Types of Samanta
Banabhatta describes several types of Samantas in his work, Harsha Charita. Bana's Harshacharitra is the only work from which we know of various categories of Samantas. Bana mentions a large number of conquered enemy Maha-Samantas in the royal camp who were probably waiting to be assigned their new duties.
Some types of Samantas mentioned by Banabhatta are:
1) Samanta: which signified the lowest and ordinary type of vassal.
2) Mahasamantha (Maha-Samanta): a step higher than a Samanta.
3) Shatrumahasamanta (Shatru-Maha-Samanta): a conquered enemy chief.
4) Aptasamanta (Apta-Samanta): those who willingly accepted vassalage and the emperor as their overlord.
5) Pradhanamahasamanta (Pradhana-Maha-Samanta): who were most trusted hands of the emperor and never disregarded their advice.
6) Pratisamanta (Prati-Saamanta): who were opposed to the king and meant a hostile vassal. Though hostile, all Samantas had military obligations. If they did not fulfill their obligations, the King could seize their territory and appoint a new Samanta. Despite that, some Samantas however, would keep trying to throw off their allegiance to the King and assert their own independent rule.
Banabhatta uses the term Anuraktamahasamanta (Anurakta-Mahasamanta) only once and it possibly meant those especially attached to their overlord.
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