Kanva Dynasty (73 BCE to 28 BCE)| Important Facts

Kanva Dynasty (73 BCE to 28 BCE)

Kanva Dynasty spanned from 73 BC to 28 BC. The capital of the Kanva dynasty was Patliputra. Although the Puranic literature indicates that the Kanva Dynasty ruled from the former capital of the Shunga Empire in Patliputra, their coins are primarily found in and around the region of Vidisha in Central India, which had also been the capital of later Shunga rulers.

• The last ruler of the Sunga Dynasty, Devabhuti was murdered in 73 BCE and a new dynasty called Kanva Dynasty was founded by Vasudeva.
• Vasudeva was Devabhuti’s minister.
• The Kanva Dynasty lasted till 28 BCE.
• Supposed to be a descendent of Rishi Kanva and ruled from Pataliputra.
• Also described as the Sungabhrityas (literally meaning ‘servants of the Sungas’).
• They made way for the Mitras in c. 30 BCE, who were eventually dislodged by the Shakas in Magadha.
• The other kings of the Kanva Dynasty were Bhumimitra, Narayana, and Susharman.
• The Kanva Dynasty was put to an end by the ruler of the Satavahana Dynasty.

When Magadha was under Kanvas, it had further lost its territories in west to ever strong Greeks and in east to different rulers such as Kosala Kingdom {set up by Muladeva after killing one Sunga remnant called Sumitra}.

The Kanva ruler allowed the kings of the Shunga dynasty to continue to rule in obscurity in a corner of their former dominions.

Vasudeva Kanva

• Devabhuti was killed by his own amatya (minister) Vasudeva Kanva around 73 BC and Magadha passed to Kanvas who were Brahmins by origin.
• By the end of Sunga Empire in 73 BC, their territory had narrowed down to some parts of Central India only between Ujjain, Mathura, Saket, Sanchi, and Kapilvastu.
• Bana, the 7th-century Sanskrit author, gives details of an assassination plot that cost Devabhumi his life and brought Vasudeva to power in about 72 BCE.
• At the time of Vasudeva Kanva’s accession, the Shunga kingdom was already finished as the Punjab region was under the Greeks and most parts of the Gangetic planes was under different rulers.

Major Rulers of Kanva Dynasty

The major rulers during that phase were:

• There were four Kanva rulers. According to the Puranas, their dynasty was brought to an end by the Satavahanas in 28 BCE.
• The first ruler of the Kanva dynasty was Vasudeva after whose Gotra the dynasty was named. 
• He was succeeded by his son Bhumimitra.
• Bhumimitra ruled for fourteen years and was later succeeded by his son Narayana. Narayana ruled for twelve years. He was succeeded by his son Susharman who was the last king of the Kanva dynasty.
• Coins bearing the legend Bhumimitra have been discovered from Panchala realm.
• Copper coins with the legend “Kanvasya” have also been found from Vidisha, as well as Kaushambi in the Vatsa realm. 
• According to some scholars, the last Kanva ruler Susharman was overthrown by a successor of Simuka of the Satavahana dynasty.