Harsha - A Gallant King of Kanauj - English

Harsha (17th century AD) ascended to become the strong monarch of the kingdom of Kanauj, having first reigned over the little kingdom of Thaneshwar. He exacted revenge for his elder brother's evil assassination and his sister's despicable kidnapping. Both his historian Bana Bhatta and the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang extolled the virtues of this educated king, whose reputation contributed much to the positive perception of India in distant nations. Harsha's legacy as a great ruler today stems not only from his valiant military leadership but also from his noble desires, his tremendous patronage of study and literature, and the presence of famous academics such as Banabhatta, Mayura, and Divakara at his court. At a pivotal point in Thaneshwar's history, Harsha ascended to the king. Overrun was the neighboring kingdom of Kannauj, under the leadership of Harsha's brother-in-law. In addition to overcoming these obstacles, Harsha made Thaneshwar, a minor kingdom, the most powerful kingdom.