History Gahadavala

1 history

1.1 rise power
1.2 consolidation
1.3 decline
1.4 claimed descendants

history
rise power

by last quarter of 11th century, north-central india troubled territory result of ghaznavid raids , lack of strong imperial power. gurjara-pratihara empire had ceased exist. successors, such paramaras , kalachuris, had declined in power. in these times of chaos, first gahadavala king chandradeva brought stability region establishing strong government. 1104 ce bashai (or basahi) inscription of son madanapala declares saved distressed earth after deaths of paramara bhoja , kalachuri karna.

since kalachuris controlled area around varanasi before gahadavalas, appears chandradeva captured territory them. kalachuri king defeated him karna s successor yashah-karna. chandradeva s inscriptions indicate tried expand kingdom in east, pala chronicle ramacharitam suggests plan foiled ramapala s feudatory bhimayashas.

consolidation

chandradeva succeeded madanapala, faced invasions muslim ghaznavid dynasty. identified malhi , king of kannauj (kanyakubja) according medieval muslim chronicles. diwan-i-salman contemporary muslim historian salman states malhi imprisioned ghaznavids, , released after payment of ransom. gahadavala inscriptions indicate madanapala s son govindachandra led military expeditions during reign. result of these expeditions, ghaznavids forced conclude peace treaty gahadavalas. kṛtya-kalpataru, written courtier lakashidhara, suggests killed ghaznavid general.

a kalachuri-style seated goddess coin of govindachandra (r. c. 1114-1155 ce). 4 ⁄2 masha, gold.

obv: four-armed lakshmi seated cross-legged on lotus on obverse side holding lotus in upper 2 hands. rev: inscription in nagari script : shrimad-govindachandra .

govindachandra succeeded father gahadavala king sometime during 1109-1114 ce. gahadavalas became prominent power of northern india result of military conquests , diplomatic relations. adoption of kalachuri titles , coinage indicate defeated kalachuri king, yashah-karna or successor gaya-karna.

as prince, govindachandra appears have repulsed pala invasion, sometime before 1109 ce. pala-gahadavala conflict halted few decades result of marriage kumaradevi, relative of pala monarch ramapala. epigraphic evidence suggests there revival of pala-gahadavala rivalry in 1140s ce, during reign of govindachandra , pala monarch madanapala (not confused govindachandra s father). although identity of aggressor not certain, conflict seems have happened on control of present-day western bihar. both pala , gahadavala inscriptions issued in area during period.

decline

the last extant inscription of govindachandra dated 1154 ce, , earliest available inscription of successor vijayachandra dated 1168 ce. such long gap unusual dynasty, , may indicate troubled times arising out of external invasion or war of succession after govindachandra s death. vijayachandra faced ghaznavid invasion, seems have repulsed sometime before 1164 ce. focus on guarding eastern frontiers against ghaznavids may have led neglect of kingdom s western border, later resulted in sena invasion.

jayachandra, last powerful king of dynasty, faced ghurid invasion led qutb al-din aibak. defeated , killed @ battle of chandawar in 1194 ce. according contemporary muslim historian hasan nizami, ghurids sacked varanasi, destroyed number of temples. after jayachandra s death, several local feudatory chiefs offered allegiance ghurids. legendary account in prithviraj raso states jayachandra allied ghurids against prithviraj chauhan, had eloped daughter samyukta. however, such legends not supported historical evidence.

jayachandra s son harishchandra succeeded him on gahadavala throne. according 1 theory, ghurid vassal. however, in 1197 ce kotwa inscription, assumes titles of sovereign. possible retained kanyakubja after govindachandra s death, no contemporary muslim historians mention ghurids captured city @ time. firishta (16th century) earliest writer claim muslims captured kannauj in 1190s, account can ignored inaccurate because flourished around 4 centuries later, in 16th century. harishchandra may have retained varanasi.

the ultimate fate of harishchandra not known, defeated delhi sultanate under iltutmish. 1237 inscription issued during reign of 1 adakkamalla of gahadavala family found in nagod state (present-day satna district of madhya pradesh). adakkamalla may have been successor of harishchandra. possibility adakkamalla different branch of family ruled small fief. nothing known adakkamalla s successors.

claimed descendants

the bardic chronicles of rajputana claim rathore rulers of jodhpur state descended family of gahadavala ruler jayachandra. example, according prithviraj raso, rathore epithet of jayachandra (jaichand). rulers of manda feudal estate, described rathore, traced ancestry jayachandra s alleged brother manikyachandra (manik chand). these claims of later origin, , historical veracity doubtful.

a muslim account claims bundelas descendants of gaharwar rajput (gahadavala) men khangar concubines. rulers of bijaipur-kantit feudal estate near mirzapur described gahrwars, , claimed descent gahadavalas.