Vasudeva I
Vāsudeva I (Vā-su-de-va, Chinese: 波調 Bodiao; fl. 200 CE) was a Kushan emperor, last of the "Great Kushans."[1] Named inscriptions dating from year 64 to 98 of Kanishka's era suggest his reign extended from at least 191 to 232 CE. He ruled in Northern India and Central Asia, where he minted coins in the city of Balkh (Bactria). He probably had to deal with the rise of the Sasanians and the first incursions of the Kushano-Sasanians in the northwest of his territory.[1]
The last named inscription of his predecessor, Huvishka, was in the year 60 of the Kanishka era (187 CE), and the Chinese evidence suggests he was still ruling as late as 229 CE.
His name "Vāsudeva", is that of the popular Hindu God Vāsudeva, which refers to Krishna, and he was the first Kushan king to be named after the Indian God. He converted to Hinduism during his reign.[2][3] His name reinforces the notion that his center of power was in Mathura.[1]
Several Buddhist statues are dated to the reign of Vasudeva, and are important markers for the chronology of Buddhist art.
Contacts with China
In the Chinese historical chronicle Sanguozhi (三國志), he is recorded to have sent tribute to the Chinese emperor Cao Rui of the Wei in 229 CE (3rd year of Taihe 太和):
- "The king of the Da Yuezhi, Bodiao (波調) (Vāsudeva), sent his envoy to present tribute and His Majesty granted him a title of "King of the Da Yuezhi Intimate with Wei (魏)"." (Sanguozhi)
He is the last Kushan ruler to be mentioned in Chinese sources.[1] His rule corresponds to the retreat of Chinese power from Central Asia, and it is thought that Vasudeva may have filled the power vacuum in that area.[1] The great expansion of the Dharmaguptaka Buddhist group in Central Asia during this period has also been related to this event.
Further reading
Vasudeva I, Wikipedia
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). From the Kushans to the Western Turks
. p. 202.
- ↑ Coins of India Calcutta : Association Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1922
- ↑ Kumar, Raj (1900). Early history of Jammu region. Gyan Publishing House. p. 477. ISBN 9788178357706.