Kanishka
Kanishka I ( Greco- Bactrian: ? Κανη ϸ κο; * 53 (); † 126 () AD) was an Indian Great King. His life and government data are unclear, perhaps he reigned from 100 to 126 He was the son of his predecessor Vima Kadphises.
The king of the Kushan dynasty was the most important ruler of the Yuezhi or Tocharians, who built a vast empire in Bactria and Gandhara for Christ's birth. Under Kanishka this flourishing state reached in the beginning of the second century its peak, dominated by Iranian, Indian and Hellenistic influences and as many gods.
However Kanischkas precise place in time is unclear, since he and his successors used a calendar in their inscriptions, which so far can not be connected exactly with fixed data. His government is classified therefore later than the above, for example by Ghirshman to 144-168 AD At least Kanishka has apparently some coins of the Roman emperor Hadrian (reigned 117-138 ) imitated, which speaks for a contemporaneity. His son Huvishka collected after coins of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. 1993 Rabatak inscription was found, the contents of which allow further conclusions about him and his time.
Kanishka enlarged the empire to Turkestan, Kashmir and expanded in North India to Benares. In Turkestan, he shall have the Kushan sovereignty restored. And his predecessor because of a unconcluded Marriage conjunction with the Han in 90 an army against their generals Ban Chao († 102 ) is sent, but nothing lined up, after which he decided to pay tribute. Kanishka hired this tribute performance.
Although the king did homage also Greek, Zoroastrian and Brahmanic deities, but he gained importance especially because of the fourth great Council, which he did (according to other opinions in Kuvana to Jalandhar ) hold in Kashmir. This council represents the beginning of Mahayana Buddhism. The moderators were Vasumitra theologian and the poet Ashvaghosha. Besides Buddhism Kanishka was also the cult of Mithras near.
From the tradition Kanishka is said to have a similar behavior as the former King Ashoka - cruelty in youth and piety in old age. However, Kanishka was not quite so peaceful and gift joyfully as Ashoka four centuries before him. The Legend performs its end back to a popular uprising because of a planned war train, he was nipped in the hospital bed.
In Peshawar, the Kanishka made to its western capital and winter residence, called the Kanishka stupa, a 13 -storey stupa was built. It is one of the tallest buildings in the world at that time. The summer residence was in Begram. In Surkh Kotal in Afghanistan today was a big fire temple, a sanctuary, which was also dedicated to the ruler cult. The local inscriptions were published by Robert Göbl, who occupied himself as a numismatist with the coins of Kanishka.