Vardhana Dynasty Top 100 MCQs With Answer and Explanation

1. The Vardhana dynasty is also called the ____________.
A) Pushyabhuti dynasty
B) Kanva dynasty
C) Gupta dynasty
D) Satavahana dynasty

2. The capital of the Pushyabhutis (later Vardhanas) was ____________.
A) Pataliputra
B) Thanesar
C) Kanauj
D) Ujjain

3. The most powerful ruler of the Vardhana dynasty was ____________.
A) Prabhakaravardhana
B) Rajyavardhana
C) Harshavardhana
D) Adityavardhana

4. Harshavardhana ascended the throne in ____________.
A) 606 CE
B) 550 CE
C) 647 CE
D) 750 CE

5. Harsha belonged to which gotra?
A) Bharadvaja
B) Vishwamitra
C) Kashyapa
D) Vasishtha

6. Harsha’s father was ____________.
A) Rajyavardhana
B) Prabhakaravardhana
C) Adityavardhana
D) Baladitya

7. Harsha’s elder brother was ____________.
A) Devagupta
B) Rajyavardhana
C) Grahavarman
D) Vasudeva

8. Harsha’s sister was married to ____________.
A) Sasanka of Gauda
B) Pulakesin II
C) Grahavarman of Maukhari dynasty
D) Devabhuti

9. Who killed Grahavarman, Harsha’s brother-in-law?
A) Devagupta of Malwa
B) Sasanka of Gauda
C) Both A and B
D) Pulakesin II

10. Harsha’s first major political mission was ____________.
A) Rescue of his sister Rajyashri
B) Defeat of Pulakesin II
C) Annexation of Bengal
D) Conquest of Magadha

11. Harsha initially ruled from ____________.
A) Pataliputra
B) Thanesar
C) Ujjain
D) Kannauj

12. Harsha shifted his capital from Thanesar to ____________.
A) Prayag
B) Kannauj
C) Pataliputra
D) Kashi

13. Harsha tried to revive the glory of ____________.
A) Mauryan empire
B) Gupta empire
C) Satavahanas
D) Cholas

14. Harsha’s empire included:
A) Entire South India
B) Most of North India
C) Punjab only
D) Only Magadha

15. Harsha assumed which imperial title?
A) Chakravartin
B) Maharajadhiraja
C) Parameshwara
D) Devaputra

16. Who described Harsha as the last great Hindu emperor of India?
A) Kalidasa
B) Banabhatta
C) Hieun Tsang (Xuanzang)
D) Alberuni

17. Harsha’s accession took place at the age of ____________.
A) 12 years
B) 16 years
C) 20 years
D) 25 years

18. Harsha belonged to which region?
A) Bengal
B) Magadha
C) Thanesar (modern Haryana)
D) Gujarat

19. Harsha’s contemporary in South India was ____________.
A) Rajaraja Chola
B) Pulakesin II of Chalukyas
C) Krishnadevaraya
D) Satakarni

20. The famous battle between Harsha and Pulakesin II took place on ____________.
A) Narmada river
B) Ganga river
C) Yamuna river
D) Godavari river

21. Harsha ruled approximately for ____________.
A) 20 years
B) 41 years
C) 60 years
D) 10 years

22. The dynasty before the Vardhanas in north India was ____________.
A) Guptas
B) Mauryas
C) Shungas
D) Kanvas

23. Harsha’s empire included all except ____________.
A) Magadha
B) Bengal
C) Punjab
D) Deccan south of Narmada

24. Harsha’s sister Rajyashri later became a follower of ____________.
A) Jainism
B) Shaivism
C) Buddhism
D) Vaishnavism

25. Harsha was succeeded by ____________.
A) His son
B) His brother
C) No direct heir
D) His minister

26. Harsha expanded his empire mainly in ____________.
A) Deccan and South India
B) Western India and Sindh
C) Northern India, Bengal and Assam
D) Kashmir and Afghanistan

27. Harsha’s authority extended from ____________.
A) Himalayas to Narmada
B) Himalayas to Krishna river
C) Punjab to Tamil Nadu
D) Bengal to Afghanistan

28. Harsha attempted to conquer the Deccan but was checked by ____________.
A) Satavahanas
B) Pallavas
C) Pulakesin II of Chalukyas
D) Rashtrakutas

