Harsha Vardhana

After the fall of the Gupta dynasty, there came up a new royal dynasty in Thaneswar near Kurukshetra in the seventh century A.D. The star ruler of this dynasty was Harsha Vardhana, whose regime lasted for a long period from 606 through 647 A.D. 

He shifted his capital to Kanauj in the North West. An acclaimed author, Harsha Vardhana scripted the Sanskrit plays Ratnavali, Naganandam, and Priyadarshika. Banabhatta, who authored Harshacharita and Kadambari, was one of Harsha’s prominent courtiers. 

Though a Hindu, Harsha Vardhana offered generous services to Buddhism. Once Harsha disappeared from the scene, it took a long time before north India became a unified empire again – during the reign of the celebrated Moghul or Mughal Emperor, Akbar.