{{Short description|Maharajadhiraja of Kankaykubja from 550 to 660}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox royalty | succession = Maharajadhiraja of Kanyakubja | image = Maukharis of Kanauj. Isanavarman. Circa AD 535-553.jpg | caption = Coin of King Iśanavarman of the Maukhari of Kanyakubja | title = Maharajadhiraja | reign = {{Circa|550}}–560 | predecessor = Ishvara-varman | successor = [[Sharva-varman]] | father = Ishvara-varman | spouse = Mahadevi Lakshmivati | issue = Sharva-varman, Suryavarman | dynasty = [[Maukhari]] }} '''Iśanavarman''' ([[Gupta script]]: [[File:Ishanavarman in the Asirgarh inscription.jpg|60px]], ''Ī-śā-na-va-rmmā'') was the first independent [[Maukhari dynasty|Maukhari]] king of the Kingdom of [[Kannauj|Kanyakubja]]. He was a very powerful king, and adopted the title of ''Maharajadhiraja''.

==Early life== Ishanavarman was the son of the powerful Maukhari ruler Ishvara-varman (Iśvaravarman) and his queen Devi Upagupta. He was well known for his skill as an archer, particularly against enemy cavalry and elephants. Ishanavarman ascended the throne in 550 CE or 554 CE, probably after his father's death.<ref name="Lal"/><ref name="RST 39">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=39|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}}</ref>

==Reign== The early Maukhari rulers had been on very friendly terms with the [[Later Guptas]], and even conducted marriage alliances between themselves. An example is Ishanavarman's own mother Devi Upagupta, who was married to Ishvara-varman. However, things changed with time under him. Under Ishanavarman, the Maukharis began to assert their independence from the [[Later Guptas]]. Ishanavarman became hostile to the former overlords of the Maukharis, in order to conquer [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].<ref name="Lal">{{cite web |last1=Lal |first1=Avantika |title=Maukhari Dynasty |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Maukhari_Dynasty/ |website=[[World History Encyclopedia]] }}</ref> Ishanavarman revived the Maukhari power, as some prestige was lost during the last years of his father's reign. Ishanavarman's inscriptions describe him as a valiant warrior whose hands were hardened and callused by the repeated use of the bow on the battlefield. His armies are stated to be vast and continuously on the march. The Haraha inscription of Śarva-varman mentions that Ishanavarman inflicted defeat upon the [[History of Andhra Pradesh|Andhras]], Sulikas, and checked the [[Gauda Kingdom|Gaudas]]. The Andhra country was then ruled by the [[Vishnukundina dynasty|Vishnukundinas]]. The Vishnukundina king defeated must have been Indravarman or Vikramendravarman I.<ref name="RST 40">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=40|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Haraha inscription of Isanavarman.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|The Haraha inscription of Isanavarman, discovered near the village of Harara in the [[Barabanki district]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]. The inscription, dated to [[Vikrama Samvat]] 610 (ie 554 CE), records the genealogy of the Maukharis.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=F. w |title=Epigraphia Indica Vol.14 |date=1918 |pages=110-116 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.108415/page/n135/mode/2up}}</ref>]] Ishanavarman in all probability would have taken much pains to reorganize the Maukhari army and make it strong and worthy. His successful campaigns against foes known for their powerful corps - the Andhras for their elephants and the Sulikas for their cavalry - attest to this fact. The Maukharis developed into a prominent and imperial power during his reign. He was also the first Maukhari ruler to adopt the title of ''Maharajadhiraja''.<ref name="Lal"/>

The Mahakuta Pillar inscription claims that [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukya]] [[Kirtivarman I]] defeated the rulers of [[Vanga Kingdom|Vanga]], [[Anga]], [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]], Vattura, [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]], [[Madra|Madraka]], etc.<ref name=":0">Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy: Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cēra Perumāḷs of Makōtai (c. AD 800 - AD 1124).'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 90.</ref> In their northwards expansion, the Chalukyas probably came into conflict with Ishanavarman and suffered a defeat at his hands.<ref name="RST 42">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=42|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}}</ref>

The victories of Ishanavarman increased the political power of the Maukharis and alarmed the [[Later Guptas|Later Gupta]] king Kumaragupta III who defeated Ishanavarman but could not completely crush him.<ref name="Lal"/>

==Personal life== He was married to Mahadevi Lakshmivati, and had two children- Sarvavarman and Suryavarman.<ref name="Lal"/><ref name="RST 44">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}}</ref>

==Succession== Ishanavarman was succeeded by his eldest son [[Sharvavarman]] in 560.<ref name="Lal"/><ref name="RST 44">{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ishanavarman}} [[Category:6th-century Indian monarchs]] [[Category:Kings of Kannauj]] [[Category:Maukhari dynasty]]