King Harshavardhana ruled from:

Harshavardhana ruled from 606 CE to 647 CE, for about 41 years.

His accession:

• He was the younger son of Prabhakaravardhana, the ruler of Thanesar (Sthanvishvara, near present-day Kurukshetra, Haryana).
• After his father's death, his elder brother Rajyavardhana became king.
• His sister Rajyashri was married to Grahavarman, the Maukhari ruler of Kannauj.
• Grahavarman was killed by the ruler of Malwa, and Rajyashri was imprisoned.
• Rajyavardhana defeated the Malwa king, but was then treacherously killed by a rival king.
• Harsha became king of Thanesar in 606 CE, at the age of about 16.
• He rescued his sister Rajyashri, who was about to commit sati in the Vindhya forests.
• He then took over the kingdom of Kannauj, which became his capital.
• The "Harsha era" is counted from 606 CE.

His empire:

• He extended his rule over much of northern India, from Punjab to Bengal and Odisha.
• His attempt to expand south of the Narmada was stopped by the Chalukya king of Badami.
• NCERT notes that he tried to cross the Narmada to march into the Deccan, but was stopped.
• He was a patron of learning, and gave grants to Nalanda.
• He was a follower of Shaivism in his early life, and later became a patron of Mahayana Buddhism.
• His court poet wrote his biography, the "Harshacharita", in Sanskrit.

His death:

• He died in 647 CE without a direct heir.
• After his death, his empire broke up, and there was confusion in northern India.

Other dates:

• 320-335 CE: the reign of Chandragupta I.
• 550-590 CE: the period of the later Guptas and the Maukharis.
• Good to know
• 320-335 CE is the reign of Chandragupta I.
• 550-590 CE and 712-750 CE are other periods.