Harshavardhana also known as Siladitya.

 Harshavardhana: 606 AD - 647 AD

 After the killing of Rajavardhana, his younger brother, Harshavardhana also known as Siladitya, ascended the Pushyabhuti throne in 606 AD and from this year started the Harsha Era. Harsha drove out Shashanka from Kannauj who had occupied it after killing of Rayavardhana. He not only unified Kannauj with Thaneswar but also made it his new capital, which made him the most powerful king of North India. Harsha thereafter, proceeded towards the east against Shashanka with a view to avenge the death of his brother, Rajyavardhana and brother-in-law, Grahavarman. Harsha was not successful in his first expedition against Gaud, but in his second expedition towards the close of his reign, after the death of Shashanka (died in 637 AD), he conquered Magadha and Shashanka’s empire. The course of Harsha’s conquests suffered a serious setback on his expedition towards the Deccan. Pulkeshin II of Chalukya dynasty of Vatapi/ Vadmi inflicted a decisive defeat on him at the ban of Narmada. It was the only defeat of Harsha’s victorious life. Harsha maintained diplomatic relations with China. In 641 AD, he sent an envoy to Tai-Tsung, the Tang Emperor of China. Three Chinese missions subsequently visited his court. Hiuen-Tsang, the celebrated Chinese pilgrim, visited India during Harsha’s reign. He spent about eight years (635-643 AD) in the dominions of Harsha. Hiuen-Tsang mentions two most celebrated event of Harsha’s reign the assemblies at Kannauj and at Prayaga. The Kannauj assembly (643 AD) was held in the honour of Hiuen-Tsang and to popularize Mahayana sect of Buddhism. The Prayaga aseembly was held in 643-644 AD. In Prayaga, Harshavardhana used to celebrate religious festivals at the end of every five years, at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati. It is said that this was the beginning of Kumbha fair. Hiuen-Tsang portrays him as a liberal Buddhist (Mahayana) who also honoured gods of other sects. According to Hiuen-Tsang, Nalanda University, meant for Buddhist monks, was maintained by the revenue from 200 villages which granted by Harshavardhana. Harshavardhana was not only a patron of learning, but was himself an accomplished author. He wrote three Sanskrit plays – Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarsika. He gathered around him a circle of learned men - Banabhatta, the author of Harshacharita (an important historical work narrating the incidents of the earlier part of Harsha’s reign) and Kadambari (a poetical novel of great literary merit) and Bharatrihari, the author of NIti Shataka, Shringar Shataka and Vairagya Shatak (jointly called Shatakatrayi) are the well known.