In the chapter titled “New Empires and Kingdom,” students will delve into the Samudragupta’s Prashasti, Genealogies, Harshavardhana and the Harshacharita, The Pallavas, Chalukyas, and Pulakeshin’s prashasti kingdom.
The chapter will also highlight the administrative systems of these kingdoms, the assemblies in the southern kingdoms, and the lives of the ordinary people living in these kingdoms. For a comprehensive understanding of this chapter and effective revision for exams, students can refer to CBSE Notes Class 6 History Chapter 10 – New Empires and Kingdom.
CBSE Notes Class 6 History Chapter 10 – New Empires and Kingdom
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Mamallapuram:
The town of Mamallapuram, located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, is renowned for its monolithic temples built by the Pallava dynasty during the 7th and 8th centuries.
The Harshacharita:
Harshacharita, a biography written by Banabhatta, provides insights into the reign of Harshavardhan, who ruled over the kingdom of Thanesar during the early seventh century. Xuan Zang, a Chinese pilgrim, spent a considerable amount of time in Harsha’s court and chronicled his experiences.
Rulers in South India:
Following the decline of the Satavahanas, smaller kingdoms emerged in South India. Among these, the Pallavas and the Chalukyas were prominent, with their territories spanning modern-day Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Prashasti of Samudragupta:
Samudragupta was a renowned ruler of the Gupta dynasty. The Allahabad pillar inscription is a Prashasti that describes Samudragupta’s military achievements. The poem, composed in Sanskrit by the Court Poet Harishena, praises the king as a warrior and equals him to God.
Prashastis and Different Rulers:
The Prashasti mentions four types of rulers and Samudragupta’s policies towards them, including:
- The rulers of Aryavarta.
- The rulers of Dakshinapatha.
- Neighboring states such as Assam, Coastal Bengal, and Nepal.
- States ruled by the descendants of the Kushanas.
Prashastis:
Prashasti is a Sanskrit word that means ‘in praise of’. Prashastis are lengthy inscriptions that eulogize kings. Since the time of the Guptas, Prashastis became a significant means to document and preserve history.
Chalukya:
The Chalukya dynasty ruled over the Raichur Doab, an area located between the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra, with their capital at Vatapi. Pulakeshin II, a renowned king of this dynasty, was praised in poems composed by his court poet Ravikirti.
Pallava:
In South India, the Pallavas were a significant ruling dynasty whose capital was situated at Kanchipuram in the Kaveri delta region of present-day Tamil Nadu.
Fa Xian:
Fa Xian, a Chinese pilgrim, visited India and Sri Lanka and is most famous for his pilgrimage to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
The term Prashasti, which means ‘in praise of,’ was used for long inscriptions written in praise of the kings. Although it was not a new concept, the composition of Prashastis became popular during the Gupta period. Samudragupta, a Gupta ruler, was described as equal to the gods in his Prashasti composed by the court poet Harishena.
Most Prashastis also mention the ancestors of the ruler. For instance, Samudragupta’s Prashasti mentions his great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and mother. Chandragupta, Samudragupta’s father, was the first ruler of the Gupta dynasty to adopt the grand title of maharaj-adhiraj, which was also used by Samudragupta.
Harshavardhana ruled Thanesar and later took over Kanauj after his brother-in-law was killed, around 1400 years ago. Although he was initially successful, his success was short-lived.
The land revenue was a crucial source of income for the rulers, while a well-organised army with elephants, chariots, cavalry, and foot-soldiers, along with military leaders, became a new kind of army. The rulers also had local assemblies, such as the Sabha (an assembly of Brahmin landowners), Ur (a village assembly), and Nagaram (an organisation of merchants).
However, the condition of ordinary people was not good, and the untouchables were not treated well.
Dakshinapatha:
Dakshinapatha is a term used to refer to the route leading to the southern region of India.
Genealogy:
Genealogy is the study or list of a person’s ancestors.
Kumar-amatya:
Kumar-amatya was the title given to a high-ranking minister in ancient India.
Maha-danda-nayaka:
Maha-danda-nayaka referred to the chief judicial officer in ancient India.
Nagara-shreshthi:
Nagara-shreshthi was the term used for the chief merchant or banker of a city in ancient India.
Prashasti:
Prashasti is a Sanskrit term that signifies ‘in praise of’, and it was commonly used by court poets to eulogize their rulers.
Prathama-kulika and Ur:
During ancient times, the chief craftsman was known as Prathama-kulika, while the minister responsible for maintaining peace and waging wars was called Sandhi-Vigrahika. Sarbhavaha was the title bestowed upon the leader of the merchant caravans, and Ur referred to the village assembly.
Gupta dynasty:
The Gupta dynasty emerged around 1700 years ago, while the reign of Harshavardhana occurred approximately 1400 years ago.
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CBSE Notes for Class 6 Civics Free Download for All Chapters
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| Chapter Name | CBSE Class 6 Civics Study Notes | NCERT Solutions Download Class 6 |
| Understanding Diversity | Understanding Diversity Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 1 | NCERT Solutions Understanding Diversity Chapter 1 |
| Diversity and Discrimination | Diversity and Discrimination Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 2 | NCERT Solutions Diversity and Discrimination Chapter 2 |
| What is Government? | What is Government? Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 3 | NCERT Solutions What is Government? Chapter 3 |
| Key Elements of a Democratic Government | Key Elements of a Democratic Government Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 4 | NCERT Solutions Key Elements of a Democratic Government Chapter 4 |
| Panchayati Raj | Panchayati Raj Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 5 | NCERT Solutions Panchayati Raj Chapter 5 |
| Rural Administration | Rural Administration Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 6 | NCERT Solutions Rural Administration Chapter 6 |
| Urban Administration | Urban Administration Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 7 | NCERT Solutions Urban Administration Chapter 7 |
| Rural Livelihoods | Rural Livelihoods Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 8 | NCERT Solutions Rural Livelihoods Chapter 8 |
| Urban Livelihoods | Urban Livelihoods Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 9 | NCERT Solutions Urban Livelihoods Chapter 9 |
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