29. The battle between Harsha and Pulakesin II was described in ____________.
A) Banabhatta’s Harshacharita
B) Aihole Inscription of Pulakesin II
C) Hieun Tsang’s account
D) Allahabad Pillar Inscription

30. Harsha shifted his capital from Thanesar to ____________.
A) Ayodhya
B) Prayaga
C) Kannauj
D) Ujjain

31. Harsha’s empire at its peak included ____________.
A) Punjab, Bengal, Odisha, Kashmir, Magadha
B) Entire Deccan peninsula
C) Only Gangetic plains
D) Gujarat and Maharashtra

32. Harsha divided his empire into ____________.
A) Provinces → Districts → Villages
B) Mandalas → Rashtras → Vishayas
C) Both A and B (regional variations)
D) Tribes → Villages → Janapadas

33. Harsha personally supervised ____________.
A) Agriculture
B) Revenue collection
C) Justice and charity
D) Foreign trade

34. The chief source of revenue in Harsha’s empire was ____________.
A) Land revenue
B) Customs duty
C) Loot and plunder
D) Salt tax

35. Harsha spent a large portion of state revenue on ____________.
A) Army and fortifications
B) Public welfare and charity
C) Trade expeditions
D) Temple building

36. Harsha organized assemblies at ____________.
A) Prayag (Allahabad)
B) Ujjain
C) Kashi
D) Pataliputra

37. Harsha’s administration can be compared with ____________.
A) Mauryan highly centralized rule
B) Gupta semi-feudal system
C) Mughal mansabdari system
D) British ICS

38. Harsha maintained a large ____________.
A) Standing navy
B) Standing cavalry and infantry army
C) Professional bureaucracy like Mauryas
D) Tribal militia

39. The size of Harsha’s army according to Xuanzang was ____________.
A) 20,000 cavalry, 60,000 infantry, 5,000 elephants
B) 50,000 cavalry, 100,000 infantry, 10,000 elephants
C) 10,000 cavalry, 30,000 infantry, 2,000 elephants
D) 1,00,000 cavalry, 2,00,000 infantry, 20,000 elephants

40. Harsha maintained diplomatic contacts with which foreign ruler?
A) Justinian I of Byzantine empire
B) Khalid ibn al-Walid of Arabs
C) Khosrow II of Persia
D) Tang emperor of China

41. The Chinese pilgrim who visited Harsha’s court was ____________.
A) Faxian
B) Xuanzang (Hieun Tsang)
C) I-Tsing
D) Al-Biruni

42. The Indian king who sent an embassy to Harsha’s court was ____________.
A) Satakarni of Satavahanas
B) Bhaskaravarman of Kamarupa
C) Pulakesin II
D) Rajaraja Chola

43. Harsha’s empire declined because ____________.
A) He had no heir
B) He lost to Pulakesin II
C) Local rulers asserted independence
D) All of the above

44. Harsha’s court was known for ____________.
A) Military grandeur
B) Literary and cultural patronage
C) Trade monopolies
D) Jain councils

45. Harsha is remembered as a ____________.
A) Conqueror only
B) Builder of an all-India empire
C) Patron of culture, religion and welfare
D) Anti-Buddhist king

46. The quinquennial assemblies at Prayag lasted for ____________.
A) 3 days
B) 7 days
C) 21 days
D) 75 days

47. Harsha’s relations with Bengal were hostile because of ____________.
A) Sasanka of Gauda
B) Bhaskaravarman of Kamarupa
C) Gupta rulers
D) Satavahanas

48. Harsha’s rule was more ____________.
A) Religious and benevolent
B) Militaristic and expansionist
C) Mercantile and profit-driven
D) Maritime-oriented

49. The extent of Harsha’s empire was comparable to ____________.
A) Mauryas under Ashoka
B) Guptas under Chandragupta II
C) Satavahanas under Gautamiputra Satakarni
D) Cholas under Rajendra I

50. The significance of Harsha’s administration lies in ____________.
A) Attempt to unify northern India after Guptas
B) Patronage of welfare and assemblies
C) Balance between Brahmanism and Buddhism
D) All of the above

