Study of Banabhatta

The early history of Harsha’s reign is

reconstructed from a study of Banabhatta, who was his

court poet and who wrote a book called Harshacharita. This can be supplemented

by the account of the Chinese pilgrim Hsuan Tsang, who visited India in the

seventh century A.D. and stayed in the country for about 15 years. Harsha’s

inscriptions speak of various types of taxes and officials.

Harsha is called the last great Hindu

emperor of north India, but such a characterization is only partly true. For

his authority did not extend to the whole of the country though he established

his hold practically over the whole of north India except Kashmir. Rajasthan,

Panjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa were 

under his direct control, but his sphere of

influence spread over a much wider area It seems that the peripheral states

acknowledged his sovereignty His southward march was stopped on the Narmada river

by the Chalukyan king Pulakesin, who ruled over a great part of modern

Karnataka and Maharashtra with his capital in Badami m the modern Bpapur

district of Karnataka Except this Harsha did not face any serious opposition

and succeeded in giving a measure of political unity to a large part of the

country

Administration

Harsha governed his empire on the same

lines as the Guptas did, except that his administration had become more feudal

and decentralized, it is stated that Harsha had 100,000 horses, and 60,000

elephants. This seems to be astonishing because the Mauryas, who ruled over

practically the whole of the country except the Deep South, maintained only

30,000 cavalry and 9000 elephants. Harsha could possess a larger army only if

he could mobilize the support of all his feudatories at the time of war evidently

every feudatory contributed his quota of foot soldiers and horses, and thus

made the imperial army vast in numbers

Land grants continued to be made to priests

for special services rendered to the state. In addition Harsha is credited with

the grant of land to the officers by charters. These grants allowed the same

concessions to priests as were allowed by the earlier grants The Chinese

pilgrim Hsuan Tsang informs us that the revenues of Harsha were divided into four

parts. One part was earmarked for the expenditure of the king, a second for

scholars, a third for the endowment of officials and public servants, and a

fourth for religious purposes. He also tells us that ministers and high

officers of the state were endowed with land. The feudal practice of rewarding

and paying officers with grants of land seems to have begun under Harsha.