History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c6.1

v1.c6.1

With the combined forces of Kanauj and Thanesar, it is not strange that Harsha succeeded in his announced resolve to subjugate Hindustan. The augury was already good. Kumārarāja of Kāmarupa (Assam) who probably was an enemy of Śaśānka sent a messenger to offer his friendship and to present him with a priceless white umbrella the sign of universal sovereignty according to Indian ideas. Harsha was gratified at this voluntary tribute and proffered friendship from Kumāra and accepted them most heartily. He then moved with his army of elephants, cavalry and infantry east and west in a continuous march of conquest, which is said to have lasted for about six years and established his empire over the kings of Northern India. It may be pointed out here that the empire of Harsha was somewhat different from Moslem empires. The idea still remained fixed to the Indian mind that a Chakravarti need not dispossess the subjugated kings of their dominions. In this respect modern empires, at least in Hindustan, differ from ancient and mediæval empires. Then it was thought enough if the conquered king offered his submission, promised to pay a nominal yearly tribute and on occasions of ceremony attended upon the imperial sovereign. Indeed it was never thought allowable to dispossess the native kings of their particular kingdoms where they had long ruled and annex them to the empire. Harsha's empire, it must therefore be remembered, was different from the empire of Mahommad Tughlak or of Aurangzeb or, for that matter, of the British which naturally resembles the Mahomedan empires immediately preceding it. In his digvijaya Harsha only exacted submission from the various kings of India and allowed them to rule their own territories, annexation being resorted to only in exceptionable cases.