| Vasudeva I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kushan emperor | |||||
 Gold coin of Vasudeva I or II. Obv: Vasudeva in tall helmet, holding a scepter, and making an offering over an altar. Legend in Kushan language and Greek script (with the Kushan letter Ϸ "sh"): ϷΑΟΝΑΝΟϷΑΟ ΒΑΖΟΔΗΟ ΚΟϷΑΝΟ ("Shaonanoshao Bazodeo Koshano"): "King of kings, Vasudeva the Kushan". | |||||
| Reign | 191–232 CE | ||||
| Coronation | 191 CE | ||||
| Predecessor | Huvishka | ||||
| Successor | Kanishka II | ||||
| Born | 139 AD Kabul | ||||
| Died | 232 AD (91 years) Ludhiana | ||||
| Burial | 232 AD | ||||
| Spouse | Unknown | ||||
| Issue | Kanishka IIIVashishka | ||||
| |||||
| Dynasty | Kushan | ||||
| Father | Kanishka | ||||
| Mother | unknown | ||||
| Religion | Hinduism[3] | ||||
| Kushan emperors 30 CE–350 CE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vāsudeva I (Kushano Bactrian: ΒαζοδηοBazodeo;Middle Brahmi: 𑀯𑀸𑀲𑀼𑀤𑁂𑀯;Vā-su-de-va,Chinese: 波調Bodiao;fl. 200CE) was aKushan emperor, last of the "Great Kushans."[4] Named inscriptions dating from year 64 to 98 ofKanishka's era suggest his reign extended from at least 191 to 232 CE. He ruled in Northern India and Central Asia, where he minted coins in the city ofBalkh (Bactria). He probably had to deal with the rise of the Sasanians and the first incursions of theKushano-Sasanians in the northwest of his territory.[4]
The last named inscription of his predecessor,Huvishka, was in the year 60 of the Kanishka era (187 CE), and the Chinese evidence suggests he was still ruling as late as 229 CE.
His name "Vāsudeva", is that of the popularHindu GodVāsudeva, which refers toKrishna, and he was the first Kushan king to be named after the Indian God. He converted toHinduism during his reign.[1][5] His name reinforces the notion that his center of power was inMathura.[4]
In the Chinese historical chronicleSanguozhi (三國志), he is recorded to have sent tribute to the Chinese emperorCao Rui of theWei in 229 CE (3rd year of Taihe 太和), :
He is the last Kushan ruler to be mentioned in Chinese sources.[4] His rule corresponds to the retreat of Chinese power fromCentral Asia, and it is thought that Vasudeva may have filled the power vacuum in that area.[4] The great expansion of theDharmaguptaka Buddhist group in Central Asia during this period has also been related to this event.
The coinage of Vasudeva consisted ingolddinars and quarter dinars, as well ascopper coins. Vasudeva almost entirely removed thepantheon of deities displayed in the coinage ofKanishka andHuvishka. Apart from a few coins with the effigies of Mao and Nana, all of Vasudeva's coins featureOesho on the reverse, who is generally identified asShiva.[1][2] On the obverse, Vasudeva restored the royal imagery of Kanishka, with the standing, making a sacrifice over an altar, although he holds a trident rather than Kanishka's spear and he appearsnimbate. Another trident is sometimes also added over the small sacrificial altar. At the end of his rule, Vasudeva introduced thenandipada symbol (
) on his coinage.[6][7]
Vasudeva I was the last great Kushan emperor, and the end of his rule coincides with the invasion of theSassanians as far as northwestern India, and the establishment of theIndo-Sassanians orKushanshahs from around 240 CE.[4] Vasudeva I may have lost the territory ofBactria with its capital inBalkh toArdashir I Kushanshah. Thereafter, Kushan rule would be restricted to their eastern territories, in western and centralPunjab.
![An imitation of a coin of Vasudeva I, by the Kushano-Sasanian ruler Ardashir I Kushanshah, c. 230 – c. 245 CE.[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aArdashir_I_Kushanshah_in_the_name_of_Vasudeva_circa_230-245_CE.jpg)
![Gold coin of Peroz I Kushanshah (246-275 CE), imitating the design of Vasudeva I, minted at Balkh.[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aPeroz_I_Kushanshah.jpg)
Mahārājasya Devaputrasya Vāsudeva, from the start of the first line).Mathura Museum.Photograph of the pedestal.The relatively peaceful reign of Vasudeva is marked by an important artistic production, in particular in the area of statuary.[4] Several Buddhist statues are dated to the reign of Vasudeva, and are important markers for the chronology ofBuddhist art.[10]
An inscription on the base of theBuddha statue of Vasudeva I is also known from theMathura Museum: "In the 93rd year of Maharaja Devaputra Vasudeva...", probably corresponding toc. 171 CE, or 220 CE with the more recent definition of the Kanishka era as starting in 127 CE.[11] Apartially preserved Sakyamuni statue, also from Mathura, has the date "Year 94", although without mentioning Vasudeva specifically.[12]
Dedications in the name of Vasudeva, with dates, also appear on Jain statuary discovered in Mathura.[13][14]
| Statuary dated to the reign of Vasudeva I | |
| |
![Hashtnagar Buddha, inscribed with "year 384" (probably of the Yavana era), hence 209 CE.[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aHashtnagar_Buddha_Year_384_original_body_only.jpg)
![Pedestal of the Hashtnagar Buddha statue, now in the British Museum, inscribed with "year 384" (probably of the Yavana era), hence 209 CE.[10] The inscription reads in the Kharoshthi script: sam 1 1 1 100 20 20 20 20 4 Prothavadasa masasa divasammi pamcami 4 1 ("In the year 384, on the fifth, 5, day of the month Prausthapada").[15] The pedestal was sawed off from the body of the statue by L. White King in 1883 and brought to the British Museum.[16] British Museum](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aHashtnagar_Buddha_piedestal_Year_384.jpg)
![Mamane Dheri Buddha, inscribed with "Year 89" (probably of the Kanishka era), hence 216 CE.[10] Peshawar Museum.](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMamane_Dheri_sculpture_Year_89.jpg)
![Sakyamuni statue of the "Year 94" (221 CE). Mathura Museum.[17]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSakyamuni_statue_of_the_Year_94.jpg)
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
| Preceded by | Kushan Ruler | Succeeded by |
