Jump to content

Draft:Shunga conquest of Vidarbha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


The Shunga conquest of Vidarbha was a military conquest or invasion of the ancient Kingdom of Vidarbha (Today, part of Maharashtra, India). This invasion was operated by the Shunga crown prince of Magadha, Agnimitra.[1]

Shunga conquest of Vidarbha
Part of Shunga conquests

Map of Vidarbha region (in modern day Maharashtra, India)
DateBefore 149 B.C
Location
Result Shunga victory[2]
Territorial
changes
Vidarbha annexed to the Shunga Empire by Agnimitra Shunga.[3]
Belligerents
Shunga Empire Vidarbha Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Agnimitra Shunga Yajnasena (POW)

Background & context

[edit]

Prince Agnimitra is represented to have reigned at Vidisha as Pushyamitra Shunga's viceroy. Agnimitra had made proposals of marriage with Málaviká to her brother, Mádhavasena who was the brother of Yajnasena, the king of Vidarbha. Between these cousins there was a quarrel regarded to the succession of the throne. When Mádhavasena was secretly on his way to Vidisha, a commander of Yajnasena, posted at frontier-fort of the kingdom, captured him. Thereupon Agnimitra demanded Yajnasena the surrender of Mádhavasena to him. Yajnasena promised to give him up on the condition that his wife's brother, who was the counselor of the last Mauryan Emperor had been imprisoned by Agnimitra, or his father Pushyamitra, should be released. This angered Agnimitra, leading him to sent his army against Yajnasena, and conquered Vidarbha.[4][5]

Aftermath

[edit]

Agnimitra defeated Yajnasena and extended the empire to the bank of the river, Wardha.[6] The Kingdom of Vidarbha was divided equally under the Shunga suzerainty between the cousin brothers, Mádhavasena and Yajnasena, by Agnimitra.[4][7]

Source

[edit]

A Sanskrit play about Agnimitra and Málaviká, wrote by Kalidasa, Mālavikāgnimitram, mentions about the conquest of Vidarbha by the Viceroy of Vidisha and the crown prince of the Shunga Empire, Agnimitra.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler, Sir Wolseley Haig, Edward James Rapson, Henry Dodwell, Sir Richard Burn (1968). The Cambridge History of India. S. Chand. p. 223.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Smith, Vincent Arthur (1904). The Early History of India from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest. Clarendon Press. p. 177.
  3. ^ Khanna, B. R. (1950). Indian History to 1526. Atma Ram. p. 146.
  4. ^ a b Nandargikar, Gopal Raghunath (1897). The Raghuvanśa. Redhabai Atmaram Sagoon. pp. 157–158.
  5. ^ a b Raychaudhari, Hemchandra (2006). Political History of Ancient India. Cosmo Publications. p. 310. ISBN 9788130702919.
  6. ^ Garg, Gaṅgā Rām (1992). Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World. Concept Publishing Company. p. 220. ISBN 9788170223740.
  7. ^ Sabnis, S. A. (1966). Kālidāsa, His Style and His Times. N. M. Tripathi. p. 205.