The document discusses the importance of the city of Kannauj in northern India and the tripartite struggle for control over it between three empires for nearly 250 years. Kannauj was an ancient city first mentioned in Hindu scriptures and gained prominence as the capital of the Harsha Empire in the 7th century. After Harsha's death without an heir, Kannauj retained importance for several centuries and was strategically located on the Ganges river. The document outlines how the Rashtrakuta Empire, Pratihara Empire, and Pala Empire fought to control Kannauj, which was a prize of the fertile Gangetic Plain region.
The document discusses the importance of the city of Kannauj in northern India and the tripartite struggle for control over it between three empires for nearly 250 years. Kannauj was an ancient city first mentioned in Hindu scriptures and gained prominence as the capital of the Harsha Empire in the 7th century. After Harsha's death without an heir, Kannauj retained importance for several centuries and was strategically located on the Ganges river. The document outlines how the Rashtrakuta Empire, Pratihara Empire, and Pala Empire fought to control Kannauj, which was a prize of the fertile Gangetic Plain region.
The document discusses the importance of the city of Kannauj in northern India and the tripartite struggle for control over it between three empires for nearly 250 years. Kannauj was an ancient city first mentioned in Hindu scriptures and gained prominence as the capital of the Harsha Empire in the 7th century. After Harsha's death without an heir, Kannauj retained importance for several centuries and was strategically located on the Ganges river. The document outlines how the Rashtrakuta Empire, Pratihara Empire, and Pala Empire fought to control Kannauj, which was a prize of the fertile Gangetic Plain region.
The Tripartite Struggle for control over Kannauj(then known as Kanyakubja) and by extension, North India, happened over a course of nearly 250 years, peaking in the ninth century. An ancient city mentioned even in age old Hindu scriptures including the Mahabharata1, Kannauj then fell into obscurity until it was given importance as the capital of the Harsha Empire, ruled by the famous king Harshavardhana from 606-647, whose influence stretched from Gujarat in the West to Assam in the East. However, Harsha died without an heir in 647, and his passing lead to a power vacuum in his Empire and its eventual disintegration. The following period is very badly documented; however, Kannauj retained its importance for several centuries, eventually fading away after Iltutmishs conquest. Kannauj has borne witness to the rise and fall of several Empires fighting over the fertile Gangetic Plain, most notably the Rashtrakuta Empire, the Pratihara Empire(also known as Gurjara Pratihara) as well as the Pala Empire. The city was the prize jewel of the Gangetic Plains, and its early importance was possibly due to certain advantages it had strategically. The city was located on a cliff on the banks of the Ganga, which was a highway of commerce and communication.2 Moreover, in these times preceding the use of the cannon, the city and the fort were easy to defend given their height because they gave a commanding position against any invading force.3
1 Mahabharata V, Section 30, verse 19
2 Samuel Beal, The Travels of Fa-hian ch. XVIII, pg. xliii 3 Cunningham, Ancient Geography of India p. 436, 1924