POLITICO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
As already mentioned, northern India and the Deccan fell victim to political fragmentation. Nepal, Assam (Kamarupa), a11.d Kashmir were independent. The hill states of Chamba, Durgara Oammu) and Kulu came into being besides the various Rajput states already discussed above.
Feudalism emerged with the growing practice of rulers granting land or the revenue from land to officers in lieu of salary-a practice begun by the Satavahanas and Guptas. In time, those who had been given land grants claimed ownership of the land and became equivalent of vassals or feudatories. They displayed their allegiance to a king bv paying him a part of the land revenue, and maintained law and order in their own territory. In time, the surplus wealth of the feudatories and the king was used in conspicuous consumption while the peasants gradually got imp! ished. All the classes of society did not support the.n as a sense of identification with them was lacking. 1 too declined, for which one reason was the collapse 0 Roman empire and the Sassanid empire.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
RAJPUT SOCIETY
RAJPUT SOCIETY The basis of Rajput society was that every clan traced its descent from a common ancestor, real or imaginary. The clans generally dominated a compact territory. Attachment to land, family and honour was a characteristic of the Rajputs. The Rajput organisation of society had both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was the sense of brotherhood and egalitarianism which prevailed within each clan of the Rajputs. But pride in beionging to a tightly-knit clan also led to all exaggerated sense of honour and the need to protect that honour against slights, real and perceived. Feuds which continued for several generations on the issue of honour merely weakened the social and political fabric. Their tendency to form exclusive groups, each one asserting its own supremacy, prevented them from uniting and cooperating in the face of an attack from outside.
THE PARAMARAS
THE PARAMARAS The main branch of the Paramaras comprised descendants of the Rashtrakutas who ruled in Malwa from the early years of the ninth century with their capital at Dhara. The dynasty was founded by Upendra or Krishnaraja. His immediate successors were Sivaka-Harsha and, then, his son Munja. He is known by the names of Amogharvasha, Srivallabha and Utpalaraja as well. He defeated the powerful Chalukyan king, Tailapa II. Bhoja is considered the best of the Paramara rulers. Bhoja's defeat by Jayasimha II, the Chalukya king, extinguished his ambition to control the De<;can shortly before 1019. Nevertheless, he succeeded in defeating the King of Chedi. Bhoja is further said to have humbled the lord of Lata (southern Gujarat) and Bhima I of Gujarat. Bhoja passed away during his battle with the Kalachuri king, LakshmiKama.
Bhoja is better known for his scholarly pursuits than for his conquests. The authorship of more than twenty-three books on varied subjects is ascribed to him. He was a patron of art and literature. He patronised scholars like Dhanapala and Urata.
Bhoja is better known for his scholarly pursuits than for his conquests. The authorship of more than twenty-three books on varied subjects is ascribed to him. He was a patron of art and literature. He patronised scholars like Dhanapala and Urata.
THE CHANDELLAS
THE CHANDELLAS The Chandellas (Chandratreyas) became rulers in southern Bundelkhand under Nannuka early in the ninth century. He ha~ his capital at Kharjuravahaka (modem Khajuraho). His grandson was Jeja or Yanasakti, after whom the kingdom was called Jejabhukti. The dynasty became powerful under the rule of Dhanga in mid-10th century. He declared himself independent from the Pratiharas and captured the eastern part of their kingdom. He sent help to support the Hindushahi king, Jayapala of Punjab, against Subuktigin.
He was a patron of learning and fine arts and built many temples at Khajuraho. Ganda, the son of Dhanga, was also a capable ruler. He had sent his son Vidyadhar to punish Rajyapala, the Pratihara ruler, who refused to fight Mahmud of Ghazni and fled away. Rajyapala was killed by Vidyadhar. The rule of this dynasty continued till the kingdom was annexed by
Ala-ud-din KhaljL
He was a patron of learning and fine arts and built many temples at Khajuraho. Ganda, the son of Dhanga, was also a capable ruler. He had sent his son Vidyadhar to punish Rajyapala, the Pratihara ruler, who refused to fight Mahmud of Ghazni and fled away. Rajyapala was killed by Vidyadhar. The rule of this dynasty continued till the kingdom was annexed by
Ala-ud-din KhaljL
THE CHAULAKYAS(AN'HILWARA)
THE CHAULAKYAS(AN'HILWARA)
The Chaulakyas or Solankis were rulers of Gujarat and Kathiawar for about threeand-a-half centuries (AD 9501300). Two branches ruled from Mattamayura and Lata. Of the Gujarat rulers, the earliest king was Mularaja. The next important ruler was Bhima I, during whose reign Mahmud Ghazni overym Gujarat and plundered the temple of Somnath. But the greatest king of this dynasty was Jayasimha Siddharaja. He adopted the title of Avantinatha after his victory over the Paramaras. He was a patron of learning and the noted Jain scholar, Hemachandra, was at his court. The Turks plundered Gujarat from time to time and temporarily occupied it.
The Chaulakyas or Solankis were rulers of Gujarat and Kathiawar for about threeand-a-half centuries (AD 9501300). Two branches ruled from Mattamayura and Lata. Of the Gujarat rulers, the earliest king was Mularaja. The next important ruler was Bhima I, during whose reign Mahmud Ghazni overym Gujarat and plundered the temple of Somnath. But the greatest king of this dynasty was Jayasimha Siddharaja. He adopted the title of Avantinatha after his victory over the Paramaras. He was a patron of learning and the noted Jain scholar, Hemachandra, was at his court. The Turks plundered Gujarat from time to time and temporarily occupied it.
