---
title: Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara
author: Biswarup Ganguly
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9287/seven-kings-laying-siege-to-kushinagara/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
updated: 2025-09-12
---

# Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara

_Authored by Biswarup Ganguly_

## Image File

[![Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/9287.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/9287.jpg)

## Image Caption

Architrave of seven kings laying siege to Kushinagara, photograph by Biswarup Ganguly, 2013.

Located in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/), at the Sanchi [Stupa](https://www.worldhistory.org/stupa/) [Buddhist](https://www.worldhistory.org/buddhism/) complex, this architrave depicts seven kings marching towards the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of Kushinagara to lay siege to it. The kings are distinguished by their royal umbrellas and attendants with fly-whisks standing or seated behind them. The city with its high walls is depicted at the extreme left end. Men and [women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/) can be seen looking at the advancing army from their balconies and from battlements.

This work, originally commissioned in the 3rd century BCE, provides an insightful example of the nature of besieging armies and royalty leading them in ancient India (pre-Mauryan and Mauryan periods). As compared to the Vedic and Epic periods, the kings are riding elephants or horses instead of chariots. Only one king is seen riding a [chariot](https://www.worldhistory.org/chariot/). This shows the decline of the chariot as the preferred command vehicle and its otherwise general utility on the battlefield.

## Cite This Work

### APA
Ganguly, B. (2018, October 01). Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9287/seven-kings-laying-siege-to-kushinagara/>
### Chicago
Ganguly, Biswarup. "Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara." *World History Encyclopedia*, October 01, 2018. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9287/seven-kings-laying-siege-to-kushinagara/>.
### MLA
Ganguly, Biswarup. "Seven Kings Laying Siege to Kushinagara." *World History Encyclopedia*, 01 Oct 2018, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9287/seven-kings-laying-siege-to-kushinagara/>.

## License & Copyright

[Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siege_of_Kushinagara_by_the_seven_kings.jpg) by [**Biswarup Ganguly**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siege_of_Kushinagara_by_the_seven_kings.jpg). Submitted by [Dr Avantika Lal](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/avantika.lal30/ "User Page: Dr Avantika Lal"), published on 01 October 2018. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0deed.en). This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.