kingdom · South Asia
Vakataka dynasty
Origins
The dynasty was founded in the mid-3rd century by Vindhyashakti in the area of Vidarbha, as the Satavahana dynasty broke up. His son Pravarasena I, the only Vakataka to call himself emperor, performed four horse sacrifices and extended rule across central India and the northern Deccan. After him the realm split into a main branch at Nandivardhana and a western branch at Vatsagulma.
Rule and society
The Vakatakas were Brahmins who patronised Vedic ritual and Shaiva and Vaishnava cults. Rudrasena II married Prabhavatigupta, daughter of Chandragupta II of the Gupta Empire, who ruled as regent after his death. Pravarasena II wrote the Prakrit poem Setubandha and founded Pravarapura. Under Harishena of the Vatsagulma branch, his minister Varahadeva and other nobles sponsored many of the finest caves at Ajanta.
Decline and legacy
After Harishena the Vakatakas vanish suddenly in the late 5th century, for reasons that are unclear. Their lands passed to the Vishnukundina dynasty, the Kalachuris of Mahishmati and the Chalukyas of Badami.
Lineage
On the connections map
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- Vakataka dynasty was a vassal of Gupta Empire385 CE – 410 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Vakataka dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/vakataka-dynasty
- MLA
- “Vakataka dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/vakataka-dynasty. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Vakataka dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/vakataka-dynasty.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Vakataka dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/vakataka-dynasty (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