The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s3.t13.7

c6.s3.t13.7

In determining the period of Harsha’s reign between the years 607 and 650 A.D., I have been guided by the following evidence:—1st, the date of his death is fixed by the positive statement of Hwen Thsang in the year 650 A.D.;* 2nd, in speaking of Harsha’s career, the pilgrim records that from the time of his accession, Harsha was engaged in continual war for 5½ years, and that afterwards for about 30 years he reigned in peace. This statement is repeated by Hwen Thsang when on his return to China, on the authority of the king himself, who informed him that he had then reigned for *upwards* of 30 years, and that the quinquennial assembly then collected was the *sixth* which he had convoked. From these different statements, it is certain that at the date of Hwen Thsang’s return to China, in A.D. 640, Harsha had reigned upwards of 30 years, and somewhat less than 35 years; his accession must, therefore, be placed between A.D. 605 and 610; 3rd, now, in the middle of this very period, in A.D. 607, as we learn from Abu Rihân, was established the Sri *Harsha* era, which was still prevalent in Mathura and Kanoj in the beginning of the eleventh century.† Considering the exact agreement of the names and dates, it is impossible to avoid coming to the conclusion that the *Harsha* who established an era in *Kanoj* in A.D. 607 was the great King *Harsha Vardhana*, who reigned at *Kanoj* during the first half of the seventh century.