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{{short description|Indian clan}}
{{About||the branch of the Licchavis that conquered Nepal in the 4th century CE|Licchavi (kingdom)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
[[File:Buddha's ashes Stupa, Vaishali, Bihar.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Buddha's ashes Stupa built by the ''Licchavis'', [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]].]]
The '''Licchavis''' were a clan amongst the [[Vajji]] [[Mahajanapada]] of [[ancient India]]. [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], the capital and homeland of the Licchavis, was also the capital of the Vajji mahajanapada. It was later occupied by [[Ajatashatru]], who annexed the Vajji territory into his kingdom during the [[Magadha-Vajji war]].<ref>Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra (1972), ''Political History of Ancient India'', University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp. 106–113, 186–90</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kmwwAQAAIAAJ&q=licchavi+homeland&dq=licchavi+homeland | title=An introduction to Nepal | accessdate=27 March 2017 | pages=41| last1=Shaha | first1=Rishikesh | year=2001 }}</ref>{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2016|p=271}}

[[Kautilya]] in his {{IAST|Arthaśāstra}} (ch. XI), describes the Licchavis as a republic ({{IAST|[[gaṇa sangha]]}}), whose leader uses the title of {{IAST|rājā}} ({{IAST|rājaśabdopajīvinah}}). A Buddhist text, the {{IAST|Mahāparinibbāna Suttanta}} refers them as ''Kshatriya''s and one of the claimants of the relics of [[Shakyamuni Buddha]]. They have claimed Kshatriya status themselves.<ref>''Buddhism, Diplomacy, and Trade: The Realignment of Sino-Indian Relations, 600-1400'' by Tansen Sen (2003), p. 58.</ref> According to the {{IAST|Dīgha Nikāya}}, the Licchavis were of the {{IAST|Vasiṣṭha}} gotra.<ref>Thapar, Romila (1984) ''From Lineage to State'', Oxford University Press, Bombay, p. 85</ref> Buhler assumes that, in the [[Manusmriti]] (X.22), the Licchavis are placed in the category of the ''Vratya Kshatriya''s.<ref name="buhler">{{cite book|last=Buhler|first=G.|title=The Laws of Manu|year=2004|publisher=Cosmo Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=81-7755-876-5|page=279|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BcBWxNsK2UoC&pg=PA279&dq=Buhler+laws+of+Manu+Vratya+Vaisya}}</ref><ref name="ganganatha">{{cite book|last=Jha|first=Ganganatha|title=Manusmriti with the 'Manubhāṣya' of Medhātithi, Verse 10.22-23 [Explanatory notes]|year=1920|isbn=81-208-1155-0|url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc201752.html}}</ref>

{{IAST|Buddhaghośa}} in his {{IAST|Paramatthajotikā}}, traced the origin of the Licchavis to Benaras. The date of the establishment of the Licchavi domination over the area consisting of present-day north [[Bihar]] and Terai region of [[Nepal]] is not known. By the time of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha this clan was already well settled in the area around their capital {{IAST|Vaiśālī}}. Buddhist tradition has preserved the names of a number of eminent Licchavis, which include prince Abhyaya, {{IAST|Oṭṭhaddha}} ({{IAST|Mahāli}}), generals, {{IAST|Sīha}} and Ajita, Dummukha and Sunakkhata. The {{IAST|Kalpasūtra}} of {{IAST|Bhadravāhu}} refers to the nine Licchavi {{IAST|gaṇarāja}}s (chieftains) who along with the nine [[Malla (India)|Malla]] {{IAST|gaṇarāja}}s and the eighteen {{IAST|Kāśī}}-{{IAST|Kośala}} {{IAST|gaṇarāja}}s formed a league against [[Magadha]]. The leader of this alliance was [[King Chetaka|Chetaka]], whose sister [[Trishala]] was the mother of [[Mahavira]].<ref>Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra (1972), ''Political History of Ancient India'', University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp.106-113</ref>

==Licchavi administration==
[[File:Anandastupa.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Ananda Stupa, with an [[Asokan pillar]], at [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], the capital city.]]
Only scattered reports of the Licchavi government system survive. The introductory portions of the {{IAST|Cullakalinga Jātaka}} and the {{IAST|Ekapaṇṇa Jātaka}} mention the Licchavi as having 7,707 {{IAST|Rājā}}s. The number is one of convention, and unlikely to have been exact. It does demonstrate that Licchavi, unlike most of its neighbours, was not an absolute monarchy. Ultimate authority rested with the 7,707 ''raja'' who met each year to elect one of their member as ruler and a council of nine to assist him.<ref>Jagdish P. Sharma, ''Republics in ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.– 500 B.C.'', Brill Publishers, 1968, p. 103: "the Licchavis had a council of 9 though the membership of their Assembly numbered 7,707. ... [The Assembly] normally met once a year for important and grave public business."</ref> It was far from a modern [[democracy]], as only a small portion of the Licchavi population qualified to vote. Those with ''raja'' status were only the male heads of households who belonged to the [[kshatriya]] [[varna (Hinduism)|varna]].

