Licchavi (kingdom)
Licchavi (also "Lichchhavi", "Lichavi") was a kingdom which existed in the Kathmandu Valley in modern-day Nepal from approximately 400 to 750 CE. The Licchavi clan originated from Vaishali and conquered Kathmandu Valley. The Lichchhavis elected an administrator and representatives to rule them. The ruling period of this dynasty was called the Golden Period of Nepal. A table of the evolution of certain Gupta characters used in Licchavi inscriptions prepared by Gautamavajra Vajrācārya can be found online. Records. It is believed that a branch of the Lichhavi clan, having lost their political fortune in Vaishali (Bihar), came to  Kathmandu, attacking and defeating the last Kirat King Gasti . In the Buddhist Pali canon, the Licchavi are mentioned in a number of discourses, most notably the Licchavi Sutta, the popular Ratana Sutta and the fourth chapter of the Petavatthu. The Mahayana Vimalakirti Sutra also spoke of the city of Vaisali as where the lay Licchavi bodhisattva Vimalakirti was residing. In the 4th century CE, during the reign of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta, the "Nepalas" are mentioned among the tribes subjugated by him: Samudragupta was a son of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I and the Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi. Gold coins bearing  portraits of Chandragupta and Kumaradevi have been discovered at Mathura, Ayodhya, Lucknow, Sitapur, Tanda, Ghazipur, and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh; Bayana in Rajasthan; and Hajipur in Bihar. The obverse of these coins depicts portraits of Chandragupta and Kumaradevi, with their names in the Gupta script. The reverse shows a goddess seated on a lion, with the legend ""Li-ccha-va-yah"" (𑁊, "the Lichchhavis"). The earliest known physical record of the kingdom is an inscription of Mānadeva, which dates from 464. It mentions three preceding rulers, suggesting that the Licchavi dynasty began in the late 4th century. Government. The Licchavi were  ruled by a "Maharaja" ("great king"), who was aided by a prime minister, in charge of the military and of other ministers. Nobles, known as "samanta" influenced the court whilst simultaneously managing their own landholdings and militia. At one point, between approximately 605 and 641, a prime minister called Amshuverma actually assumed the throne. The population provided land taxes and conscript labour ("vishti") to support the government. Most local administration was performed by village heads or leading families. Many king ruled but the popular one were Manadeva, Amshuverma etc. Economy. The economy was agricultural, relying on rice and other grains  as staples. Villages ("grama") were grouped into "dranga" for administration. Lands were owned by the royal family and nobles. Trade was also very important, with many settlements. Geography. Domain. Settlements already filled the entire valley during the Licchavi period. Further settlement was made east toward Banepa, west toward Tisting, and northwest toward present-day Gorkha. Rulers. The following list was adapted from The Licchavi Kings, by Tamot & Alsop, and is approximate only, especially with respect to dates.