The Kanishka (127 CE – 150 CE)

Kanishka (127–150 CE) was the most influential leader of the Kushan dynasty. He is considered the greatest Kushan king who was known for his military, political, and religious factors. Kanishka is known for expanding the great Kushan empire. His invasion and support of Buddhism played a significant role in spreading this particular religion to China, Central Asia, and Japan.

In this article, we are going to discuss the most powerful ruler of the Kushana dynasty in detail.

The Kanishka

Overview on Kanishka

Kanishka – The Great (127 CE–150 CE) – Overview
Name	Kanishka I
Full Name	Kanishka or Kanishka the Great
Alternative Names	Sanskrit: कनिष्क, Kaniṣka Greco-Bactrian: Κανηϸκε Kaniške Kharosthi: Ka-ṇi-ṣka Brahmi: Kā-ṇi-ṣka
Dynasty	Kushan
Reign	Approximately 127–150 CE
Empire Extent	Extended from Central Asia and Gandhara to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain
Capitals	Puruṣapura (Peshawar) in Gandhara, Mathura
Significant Achievements	Reached the zenith of the Kushan empire Known for military, political, and spiritual achievements
Language	Replaced Greek with Bactrian as the official language of administration around 127 CE
Genealogy	Descendant of Kujula Kadphises, with predecessors including Vima Kadphises
Origins	Theories suggest origins from Khotan or Kashmir
Ethnicity	Yuezhi
Religious Influence	Encouraged Buddhism without conversion, sponsored Buddhist teachings Organized the 4th Buddhist Council
Conquests	Extended territory from southern Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to Northern India, including Kashmir and regions near modern-day Jabalpur
Military Encounters	Fought off Parthian invasion late in his reign
Coinage	Portrayed images of Indian, Greek, Iranian, and Sumero-Elamite divinities, featuring religious syncretism
Buddhist Patronage	Sponsored Gandhara and Mathura schools of Buddhist art Contributed to Buddhist architecture including the Kanishka stupa at Purushapura
Kanishka Casket	Dated to 127 CE, contained bone fragments of the Buddha, housed in Peshawar Museum and British Museum
Character in Tradition	Initially depicted as aggressive, later transformed into a benevolent ruler after embracing Buddhism
Transmission of Buddhism	Played a key role in transmitting Buddhist ideas towards northern Asia, with monks from Gandhara establishing translations into Chinese
Succession	Likely succeeded by Huvishka, though specifics are uncertain

Kanishka’s coins have been found in Tripuri or the modern-day Jabalpur. His military conquests and support for Buddhism were important for the Silk Road. Mahayana Buddhism traveled from Gandhara to China, crossing the Karakoram mountains during his time. Around 127 CE, Kanishka changed the official language of his empire from Greek to Bactrian. Historians used to think he became king in 78 CE, starting the Saka calendar era.

Who was Kanishka?

Kanishka the Great was a prominent emperor of the Kushan dynasty, renowned for his military, political, and spiritual leadership. His reign, which likely spanned from the late 1st to the mid-2nd century AD, marked a period of considerable expansion and prosperity for the Kushan Empire. Although the exact dates of his reign are debated among historians, it is often placed around 127–150 AD.

Kanishka’s empire extended over a vast area, covering parts of what is today Northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. This strategic position allowed him to control key trade routes between the East and West, notably the Silk Road, facilitating cultural and economic exchanges across his domain. Kanishka also made notable contributions to art and culture under his patronage. The Gandhara and Mathura schools of art, which flourished during his reign, are celebrated for their innovative depictions of Buddhist subjects, blending Hellenistic influences with local traditions. This period saw the creation of some of the earliest and most exquisite representations of the Buddha in human form.

Kanishka Empire

The Kanishka Empire refers to the realm ruled by Kanishka the Great, one of the most famous emperors of the Kushan dynasty in ancient India. Kanishka’s reign is often dated from around 127 to 150 AD, although exact dates are debated among scholars. He is known for his military, political, and spiritual achievements, as well as for his contributions to Buddhism and the cultural and economic prosperity of his empire.

