Prabhakaravardhana was a king of the Pushyabhuti dynasty of Thanesar in northern India around the time of the decline of the Gupta Empire. He was the first notable king of the Vardhana dynasty and the fourth ruler of the dynasty. His reign lasted approximately from 580 to 605 CE. He was preceded by his father, Maharaja Adityavardhana; his grandfather, Maharaja Rajyavardhana I; and his great-grandfather, Maharaja Naravardhana. They were feudatory rulers under the Gupta or Hun kings.
He was the first in his dynasty to assume the title Parambhattaraka Maharajadhiraja, which means "Lord of Great Kings". According to Banabhatta's Harshacharita, he achieved success against the Huns, Sindhus, Gurjars, Gandhars, Lats, and Malwas, though this account contains some exaggerations. He conquered neighbouring Malwas, the Hun-held territories of Punjab, and parts of Gurjar-held Rajputana, but there is no evidence that he sent expeditions against the distant regions of Sindh, Lat, or Gujarat.
His mother, Mahasenagupta, was the daughter of King Damodar Gupta of Magadha. He was married to Yasomati, the daughter of King Yashodharman of Malwa and the sister of King Shiladitya of Malwa. They had three children: Rajyavardhana, Harsha, and Rajyashri. He married his daughter, Rajyashri, to Grahavarman, the king of the Maukhari dynasty of Kannauj, thereby creating a powerful political alliance in North India. He died in 605 CE.
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