Aditya Vardhana

Aditya Vardhana (Adityavardhana) was the third ruler of the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) dynasty based in Thanesar in northern India. He is the grandfather of Harsha, the most famous king of the dynasty, and the father of Prabhakara Vardhana. It is accepted that his reign approximately coincided with the second half of the 6th century.

He is the grandson of Nara Vardhana, who is considered the founder of the dynasty, and the son of Rajya Vardhana I. What is known about the first generations of the dynasty is quite limited; Most of the information comes from genealogies in land grant documents issued during the reign of Harsha, especially the Banskhera inscription.

In these documents, Aditya Vardhana is referred to with the title "maharaja". During this period, when the Gupta Empire dissolved and local powers came to the fore in northern India, the early Pushyabhuti rulers are thought to have been local rulers loyal to larger powers.

Aditya Vardhana's most important political step was his marriage to Mahasenagupta Devi, a descendant of the Late Guptas. Sources indicate her as the sister of the Late Gupta king Mahasenagupta. This marriage linked the dynasty with the Later Guptas in the east and paved the way for the family's strengthening in subsequent generations.

His son Prabhakara Vardhana ruled over a larger region; Under the reign of his grandsons Rajya Vardhana and Harsha, the dynasty grew into one of the most powerful states in northern India.