51. Harsha in his early life followed ____________.
A) Jainism
B) Shaivism (Hinduism)
C) Buddhism
D) Vaishnavism

52. In later life, Harsha became a follower of ____________.
A) Jainism
B) Hinayana Buddhism
C) Mahayana Buddhism
D) Pure Vaishnavism

53. Harsha organized great religious assemblies at ____________.
A) Prayag, Kannauj and Nalanda
B) Ujjain, Taxila and Sanchi
C) Pataliputra, Bodh Gaya and Vaishali
D) Ayodhya, Kashi and Gaya

54. The most famous assembly organized by Harsha was at ____________.
A) Prayag
B) Kannauj
C) Nalanda
D) Sanchi

55. The Prayag assemblies organized by Harsha were held every ____________.
A) Year
B) 5 years
C) 10 years
D) 12 years

56. At Prayag, Harsha donated ____________.
A) Half of his income
B) Entire state revenue of the year
C) A fourth of his revenue
D) Only symbolic gifts

57. Harsha built monasteries at ____________.
A) Nalanda
B) Nalanda and Bodh Gaya
C) Nalanda, Kashi and Ujjain
D) Mathura and Ayodhya

58. Xuanzang (Hieun Tsang) came to India during Harsha’s reign in ____________.
A) 399 CE
B) 629 CE
C) 712 CE
D) 1017 CE

59. Xuanzang stayed in India for about ____________.
A) 3 years
B) 8 years
C) 12 years
D) 16 years

60. Xuanzang described Harsha as ____________.
A) Harsh and tyrannical
B) A just and benevolent ruler
C) A weak king
D) An expansionist only

61. The biography of Harsha, Harshacharita, was written by ____________.
A) Banabhatta
B) Kalidasa
C) Dandin
D) Amarasimha

62. Banabhatta also wrote ____________.
A) Kadambari
B) Raghuvamsha
C) Kiratarjuniya
D) Swapnavasavadatta

63. Harsha himself wrote plays in ____________.
A) Prakrit
B) Sanskrit
C) Pali
D) Tamil

64. The three plays attributed to Harsha are ____________.
A) Abhijnanashakuntalam, Raghuvamsha, Meghaduta
B) Ratnavali, Priyadarshika, Nagananda
C) Mudrarakshasa, Mrichhakatika, Kadambari
D) Panchatantra, Hitopadesha, Kathasaritasagara

65. Harsha’s plays focus on ____________.
A) Love and romance
B) Religious and social themes
C) Both A and B
D) Purely political propaganda

66. The main university that flourished under Harsha’s patronage was ____________.
A) Takshashila
B) Vallabhi
C) Nalanda
D) Vikramashila

67. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang studied at ____________.
A) Takshashila
B) Nalanda
C) Vallabhi
D) Amaravati

68. Harsha’s reign is called a ____________.
A) Political Golden Age
B) Cultural Golden Age
C) Scientific Golden Age
D) Dark Age

69. The religion that received maximum royal patronage under Harsha was ____________.
A) Jainism
B) Mahayana Buddhism
C) Shaivism
D) Vaishnavism

70. Harsha also maintained religious tolerance towards ____________.
A) Shaivism
B) Vaishnavism
C) Jainism
D) All of the above

71. Harsha’s religious assemblies were attended by ____________.
A) Monks of only Buddhism
B) Scholars of all religions
C) Only Shaivite Brahmanas
D) Only Jain monks

72. Xuanzang’s account of India is known as ____________.
A) Si-yu-ki (Records of the Western World)
B) Arthashastra
C) Tarikh-i-Hind
D) Rajatarangini

73. Xuanzang praised the Gupta and Vardhana periods mainly for ____________.
A) Military expansion
B) Prosperity and religious harmony
C) Maritime trade
D) Naval supremacy

74. Harsha’s reign ended in ____________.
A) 606 CE
B) 647 CE
C) 550 CE
D) 712 CE

75. The main legacy of Harsha’s reign was ____________.
A) A vast political empire
B) Cultural and religious patronage
C) Military conquest of South India
D) Establishment of Islam in India