THE GAHADVALAS and THE CHAUHANS
THE GAHADVALAS Chandradeva was the first rule of this dynasty who seized the throne of Kanauj from th Rashtrakuta ruler sometime between AD 1080 and 10~ Another important ruler was Govindachandra who eJ tended the boundaries of his kingdom both by war an diplomacy. The last ruler of this dynasty was Jayachandri The romantic story of his daughter, Sanyogita, and tI1 Chauhan ruler, Prithviraja III, of Ajmer who elope togethe is a subject of controversy.
THE CHAUHANS Of the many independent Rajpl dynasties who ruled in Rajputana, there were the Chauhan or Chahamanas of Sakambari (modem Sambhar, near Ajmer who set up their principality in the eighth century. Earlier feudatories oL the Pratiharas, they procl~imed themselves independent in mid-10th century. Ajayaraja, who founded the city Ajayameru (Ajmer), was one of the finest rulers of this dynasty. Another famous king was Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) who probably made extensive conquests and controlled Delhi after defeating the Tomaras in mid12th century. He was a poet and a patron of letters. The famous Prithviraja ill or Rai Pithora began his reign from 1177. He defeated the Chandella king, Paramadi. He was hostile towards the Gahadavala king, Jayachandra. In his first confrontation with Muhammad Ghori in 1191 (first battle of Tarain), he defeated Ghori, but in the second battle of Tarain in 1192, Prithviraja was defeated and executed. With his death, the Chauhan kingdom was much weakened. It finally became part of the Sultanate of Delhi.
THE CHAUHANS Of the many independent Rajpl dynasties who ruled in Rajputana, there were the Chauhan or Chahamanas of Sakambari (modem Sambhar, near Ajmer who set up their principality in the eighth century. Earlier feudatories oL the Pratiharas, they procl~imed themselves independent in mid-10th century. Ajayaraja, who founded the city Ajayameru (Ajmer), was one of the finest rulers of this dynasty. Another famous king was Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) who probably made extensive conquests and controlled Delhi after defeating the Tomaras in mid12th century. He was a poet and a patron of letters. The famous Prithviraja ill or Rai Pithora began his reign from 1177. He defeated the Chandella king, Paramadi. He was hostile towards the Gahadavala king, Jayachandra. In his first confrontation with Muhammad Ghori in 1191 (first battle of Tarain), he defeated Ghori, but in the second battle of Tarain in 1192, Prithviraja was defeated and executed. With his death, the Chauhan kingdom was much weakened. It finally became part of the Sultanate of Delhi.
THE RAJPUTS
THE RAJPUTS
The poets of the 14th century mention 'Rajput' as a tril: comprising t~rty-six clans. Some of these played an in portant role in the history of the period under consideratiol Different historians have different views with regar to the origin of the Rajputs. According to Colonel Todd, t}; Rajputs were the offspring of the foreign invaders in Hunas, Sakas and Kushans, who adopted Hinduism an established matrimonial alliances with the Indians. Anothc view is that the Rajputs were descendants of pure Aryan Rajputs believe themselves to be kshatriyas descended frO! the sun or moon families mentioned in the Mahabharatl Some Rajputs profess themselves as belonging to tI1 Agnikula.
This theory was first put forward by Chand Bard, in his book Prithviraj Rasa. According to him, in order t safeguard the Vedic religion a yajna fire was kindled, ou of which four Rajput families, i.e. Chauhans, Chaulakya (Solanki), Paramaras, and Pratiharas sprang. This theory i: rejected by most of the historians. Probably, Rajput was no originally the name of any tribe or class. Some of thl foreigners and Indians, who were very brave and warlikE and probably belonged to royal families, began to be called Rajputs. But gradually, the term lost its original significanc~ of occupation and began to denote a community. It ij significant that the word, 'Rajput', seems to have come int~ common usage after the invasions of the foreigners in the eighth century AD.
The poets of the 14th century mention 'Rajput' as a tril: comprising t~rty-six clans. Some of these played an in portant role in the history of the period under consideratiol Different historians have different views with regar to the origin of the Rajputs. According to Colonel Todd, t}; Rajputs were the offspring of the foreign invaders in Hunas, Sakas and Kushans, who adopted Hinduism an established matrimonial alliances with the Indians. Anothc view is that the Rajputs were descendants of pure Aryan Rajputs believe themselves to be kshatriyas descended frO! the sun or moon families mentioned in the Mahabharatl Some Rajputs profess themselves as belonging to tI1 Agnikula.
This theory was first put forward by Chand Bard, in his book Prithviraj Rasa. According to him, in order t safeguard the Vedic religion a yajna fire was kindled, ou of which four Rajput families, i.e. Chauhans, Chaulakya (Solanki), Paramaras, and Pratiharas sprang. This theory i: rejected by most of the historians. Probably, Rajput was no originally the name of any tribe or class. Some of thl foreigners and Indians, who were very brave and warlikE and probably belonged to royal families, began to be called Rajputs. But gradually, the term lost its original significanc~ of occupation and began to denote a community. It ij significant that the word, 'Rajput', seems to have come int~ common usage after the invasions of the foreigners in the eighth century AD.
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