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Question 51 of 94 · Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms
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Which Maukhari king of Kannauj adopted the title 'Maharajadhiraja'?

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Answer: Option C — Ishanavarman

Detailed Solution

Ishanavarman (about 550-576 CE) was the first Maukhari ruler of Kannauj to adopt the imperial title "Maharajadhiraja".

About the Maukharis:

  • They were a dynasty that rose to power in the region of Kannauj (and the Ganga-Yamuna Doab) in the 6th century CE, after the decline of the Gupta empire.
  • They were at first feudatories of the Guptas, but became independent.
  • Their early rulers used the title "Maharaja".

About Ishanavarman:

  • He was the first independent and powerful Maukhari king.
  • He took the title "Maharajadhiraja", which shows his claim to imperial status.
  • According to the Haraha inscription (554 CE), he defeated the Andhras, the Shulikas and the Gaudas.
  • He also fought against the later Guptas of Magadha.
  • He issued silver coins.

Later Maukhari rulers:

  • Sharvavarman and Avantivarman: continued the dynasty.
  • Grahavarman: the last important Maukhari ruler; he married Rajyashri, the sister of Harshavardhana.
  • Grahavarman was killed by the king of Malwa; after this, Harsha took over the kingdom of Kannauj.

Importance of Kannauj:

  • Under the Maukharis, Kannauj began to emerge as an important political centre in northern India.
  • After Harsha made it his capital, it became the most important city of north India for several centuries.

Other powers in north India after the Guptas:

  • Later Guptas of Magadha.
  • Pushyabhutis (Vardhanas) of Thanesar.
  • Gaudas of Bengal.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Grahavarman was the last Maukhari ruler, married to Rajyashri.
  • ✗Harivarman was an early Maukhari ruler.
  • ✗Avantivarman was a later Maukhari ruler (not the Kashmir king of the same name).

Quick tip

Remember: Ishanavarman (Maukhari, about 550-576 CE) = first Maukhari "Maharajadhiraja" (Haraha inscription, 554 CE); Grahavarman = married Rajyashri; Kannauj rose under the Maukharis.

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Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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