Kushan Empire- Origin, Rulers, Administration, Contributions

The Kushan Empire was most likely one of the five subdivisions of the Yuezhi confederation, an ancient Central Asian nomadic tribe. The Kushan Empire lasted from 350 BCE until 350 CE. There was no large empire comparable to the Mauryan empire in the 200 BC period, i.e. the post-Mauryan period. In Eastern, Central, and Deccan India, native kings such as the Shungas, Kanvas, and Satavahanas followed the Mauryans. Several dynasties from Central Asia followed in the footsteps of the North-Western part of India. One such empire that rose to prominence was the Kushan Empire. The Kushans were China’s forefathers. The Kushan dynasty conquered the Parthians and Shakas and migrated to India.

Origin of Kushan Empire

• The monarchs of the Kushan Empire were a branch of the Central Asian Yeuchi tribe.
• They were a nomadic tribe from the steppes who lived in China’s immediate vicinity.
• The first drove out the Sakas and took over Bactria (North Afghanistan)
• They gradually marched into the Kabul valley, displacing the Greeks and Parthians in the Gandhara area and eventually capturing Gandhara.
• They inhabited a large portion of the Gangetic and lower Indus basins.
• The Kushan empire stretched from central Asia to Uttar Pradesh, from Khorasan to Varanasi.

Rulers of Kushan Empire

In India, the Kushan empire was divided into two dynasties. The House of Chiefs, or Kadphises, was the first dynasty, succeeded by the House of Kanishka.

Kujula Kadphises (30 CE – 80 CE)

• Kujula Kadphises was the Kadphises I was looking for.
• He was the first Kushan emperor in India, laying the groundwork for the Kushan Empire.
• He chose the moniker Dharma-thida for himself.
• Kabul, Afghanistan, and Kandahar were all conquered by Kadphises I.
• He struck copper coins that were modelled after Roman coins.

Vima Taktu or Sadashkana (80 CE – 95 CE)

• After Kujula Kadphises, it is unclear if Vima Taktu or Sadashkhana ascended to the throne.
• During his reign, the Kushan Empire extended into the northwest area of South Asia.

Vima Kadphises (95 CE – 127 CE)

• Vima Kadphises was the son of Sadakshana and the father of Kanishka, according to the Rabatak inscription.
• He was Kadphises II, and during his reign, he struck a vast quantity of gold coins and extended the Kushan Kingdom to the east of the Indus.

Kanishka (127 CE – 150 CE)

• Kanishka was the most well-known Kushan emperor.
• In 78 CE, he established the Shaka period, which is being used by the Indian government today.
• During Kanishka’s reign, the Kushan empire’s capitals were Purushapura and Mathura.
• During his ascent to the throne, the Kushan Empire ruled Afghanistan, Gandhara, Sind, and Punjab. 
• He conquered Magadha and expanded the Mauryan empire to Pataliputra and Bodh Gaya.
• He fought against the Chinese on his first expedition and was defeated by Chinese general Pancho.
• From Central Asia to Pataliputra, he reigned over a vast territory.
• He was a huge supporter of religion and the arts.
• The Rabatak inscription in Afghanistan contains information on Kanishka’s reign.

Kanishka and Buddhism

• Buddhism received Kanishka’s undivided attention.
• At 78 AD, Buddha called the fourth Buddhist council in Kundalavan, Kashmir.
• During his time, Buddhism was split into Mahayana and Hinayana schools.
• He was a devout adherent of Buddhism’s Mahayana school.
• He was accepting of all religions while being a Buddhist.
• Kaniska dispatched missionaries to China and Central Asia to propagate Buddhism.

Administration Of Kushan Empire

• Kushans ruled over numerous petty princes who paid tribute to them, and they dubbed themselves “King of Kings.”
• The Kushan dynasty’s rulers were regarded as Sons of God.
• They instituted the Satrap system of governance, which split the empire into various satrapies, each governed by a Satrap.
• They practised the dual hereditary rule, in which two monarchs governed at the same time.

Contributions Of Kushan Empire

• Kushans were renowned for their horsemanship. In India, they improved the cavalry.
• The Kushans and Shakas introduced turbans, tunics, pants, and long thick coats.
• The Kushan dynasty was responsible for the development of Sanskrit literature.
• The kings of the Kushan Empire were in charge of the silk route, and it was their primary source of revenue.
• They were India’s first kings to issue enormous quantities of gold coins.
• They were supporters of agriculture.
• Masons and painters from all over the world were transported to the Kushan empire, resulting in the birth of art schools like Mathura, Gandhara, and Central Asia.
• The Kushan dynasty supported great writers, including Ashvagosha, Vasumitra, and Nagarjuna.

Decline Of Kushan Empire

• Kanishka’s son Vashiska ascended to the throne. Kaniska was his father.
• Kaniska’s descendants ruled until the year 230 AD.
• By the mid-third century, the Sassanian Empire of Iran had conquered Afghanistan and the territory west of the Indus, ruled by the Kushan Empire.
• The Kushan kingdom fell apart with the death of the dynasty’s final great monarch, Vasudeva I.

Conclusion

The Kushans’ unconscious function as the shield of Indian civilization and culture contributed to the prosperous period of peace during the Gupta dynasty. The Kushan Empire served as a barrier between Aryan culture and the nomadic hordes of Central Asia, which had occasionally swamped civilized countries with avalanches. It was also responsible for the flow of ideas and things between other civilizations because of the Kushanas’ unique geographical location, which served as a clearinghouse for ideas and goods from many civilizations.

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