Vasudeva I

Vasudeva I
Kushan emperor
Gold coin of Vasudeva I or II.

Obv: Vasudeva in tall helmet, holding a scepter, and making an offering over an altar. Legend in Kushan language and Greek script (with the Kushan letter Ϸ "sh"): ϷΑΟΝΑΝΟϷΑΟ ΒΑΖΟΔΗΟ ΚΟϷΑΝΟ ("Shaonanoshao Bazodeo Koshano"): "King of kings, Vasudeva the Kushan".

Rev: ΟΗϷΟ (oesho), Hindu god Shiva, holding a trisula scepter, with the bull Nandi. Monogram (tamgha) to the left.
[1][2]
Reign191–232 CE
Coronation191 CE
PredecessorHuvishka
SuccessorKanishka II
Born139 AD
Kabul
Died232 AD (91 years)
Ludhiana
Burial232 AD
Spouseunknown
IssueKanishka III Vashishka
Names
Vasudeva I
DynastyKushan
FatherKanishka
Motherunknown
ReligionHinduism[3]
Vasudeva I is located in South Asia
Mamane Dheri
Mamane Dheri
Location of the inscriptions mentioning Vasudeva I as ruler.

Vāsudeva I (Kushano Bactrian: Βαζοδηο Bazodeo; Middle Brahmi: 𑀯𑀸𑀲𑀼𑀤𑁂𑀯; Vā-su-de-va, Chinese: 波調 Bodiao; fl. 200 CE) was a Kushan emperor, last of the "Great Kushans."[4] 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.[4]

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 is refer to Krishna, and he was the first Kushan king to be named after the Indian God. He converted to Hinduism during his reign.[1][5] His name reinforces the notion that his center of power was in Mathura.[4]

  1. ^ a b Coins of India Calcutta : Association Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1922
  2. ^ Pal, Pratapaditya. Indian Sculpture: Circa 500 B.C.-A.D. 700. University of California Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-520-05991-7.
  3. ^ Falk, Harry (1 January 2019). "Kushan religion and politics". Bulletin of the Asia Institute: 1.
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference KR202 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Kumar, Raj (1900). Early history of Jammu region. Gyan Publishing House. p. 477. ISBN 9788178357706.