Who among the following historical figures was Mihirakula?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: A Huna (Hunnic) invader and ruler

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the foreign invasions and political developments in early medieval India. Mihirakula is often mentioned in historical narratives as a fierce ruler associated with the Hunas (or Huns), whose incursions disturbed the post Gupta political order in north western India. Recognising his identity helps place the Huna invasions on the timeline of Indian history.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The question asks who Mihirakula was.
  • The options include different types of rulers and a pilgrim: Indo Greek, Huna, Chinese pilgrim and Saka.
  • We assume that Mihirakula is a specific personal name linked to one of these groups.
  • The task is to match him correctly with his historical affiliation.


Concept / Approach:
The main concept is to recall that the Hunas or Huns invaded north western India during the late Gupta period and afterwards. Mihirakula is described in some sources as a powerful and harsh Huna ruler who persecuted Buddhists in certain regions. He is not an Indo Greek or Saka king, nor a Chinese pilgrim; those labels belong to other historical figures. Therefore, the correct identification is that he was a Huna invader and ruler.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise the name Mihirakula as belonging to the period of Huna invasions. Step 2: Recall that Hunas entered India in the fifth and sixth centuries CE and challenged the Gupta Empire. Step 3: Historical accounts mention Toramana and his son Mihirakula as notable Huna rulers. Step 4: Compare this with the options: Indo Greek and Saka rulers belong to earlier centuries; Chinese pilgrims such as Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang have very different names. Step 5: Conclude that Mihirakula was a Huna invader and ruler.


Verification / Alternative check:
Histories of the Gupta decline and early medieval north India routinely list Mihirakula as a Huna king. They describe his campaigns, his reputed cruelty and his defeat by Indian powers, including the rulers of Kashmir and Malwa. Indo Greek rulers, by contrast, have names like Menander or Demetrius, and Chinese pilgrims like Fa Hien or Xuanzang are clearly very different personalities. This confirms that the Huna identity is correct.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
An Indo-Greek ruler: Indo Greek kings ruled parts of north western India much earlier, around the second to first centuries BCE, and had different names and cultural affiliations.
A Chinese Buddhist pilgrim: Well known Chinese pilgrims include Fa Hien and Xuanzang, who visited India to study Buddhism and record their travels, not Mihirakula.
A Saka (Scythian) ruler: Saka or Scythian rulers also controlled parts of western India earlier, but Mihirakula is specifically associated with the Hunas, not the Sakas.


Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes lump together various foreign groups such as Indo Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas and Hunas, treating them as one broad category and mixing up individual names. Another pitfall is confusing foreign rulers with Chinese pilgrims, simply because both appear in the same historical chapters. A good strategy is to link Mihirakula with the late Gupta period and Huna invasions, keeping Indo Greek and Saka rulers in separate, earlier brackets in your mental timeline.


Final Answer:
Mihirakula was a Huna (Hunnic) invader and ruler in early medieval India.

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