Political Condition of Northern India After Harsha Vardhan

The death of Harsha in the 647 AD was followed by the breakdown of the administrative machinery of the Pushyabhuti House, which ultimately lead to the breakdown of the Empire of Harsha. The upper Ganges valley over which he ruled was threatened with anarchy and chaos owing to the internal dissension and civil war. A number of independent kingdoms rose up owing to the disintegration of the consolidated Empire of Harshavardhana. These kingdoms contended with each other for the sovereign mastery of the entire Empire of Harsha. Though the kingdoms outside the boundary of Harsha`s Empire were not directly affected by Harsha`s death yet it appeared that the condition of entire northern India after the death of Harsha resulted into the collapse of the political machinery. The chronic disintegration of the Indian politics appeared again.

Due to the complete disintegration and anarchy, several dynastic houses sprang up , which controlled the Indian politics during that period. These dynasties were guided by the supreme political ambition of capturing Kanauj, the Imperial city of Harsha. Among the dynastic houses, which rose in power in northern India after the death of Harsha, the Pratiharas and the Palas had the most remarkable record. Bhoja I the Pratihara king ruled over a vast Empire from his capital at Kanauj. He restored the fallen fabric of the Indian imperialism at least for sometimes. When the Pratihara Empire collapsed in the 10th century, another phase of the political disintegration crept up in northern India. This period was marked by the internecine struggle between a numbers of dynasties. Meanwhile the Muslim deluge spread over northern India and completely swept away the Hindu states. The agony of imperial Kanauj made the condition of entire Northern India extremely chaotic.