76. Harsha died in ____________.
A) 606 CE
B) 620 CE
C) 647 CE
D) 700 CE

77. Harsha died without ____________.
A) A capital city
B) A treasury
C) A male heir
D) A successor dynasty

78. After Harsha’s death, Kannauj was captured by ____________.
A) Arabs
B) Chalukyas
C) Yashovarman of Kannauj
D) Sasanka

79. Harsha’s empire disintegrated mainly because ____________.
A) External invasions
B) Weak administration
C) Absence of an heir and strong successors
D) Religious intolerance

80. Which foreign power attempted to invade during Harsha’s time?
A) Arabs
B) Tibetans
C) Chinese
D) Persians

81. Harsha’s failure to conquer the Deccan was due to____________.
A) Lack of army
B) Defeat by Pulakesin II of Chalukyas
C) Buddhist leanings
D) Roman interference

82. The Aihole inscription describes____________.
A) Ashoka’s conquests
B) Chandragupta’s expansion
C) Pulakesin II’s victory over Harsha
D) Nalanda’s founding

83. After Harsha’s death, North India entered a period known as____________.
A) Age of Imperial Guptas
B) Age of Small Kingdoms
C) Delhi Sultanate period
D) Harsha-Rajput era

84. The “Tripartite Struggle” for Kannauj (later) involved____________.
A) Palas, Pratiharas, Rashtrakutas
B) Guptas, Shungas, Kanvas
C) Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas
D) Arabs, Turks, Afghans

85. Harsha’s death marked the end of____________.
A) Buddhism in India
B) Political unity in North India
C) Gupta era
D) Indo-Greek contacts

86. The main source of information on Harsha’s political career is____________.
A) Arthashastra
B) Harshacharita by Banabhatta
C) Rajatarangini
D) Indica by Megasthenes

87. The main foreign source for Harsha’s reign is____________.
A) Fa-Hien
B) Xuanzang (Hieun Tsang)
C) Al-Biruni
D) Ibn Battuta

88. Harsha’s assemblies symbolized____________.
A) His love for war
B) His support for Buddhism and religious tolerance
C) Tax collection rituals
D) Military parades

89. Harsha’s legacy includes____________.
A) Patronage of Nalanda
B) Promotion of Sanskrit literature
C) Model of welfare state in ancient India
D) All of the above

90. Harsha’s literary contributions (plays) show his interest in____________.
A) Science
B) Drama and religion
C) Politics
D) Warfare

91. Which religion gained maximum state support under Harsha?
A) Shaivism
B) Mahayana Buddhism
C) Jainism
D) Vaishnavism

92. Which king invited Xuanzang to India?
A) Ashoka
B) Kanishka
C) Harshavardhana
D) Chandragupta II

93. Harsha is often called the last great Hindu emperor of North India because____________.
A) He united the south also
B) He controlled entire India
C) He was the last Indian ruler before Islamic invasions to unify large parts of North India
D) He converted to Islam

94. The Chinese sources describe Harsha as a ruler who____________.
A) Was cruel
B) Was benevolent and just
C) Was indifferent to Buddhism
D) Ignored foreign relations

95. Harsha’s failure against Pulakesin II is important because____________.
A) It preserved Deccan independence
B) It destroyed Chalukya power
C) It ended Buddhism in south India
D) It led to Harsha’s assassination

96. Harsha’s quinquennial assemblies highlight____________.
A) Centralized taxation
B) Tradition of royal charity
C) Royal extravagance
D) Military recruitment

97. Harsha’s rule was different from Mauryas because____________.
A) Mauryas had a centralized bureaucracy, Harsha relied on feudal lords
B) Mauryas patronized Buddhism, Harsha patronized Shaivism
C) Mauryas ruled south India, Harsha ruled only north
D) Harsha had a stronger navy than Mauryas

98. The most striking feature of Harsha’s rule was____________.
A) Maritime trade
B) Religious tolerance and charity
C) Feudal exploitation
D) Decline of Sanskrit literature

99. Harsha’s reign represents____________.
A) The peak of Indian feudalism
B) The last phase of ancient Indian empire building before medieval era
C) The rise of Delhi Sultanate
D) The decline of Buddhism

100. The Vardhana dynasty is important in Indian history because____________.
A) It marked India’s first empire
B) It represented the last great Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of ancient North India
C) It ruled for 500 years
D) It destroyed Nalanda