Kanishka II

Kanishka II (Brahmi: Kā-ṇi-ṣka) was one of the emperors of the Kushan Empire from around 225–245 CE. He succeeded Vasudeva I who is considered to be the last great Kushan emperor.[1]

Kanishka II
Kushan emperor
Coin with a depiction of Kanishka II.
Reign200–222 CE
PredecessorVasudeva I
SuccessorVasishka
Kushan Empire
30 CE–350 CE
Heraios1-30 CE
Kujula Kadphises50–90 CE
Vima Takto90-113 CE
Vima Kadphises113-127 CE
Kanishka I127-151 CE
Huvishka151-190 CE
Vasudeva I190-230 CE
Kanishka II230-247 CE
Vāsishka247-267 CE
Kanishka III267-270 CE
Vasudeva II270-300 CE
Mahi300-305 CE
Shaka305-335 CE
Kipunada335-350 CE

Rule

While he upheld Kushan rule in northern India, it is likely that Kanishka II lost the western part of his empire, namely Bactria/Tokharistan to the Sasanian Shapur I (240-272 CE), whose conquests would be consolidated by the Kushano-Sassanians.[1] In his inscriptions at Naqsh-e Rostam Shapur now claimed that he controlled the realm of the Kushans (Kūšān šahr) “up to Purushapura” (Peshawar), suggesting that he may have expanding even beyond the Hindu-Kush at the expense of the Kushans.[1] The rock inscription at Rag-i-Bibi further support this view.[1]

Several overstrikes by the Kushano-Sasanian Peroz I Kushanshah over coins of Kanishka II are known, and it is from the time of Peroz that the first Kushano-Sasanian coins were issued south of the Hindu-Kush.[2]

Kanishka II may have retaken control of Gandhara at one point, as well as Kapiśa, and there are suggestions that following these successes he may have created a second Era of Kanishka in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the original one.[1]

Coinage and dated statuary
  • Coin of Kanishka II with lord shiva .
  • Kanishka II with Ardoksho.
  • Statue of Hariti from Skarah Dheri, Gandhara, with the inscription "Year 399", probably in the Yavana era, hence 244 CE.[3]
gollark: But they could, I don't know, pass it onto employees/other companies, and they could... blackmail you, pass it onto repressive governments, who knows.
gollark: Well, that's unlikely.
gollark: I mean, I expect to live for a while, maybe we'll have some way to work around stupid stuff like "aging" before I would otherwise die.
gollark: OR IS IT?
gollark: I haven't ever died, so I don't care about the possibility of death.

References
  1. Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). From the Kushans to the Western Turks. p. 202.
  2. Cribb 2018, p. 20-21.
  3. Problems of Chronology in Gandharan Art pp.35-51, 2017

Sources
Preceded by
Vasudeva I		 Kushan Ruler Succeeded by
Vasishka


  1. From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
  2. An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442
  3. A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010
  4. Cribb, Joe; Donovan, Peter (2014). Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins A Catalogue of Coins From the American Numismatic Society by David Jongeward and Joe Cribb with Peter Donovan. p. 4.
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