![]() Vashiska succeeded the throne of Kanishka after his death in 101 A.D. Vashiska, according to historians, was probably the son of Kanishka, because he was Kanishka's immediate heir. Within a brief period of 4 years only, Vashiska seemed to have lost control over the distant parts of Kushana Empire. The inscriptions of Vashiska found in Mathura and Sanchi proved that the Kushana king Vashiska extended his sway over Mathura along with the adjoining regions of U.P and also the Bhopal state of Central India. Later scholars have identified Vashiska with Jushka, mentioned in 'Rajtarangini' by Kalhana and they have also opined that king Vashiska probably ruled over the regions of Kashmir. The Kushana power suffered temporary decline under him. Vashiska, in the dying days of his reign ruled conjointly with his successor Hubiskha. Hubiskha ascended the Kushana throne in 106 A.D. He was the successor of Kushana king Vashiska. Hubiskha was identified with king Hushka of Rajtarangini, who founded the city of Hushkapura in Kashmir. The city of Hushkapura has been identified by Sten Konow with Uskur in the Barmula Valley of Kashmir. The Kushana king Hubiskha ruled from 104 to 138 A.D. Hubishka, the successor of Vashiska, was credited to have revived the former glory of Kushana Empire, lost during the time of Vashiska. Since Hubiskha was a mighty conqueror, he restored the territories lost by Vashiska, the immediate successor if Kanishka I. During his extensive reign of 34 years, he reinstated the former status of the Kushana Empire in the history of ancient India. The extension of his Empire can be proved from his own inscription in the Brahmi and Kharosti scripts. The territories of Mathura, U.P, North Western India, eastern Afghanistan etc. were under the authority of the Kushana king Hubiskha. Not only as a conqueror, Hubiskha also attained prosperity as a king. Hubiskha was a benevolent king and was also tolerant towards other religious creeds, though he was a follower of Buddhism. He constructed a monastery in Hushkapura, where the famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang lived as a guest. As a patron of Buddhism, Hubiskha constructed many monasteries in Kashmir and Mathura. That he was tolerant towards the promotion of other religious creeds in his Empire is evidential from the coins issued by him. The coins of Hubiskha represented a number of deities of Hindu, Buddhist, Persian and Greek origin. The discovery of a large number of copper and gold coins of Hubiskha proved the prosperity of his reign. Historians have also suggested about the flourishing trade relations of the Kushanas with the Hellenic countries during the reign of Hubiskha. Hubiskha ruled conjointly with Kanishka II. Though there was some confusion about the identity of Kanishka II, historians have identified him as the son of Vashiska. Kanishka II assumed the high sounding title of Maharaja-Rajatiraja-Devaputra-Kaisara. Luders has pointed out that these titles suggest the ancient notion of four emperors-- the Indian Maharaja, the Iranian Rajatiraja, the Chinese Devaputra and the Romana Kaisara. Very little is known about the reign of Kanishka II. He built the city of Kanishkapura in Kashmir and historians after a prolonged research have opined that Kanishka II might have died before Hubiskha. ![]() |