Kanishka’s empire spanned a vast territory that included parts of present-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, making it a crucial cultural and commercial bridge between the East and the West. The empire was known for its cosmopolitanism, facilitating the exchange of ideas, goods, and beliefs along the Silk Road.

Kanishka’s Conquests

Here are the Kanishka’s Conquests as mentioned below.

• Kanishka was a powerful ruler who controlled many countries like Afghanistan, Gandhara, Sind, and Punjab when he started ruling.
• He then took over more places like Magadha. They reached all the way to Pataliputra and Bodh Gaya. According to Kalhana, Kanishka also captured Kashmir.
• His coins have been found in different places like Mathura, Sravasti, Kausambi, and Benares. It suggests that he also conquered so many areas of the Gangetic plain.
• He even battled the Chinese and gained some of their land.
• Although he lost in his first fight against the Chinese leader Pancho, he later won in a second battle, defeating Pancho’s son Panyang.
• Kanishka expanded his empire to include Kashgar, Yarkand, and Khotan.
• It stretched from Gandhara to Benares and from Kashmir to Malwa.
• His main city was Purushapura, now known as Peshawar, and Mathura was also significant in his realm.

Kanishka’s Conquests in South and Central Asia

Kanishka also conqured a vast area of South and Central Asia in his time. Let us discuss.

• Kanishka had a really big empire. It went from places like southern Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to northern India.
• He even had control over Kashmir, where there was a town named after him called Kanishkapur. There was a big stupa there.
• He also had some control over Central Asia, but we are not sure how much.
• There was a battle near Khotan where a Chinese general named Ban Chao fought against a Kushan army.
• Ban Chao won and made the Kushans go away.
• Some places like Kashgar, Khotan, and Yarkand were controlled by China in a region called the Tarim Basin. They found coins from Kanishka there.
• Kanishka wanted to control trade routes on land (like the Silk Road) and sea routes between South Asia and Rome. That was a big goal for him.

Kanishka’s Coins

Kanishka’s coins feature images of gods from various cultures, including those from India, Greece, Iran, and ancient Sumer and Elam, indicating his embrace of diverse religious beliefs.

• Initially, during the early years of his reign, Kanishka’s coins bore Greek inscriptions and depicted Greek deities.
• As time passed, the inscriptions switched to Bactrian, the language of the Kushans, and showcased Iranian gods instead of Greek ones.
• On these coins, Kanishka is depicted as a bearded man wearing a long coat and trousers that gather at the ankles, with flames emanating from his shoulders.
• He is adorned with large rounded boots, and he carries a long sword and a lance, often depicted performing religious rituals.
• A significant limestone relief of Kanishka, dressed similarly, was housed in the Kabul Museum until its destruction by the Taliban.

Kanishka and Buddhism

Kanishka is really important in Buddhism because he not only followed it but also spread its teachings.

• He led the 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir, where Vasumitra and Ashwaghosha were the major leaders.
• During his time, they made images of Buddha based on 32 physical signs.
• Kanishka supported Buddhist art from Gandhara and Mathura. They were related to Greco-Buddhist Art form.
• Although he liked Persian things too, he liked Buddhism more. You can tell because he followed Buddhist teachings and prayers, which are written about in books about the Kushan empire.
• Kanishka’s time is connected to certain Buddhist statues, like those of Bodhisattvas from Mathura.
• Some statues from Gandhara have writings indicating they were made around 186 to 175 BCE, according to what is now called the Yavana era.

Who Broke Kanishka’s Head?

Kanishka’s missing head is a puzzle in Indian history. It IS not really a secret, but it is a big question mark.

