Post-Gupta — Ancient Indian History

Q.1

WBCS Prelims 2023

Name the Chalukya king who defeated Harshavardana.

A. Pulakeshin I

B. Pulakeshin II

C. Mangalesh

D. Kirtivarmana

Explanation

Why Correct: Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya ruler of Badami, defeated Harshavardhana of Kannauj on the banks of the Narmada River around 618-619 CE, preventing Harsha's southward expansion.
Distractor Analysis: Pulakeshin I founded the Chalukya dynasty but did not fight Harsha. Mangalesh was Pulakeshin II's uncle and predecessor who expanded the kingdom. Kirtivarmana I was Pulakeshin II's father who consolidated Chalukya power in the Deccan.
Takeaway: The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II, composed by his court poet Ravikirti, provides the primary historical evidence for this battle and Chalukya achievements.

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Q.2

WBCS Prelims 2023

Who was Mihirkula/Mihirgula?

A. Saka king

B. Kushana king

C. Huna king

D. Pahlava king

Explanation

Why Correct: Mihirkula was a Huna (Hephthalite) ruler who controlled parts of northern India in the early 6th century CE, known from Indian and Chinese sources for his military campaigns.
Distractor Analysis: The Sakas established kingdoms in northwest India from the 1st century BCE to 4th century CE. The Kushanas ruled a large empire in northern India and Central Asia from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE. The Pahlavas (Indo-Parthians) controlled parts of northwest India during the 1st century CE.
Takeaway: The Hunas invaded India in multiple waves during the 5th-6th centuries CE, disrupting the political landscape after the Gupta Empire's decline.

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Q.3

WBCS Prelims 2014

Sasanka belonged to the

A. Pal dynasty

B. Sen dynasty

C. Gauda dynasty

D. Kamrup dynasty

Explanation

Why Correct: Sasanka was the first independent king of the Gauda kingdom, ruling from his capital at Karnasuvarna (modern-day Murshidabad district) during 590–625 AD.
Distractor Analysis: The Pal dynasty emerged later under Gopala around 750 AD. The Sen dynasty ruled Bengal from the 11th to 12th centuries. The Kamrup dynasty refers to rulers of the ancient Kamarupa kingdom in Assam.
Takeaway: Sasanka is historically significant for his conflict with Harshavardhana and his patronage of Shaivism, marking a distinct phase in Bengal's early medieval history before the Pala ascendancy.

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Q.4

WBCS Prelims 2009

Where was the capital of Sasanka?

A. Samatata

B. Tamralipta

C. Karnasuvarna

D. Lakhnawati

Explanation

Why Correct: Sasanka, the 7th-century Gauda king, established his capital at Karnasuvarna, located in modern-day Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
Distractor Analysis: Samatata was a southeastern Bengal kingdom during the Gupta and post-Gupta periods. Tamralipta served as an important ancient port city and trade center in Bengal. Lakhnawati (also called Gaur) became the capital of the Bengal Sultanate in the medieval period.
Takeaway: Sasanka's reign (c. 600–636 CE) represents the first major independent kingdom in Bengal after the Gupta decline, and he was a contemporary rival of Harshavardhana of Kannauj.

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Q.5

WBCS Prelims 2004

Who was the first independent King of Bengal?

A. Sasanka

B. King Ganesh

C. Gopala

D. Mahasengupta

Explanation

Why Correct: Sasanka, ruling from Gauda in the early 7th century, established the first independent kingdom in Bengal after breaking away from the Gupta Empire's control.
Distractor Analysis: King Ganesh was a 15th-century Hindu ruler who briefly usurped power from the Ilyas Shahi dynasty. Gopala founded the Pala dynasty in the 8th century, which followed several centuries of regional fragmentation. Mahasengupta is not a historically attested ruler of Bengal.
Takeaway: Sasanka's reign marked Bengal's emergence as a distinct political entity, with his capital at Karnasuvarna near modern-day Murshidabad.

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