The seat of the Licchavi administration was in {{IAST|Vaiśālī}}, the capital of the [[Vajji]]ian confederacy. The {{IAST|Rājā}} was the highest executive and judicial authority.<ref name="mahajan">Mahajan V.D. (1960, reprint 2007). ''Ancient India'', S.Chand & Company, New Delhi, {{ISBN|81-219-0887-6}}, p.227-8</ref> The introductory portion of the {{IAST|Bhaddasāla Jātaka}} mentions a tank, the water of which was used for the {{IAST|Abhiṣeka}} (the coronation) of the {{IAST|Gaṇarāja}}s of {{IAST|Vaiśālī}}. The assembly hall where these {{IAST|Gaṇarāja}}s met for discussion was known as the [[Santhagara|{{IAST|Santhāgāra}}]].<ref name="law">Law, B.C. (2005). ''Kshatriya Clans in Buddhist India'', Ajay Book Service, New Delhi, {{ISBN|81-87077-55-7}}, pp.107–23</ref>

===The executive===
The {{IAST|Aṭṭhakathā}} mentions three chief functionaries of the Licchavi administration, the {{IAST|Rājā}} (the ruling chief), the {{IAST|Uparājā}} (the deputy chief) and the {{IAST|Senāpati}} (the chief of the army).<ref name="mahajan"/> The introductory portion of the {{IAST|Ekapaṇṇa Jātaka}} adds one more with it, the {{IAST|Bhāṇḍāgārika}} (the chancellor of exchequer).

===The judiciary===
[[File:Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE).png|right|thumb|250px|The [[Vajji]] or Vrijji [[Mahajanapada]] in 500 BCE.]]
According to the {{IAST|Aṭṭhakathā}}, an accused criminal had to pass through seven layers of judges, each of whom investigated and interrogated the accused.

These judges were the {{IAST|Viniccaya Mahāmātta}} (the inquiring magistrate), the {{IAST|Vohārika}} (the jurist-judge), the
{{IAST|Sūttadhāra}} (the master of the sacred code), {{IAST|Aṭṭhakūlakā}} (literally, the eight clans, probably a federal court). Then the {{IAST|Senāpati}} and the {{IAST|Uparājā}}. The final judge was the {{IAST|Rājā}}, who could find him guilty, whereupon the convict received the punishment prescribed in the {{IAST|Paveṇipotthaka}} (the book of precedence) for the offence committed by him.<ref name="law"/>

===Decline===
{{See also|Magadha-Vajji war}}
The Licchavi feud with [[Ajatashatru]] from 484 BCE to 468 BCE ended with the victory of the latter.{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2016|p=272}}

==Licchavis and the Imperial Guptas==
[[File:Queen Kumaradevi and King Chandragupta I on a coin.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Licchavi Queen Kumaradevi and King [[Chandragupta I]], depicted on a coin of their son [[Samudragupta]], 350-380 CE.]]
The Licchavis continued to live in the region of Vaishali during the Gupta period and formed an integral part of the Gupta Empire.<ref name="Ganguly1987">{{cite book|author=Dilip Kumar Ganguly|title=The Imperial Guptas and Their Times|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hud2_Ie3T94C&pg=PA33|year=1987|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-222-2|pages=33–34}}</ref>
The Gupta emperor [[Chandragupta I]] married a Licchavi princess Kumaradevi and the legend ''Licchavayah'' is found along with a figure of goddess Lakshmi on the reverse of the Chandragupta I-Kumaradevi type gold coins of [[Samudragupta]].<ref>Raychaudhuri Hemchandra (1972), ''Political History of Ancient India'', University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp.468-9</ref> In the [[Allahabad Pillar]] inscription of [[Samudragupta]], he is described as the ''Licchavidauhitra'' (the grandson of the Licchavis from his mother's side). These probably suggest Licchavi occupation of Magadha immediately before the rise of the imperial Guptas, although there is no direct evidence to prove it.<ref>Lahiri, Bela (1974) ''Indigenous States of Northern India (circa 200 BC - 320 AD)'', University of Calcutta, Calcutta, p.71,71n</ref>

==See also==
*[[Licchavi (kingdom)|The Licchavi kingdom of Nepal]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}
===Sources===
* {{citation |last=Singh |first=Upinder |author-link=Upinder Singh |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq2iCwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Pearson PLC|Pearson]] |year=2016 |isbn=978-81-317-1677-9 |ref={{sfnref|Upinder Singh|2016}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Licchavi (Clan)}}
[[Category:Ancient peoples of India]]
[[Category:Mahajanapadas]]
[[Category:Licchavi kingdom]]
[[Category:Mithila]]
[[Category:History of Bihar]]
[[Category:5th century BC in India]]
[[Category:Ancient peoples of Nepal]]

Licchavi (clan) - Revision history

->Bada Kaji: added Category:Ancient peoples of Nepal using HotCat