• In 1911, Pandit Radha Krishna found a statue of Kanishka in the village of Mat near Mathura.
• At first, it looks plain compared to other Indian art, but many experts have talked about it.
• The statue, without its head, was made in Mathura around the late 1st century AD.
• It is about 1.85 meters tall and now sits in the Archaeological Museum in Mathura.
• Historians and archaeologists think the head didn’t get chopped off by later invaders like Muslims or the British.
• Instead, they believe it happened back when Kanishka ruled during the Kushan Dynasty.

Kanishka Stupa

The Kanishka casket was discovered in 1908–1909 during excavations in Shah-Ji-Ki-Dheri near Ganj Gate, Peshawar. It originally contained three bone fragments of Buddha, now housed in Mandalay, Burma.

• The original casket is in Peshawar Museum, with a copy at the British Museum.
• Inscribed in Kharoshthi, it was made by a Greek artist named Agesilas.
• The lid depicts Buddha on a lotus pedestal, worshipped by Brahma and Indra, with a frieze of flying geese.
• The body shows a Kushan monarch, possibly Kanishka, with Iranian sun and moon gods.
• Disputed attribution suggests it may belong to Kanishka’s successor, Huvishka, due to stylistic differences.

Conclusion – Kanishka

Kanishka convened the 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir at the place of Kundalvana. He was known for his religious tolerance but predominantly patronized Buddhism. His coins depicted deities from India, Greece, and Zoroastria. Kanishka was a significant patron of art and architecture. Under his leadership, the Gandhara School of Art thrived. He promoted the Mahayana school of Buddhism, playing a major role in its spread to China. The cause of his death remains uncertain. In this article, we have discussed the Kanishka, the most powerful ruler of the Kushana dynasty in detail.

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FAQs – Kanishka

What are the important facts about Kanishka?

Kanishka convened the fourth Buddhist Council at Kundalvana in Kashmir. He patronised Buddhism although he was very tolerant in his religious views. His coins contain a mix of Indian, Greek and Zoroastrian deities.

Who is the father of Kanishka?

The father of Kanishka the Great is not definitively known, as historical records from the period of the Kushan Empire are limited and sometimes ambiguous. The Kushan dynasty, to which Kanishka belonged, was established by Kujula Kadphises, and Kanishka is often considered one of his descendants. However, the direct lineage is not clearly documented in surviving historical texts or inscriptions.

Why is Kanishka called second Ashoka?

Kanishka is often called the “Second Ashoka” due to his significant contributions to Buddhism and its spread, mirroring the earlier efforts of Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty. Like Ashoka, who played a pivotal role in promoting Buddhism across the Indian subcontinent and beyond in the 3rd century BCE, Kanishka too, in the 2nd century CE, supported Buddhism extensively.

Who defeated Kanishka?

Historical records do not clearly state who defeated Kanishka or even if he was directly defeated in battle. His death appears to have marked the beginning of the gradual decline of the Kushan Empire, but specific details about the circumstances of his defeat or the identity of his conquerors are scarce.

What is the other name of Kanishka?

Kanishka, also known as Kanishka the Great, is referred to as a second Ashoka due to his role in the propagation of Buddhism.

What was the role of Kanishka in Indian history?

Kaniska was the greatest king of the Kushan dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India in antiquity. He reigned from AD 127 to 151.

Where is Kanishka from originally?

The Kushan Empire reached its height under the great-grandson of Kujula, Kanishka I, known as Kanishka the Great, who reigned circa 127-150 CE. Kanishka inherited a well-established kingdom with its capital at Purushapura, modern Peshawar, in the Gandhara region.

Why is Kanishka famous in Indian history?

He is famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. A descendant of Kujula Kadphises, founder of the Kushan empire, Kanishka came to rule an empire extending from Central Asia and Gandhara to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain.

Why is Kanishka so famous?

Kanishka is known for the expansion of the empire and patronage of Buddhism which earned him the sobriquet of ‘Second Ashoka’.

Who defeated Kanishka?

Pen Chao (also known as Ban Chao) was the Chinese general who was successful in defeating Kanishka.