Kushan Empire
Kushan kingdom founded in the Ist century AD in Bactria, now in Afghanistan and spread to the north-western and northern India.
Scholars believe that the Kushans were originated in a central-Asia. Chinese records and its Han dynasty records described that a tribe named Xiongnu defeated the Yuezhi tribe and forced them to leave their territory who lived north-western Chinese border. Then this Yuezhi tribe went westward and defeated another tribe Wusun. When Yuezhi spread, in Fergana and Sogdiana, they came to face with a tribe Saka, they defeated and displaced them.
Then again around 155 BC, Xiongnu with the help of Wusun defeated Yuezhi and forced them to leave their territories. Yuezhi came southward where they again faced and defeated Saka who had settled there after their first defeat from Yuezhi. Again displaced, Saka left their place and went further southward in Bactria, Afghanistan and South-west Persia.
This Yuezhi tribe then divided into five branches and one of them called Kushan. They formed the Kushan empire which ruled from 30 AD to 375AD. The rulers of the Kushan empire are-
Kujula Kadphises: Ruled from 30–80 AD. Hs is considered to be the founder of the Kushan kingdom. He attacked the other branches of Yuezhi and made them his subordinates and declared himself king. He conquered the territories from Iran and to Jhelum river India.
Vima Taktu: 80–95 AD. He expanded his kingdom to the north-west and north India.
Vima Kadphises: 95–127AD. He was the father the famous kushan king Kanishk.
Kanishka: He was the most powerful ruler of the Kushan empire from 127–140 AD. Kushan’s replaced the Parthians and Saka rulers who ruled Indian Subcontinent at that time. The extent of his empire was from south Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to whole of north-west and north India including Kashmir and perhaps Pataliputra. He was a follower of Buddhism and contributed in spreading Buddhism to china and Central Asia. Fourth Buddhist council was held in Kashmir in Kanishka’s rules where Buddhism was divided into two parts, Heenayana and Mahayana. It had two capitals, Purushpur now Peshawar and mathura. Charak a medical scientist of ancient India belongs to Kanishka’s rule. Gandhar, Indo-Greek, school of art and Mathura school of art developed in his rule.
Vashisk: He ruled from 140–160 AD.
Huvishka: 160–190AD. He put most of his time in controlling his kingdom and exertion his power over the territories he had.
Vasudeva I: He ruled from 190–230 AD and was the last great ruler of the Kushan empire.
Other rulers of Kushans
After Kushan lost their territory in Bactria to Sassanians, an empire of Iran, and in Mathura to Guptas, an Indian empire, several Kushans ruled in Punjab region of India. Probably they were the vassals of the Gupta empire until Hunas, another tribe, invaded their territories and ended their rule.
