[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923) › c19.s2.t2 # Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c19.s2.t2: Provincial Government under the Sātavāhanas Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c19.s2.t2 - **Language:** English ### Provincial Government under the Sātavāhanas ### [c19.s2.t2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.1) A word may be said here regarding the internal organisation of the Sātavāhana empire. The sovereign himself seems to have resided in Pratishṭhāna or in "camps of victory" in Govardhana (Nāsik district), ### [c19.s2.t2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.2) during the fifth and sixth centuries is obscure. Certain inscriptions disclose the names of the following kings, but little is known about them :— ### [c19.s2.t2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.3) \[Figure: Kings of Kṛishṇā, Guṇṭūr and Nellore districts | King of Kāñchī Omgoḍu I and II Uruvupalli, Māṅgalūr, Pīkira, Vilavatti and Chūra grants. Kumāravishṇu | Skandavarman I | Vīravarman\* | (1) Vijaya Skandavarman II (Tāmbrāpa²), | (2) Yuva-mahārāja Vishṇugopa (Palakkada). | (3) Siṁhavarman (Daśanapura, Menmātura and Veṅgorāshṭra). | (4) Vijaya-Vishṇugopa Varman (Vijay-Palotkaṭa) Vishṇugopa I | Skandamūla | Kāṇagopa | Vīrakūrcha II\* | Skandavarman I (Skandaśishya) | Kumāravishṇu I, recovered Kāñchī. | Buddhavarman, defeated Cholas. | Skanda II | Kumāravishṇu II | Buddhavarman | Skandavarman III | Vishṇugopa II | Vishṇudāsa | Skandavarman IV | Siṁhavarman I¹ | Vīravarman\* | Skandavarman V | Siṁhavarman II A.D. 436 ? | Skandavarman VI | Nandivarman I | Siṁhavarman III, IV, (two kings of this name) | Vishṇugopa III | Siṁhavarman V | Siṁhavishṇu | Mahendravarman I | Narasiṁhavarman I Contemporary of Pulakeśin II. Vāyalūr, Velūrpalaiyam, Darśi and Chendalūr grants. Udayendiram grant. Lokavibhāga A.D. 458 and Penukoṇḍa plates ?\] ### [c19.s2.t2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.4) ¹ A Siṁhavarman is mentioned in the Palnād inscription. But his identity and date are uncertain. ### [c19.s2.t2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.5) ² Tāmbrāpa is identified with Chembrolu. ### [c19.s2.t2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.6) Vaijayantī (in North Kanara) and other places.¹ The imperial dominions were divided into administrative units called \*āhāra\* or \*janapada\* and placed under rulers who fell into two classes, \*viz.\*, (\*a\*) \*amātyas\* who were ordinary civil functionaries and (\*b\*) military governors and feudatories styled \*mahāsenāpati\*, \*mahāraṭhi\*, \*mahābhoja\*, and even \*Rājan\*. \*Amātyas\* are mentioned in connection with Aparānta (North Koṅkaṇ), Govardhana (Nāsik), Māmāḍ(l)a (Poona), Banavāsī (North Kanara) and Khaḍḍavali (Godāvarī region). \*Mahāraṭhis\* are found associated with Chitaldrug, Nānāghaṭ, Karle and Kanheri (in the North Koṅkaṇ). They intermarried with the imperial family (and at times adopted its nomenclature) and also with the Chuṭu, Kauśika and Vāsiashṭha² clans. The \*Mahābhojas\* had close relations with Chuṭu rulers of Banavāsī. \*Mahāsenāpatis\* are found in Nāsik in the days of Yajña Śrī and in Bellary in the time of a Pulumāyi. The rule of these military governors, some of whom belonged to the Kuśika³ family or were matrimonially connected with it, was very much in evidence in the last days of the Sātavāhana empire. Potentates with the title of \*rājā\* ruled in the Kolhapur region. The most notable among these were: Vāsiashṭhīputra Vilivāyakura, Māṭharīputra Śivalakura and Gautamīputra Vilivāyakura (II). The Vilivāyakura group cannot fail to remind one of Baleokouros of Hippokoura mentioned by the Greek geographer Ptolemy (\*c.\* 150 A. D.) ### [c19.s2.t2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.7) ¹ \*E.g.\*, Navanara—perhaps really identical with the port of Calliena (Kalyāṇa, an ancient name of which, according to the \*Bombay Gazetteer\*, XIV. 114, is Navānagara). ### [c19.s2.t2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.8) ² Vasiashṭhas figure as rulers of Kaliṅga in later times. ### [c19.s2.t2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.9) ³ A Kauśikīputra Sātakarṇi is known from a coin (\*Bibliography of Indian coins\*, Part I, 1950, p. 36). ### [c19.s2.t2.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2.10) It is from the ranks of military governors and feudatories that the princes who carved out independent principalities on the dissolution of the Sātavāhana empire, evidently sprang. The Śālaṅkāyanas (Salakenoi), for example, who appear to have been a feudatory family in the Andhra country, afterwards set up an independent sovereignty. The Pallavas were doubtless connected with the military governors of the Bellary district. ## Linked texts (3) - [Nāsik](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nasik) - [Hippokoura](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.hippokoura) - [Nānāghāṭ](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.nanaghat) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.raychaudhuri-1923.c19.s2.t2) · Pramāṇa