D. they made a naval attack, defeated the Chinese fleet which had been sent against them, and took the capital of Hanoi, whereupon a treaty was concluded by the Han emperor who ceded the whole of Cheo-ling. The name of the Hindu king ended in Varmā (Chinese Fan). The next king spelt by the Chinese as Hiong (270-280 A.D.) extended his kingdom of Champā to the north at the cost of the Chinese emperor who concluded a treaty with him in 280 A.D. His successor Yi was again a powerful king; he died in 331 or 336 A.D. He sent an embassy to the imperial court of China (284 A.D.). The next king maintained the vigour, but about 359 A.D. there was a reverse and a period of depression up to 377 A.D. Bhadravarman revived the offensive in 380-413 A.D. He and evidently his family had borne the Pallava title Dharma-Mahārāja.³