c. 590-647

Indian ruler who created the only stable kingdom in the densely populated northern part of the subcontinent between the fall of the Gupta Empire in 540 and the first Arab invasions nearly two centuries later. Though he was primarily a conqueror, Harsha established a realm in which the arts flourished. He fostered the Buddhist faith, serving as host to the Chinese pilgrim Hsüan-tsang (602-664), and wrote several plays. His empire, however, did not long outlast him.