Narendradeva
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Narendradeva or Narendra Deva was a Licchavi king who ruled from 643 to 679. He was the son of Uday Deva. He initiated diplomatic relations with the Chinese emperor and oversaw the development of Nepal as a trade gateway between India and Tibet. Nepal in the reign of Narendra Deva was generally seen as a prosperous and powerful country. With the improved relation with China and Tibet, it was seen as a thriving centre by serving as a gateway from India to China for all kinds of people. It was around this time the art of paper making was introduced to Nepal from China. Nepal exported some finest quality handmade paper, along with musk, orpiment, blankets, etc. to India.


Early life

Narendra Deva's father, Uday Deva, was ousted by his brother Dhruv Deva, and Jishnu Gupta in around 624 C.E. The family of Uday Deva fled to Tibet. After some time, an absolute rule of Jishnu Gupta started in Nepal which was succeeded by the joint rule of Bishnu Gupta, the son of Jishnu Gupta, and Bhimarjuna Deva, the son of Dhruv Deva. Narendra Deva, with the
Tibetan Empire The Tibetan Empire (,) was an empire centered on the Tibetan Plateau, formed as a result of expansion under the Yarlung dynasty heralded by its 33rd king, Songtsen Gampo, in the 7th century. It expanded further under the 38th king, Trisong De ...
's help, reclaimed his ancestral throne from them in around 643 C.E.


Battle against Arunasva

In around 648 C.E., an envoy from China,
Wang Xuance Wang Xuance (, fl. 7th century) was a Chinese diplomat, military general, and travel writer. In 643 CE he went on a pilgrimage to India, together with Li Yibiao. Due to Tibet's aggressive stance, which threatened both Chinese and Indian states, ...
arrived in India. Upon his arrival, he discovered that the King
Harsha Harshavardhana (Sanskrit: हर्षवर्धन; 4 June 590 – 647) was an emperor of Kannauj from April 606 until his death in 647. He was the king of Thanesar who had defeated the Alchon Huns, and the younger brother of Rajyava ...
had died the previous year and Arunasva had usurped the throne. Arunasva attacked the emissaries and confiscated their gifts. After
Wang Xuance Wang Xuance (, fl. 7th century) was a Chinese diplomat, military general, and travel writer. In 643 CE he went on a pilgrimage to India, together with Li Yibiao. Due to Tibet's aggressive stance, which threatened both Chinese and Indian states, ...
fled from India, a joint force of 7,000 Nepalese
mounted infantry Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. Unlike cavalry, mounted infantry dismounted to fight on foot. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Editio ...
and 1,200 Tibetian infantries attacked Arunasva, captured him with his family and carried them off to China. Around 2000 prisoners were taken from Magadha by the Nepali and Tibetan forces under Wang. This event, along with the regular exchanges of emissaries, helped to improve the relations with Nepal and Tibet.


Personal life

Narendra Deva adopted the same royal title (''paramabhattaraka maharajadhiraj'') as
Amshuverma Amshuverma or Amshu Verma () was a king of Nepal from around 605–621 CE. Initially a feudal lord, he rose to the position of ''Mahasamanta'' (equivalent to prime minister) in about 598 CE when Shivadeva I of the Licchavi dynasty was the ru ...
and was a devotee of Lord Shiva. According to a legend, he retired to a monastery in his old age and was succeeded on the throne by his son Shivadeva II.


References

7th-century Nepalese people Licchavi kings of Nepal 7th-century monarchs {{Nepal-royal-stub