Nagabhata I
| Nagabhata I | |
|---|---|
| Founder of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty | |
| Reign | c. 730 – c. 760 |
| Successor | Kakkuka and Devaraja |
| Dynasty | Gurjara-Pratihara |
| Gurjara-Pratihara rulers (730–1036 AD) | |
| Nagabhata I | (730–760) |
| Kakkuka and Devaraja | (760–780) |
| Vatsaraja | (780–800) |
| Nagabhata II | (800–833) |
| Ramabhadra | (833–836) |
| Mihira Bhoja I | (836–885) |
| Mahendrapala I | (885–910) |
| Bhoja II | (910–913) |
| Mahipala I | (913–944) |
| Mahendrapala II | (944–948) |
| Devapala | (948–954) |
| Vinayakapala | (954–955) |
| Mahipala II | (955–956) |
| Vijayapala II | (956–960) |
| Rajapala | (960–1018) |
| Trilochanapala | (1018–1027) |
| Jasapala (Yashpala) | (1024–1036) |
Nagabhata I (730-760[1]) was the ruler of the kingdom of Avanti that founded the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty which eventually took control over western India. His capital was Ujjain. He defeated an invasion by the Arabs from Sindh and captured Kathiawar, Malwa, Gujarat and several parts of Rajaputana.[2]
Origin
The antecedents of Nagabhata I are not fully known. A medieval Jaina Prabandha (religious text) talks of a ruler Nāhada, identified with Nagabhata I by Dasharatha Sharma, who is said to have been a "soldier of fortune" and the first ruler of his family. It also states that he made Jalor (Jābālipura) his capital and came into conflict with a Muslim ruler, whom he defeated.[3] Dasharatha Sharma put forward the view that Jalor was the original home of the Gurjara-Pratiharas, from where they might have emigrated. On the other hand, R. C. Majumdar and Baij Nath Puri hold the view that Ujjain, the capital of Avanti, was the original home of Pratiharas.[4] The rationale for the claim rests on the description in another Jain text Harivamsa (783-784), which describes Nagabhata's grand-nephew Vatsaraja as the king and son of Avanti soil (Avanti-bhūbriti). It also describes the other neighbouring kingdoms leaving one in no doubt about its location.[5]
An inscription of Gallaka, a subordinate of Vatsaraja, in the year 795 regards Nagabhata I as the one who had acquired victory over the "invincible Gurjaras" and obtained fame. Thus, even though the dynasty is called Gurjara-Pratiharas, it is not certain if the kings themselves were Gurjaras.[6]
Rule
He was defeated by the Rashtrakuta ruler Dantidurga.[7] He defeated the Arab army under Junaid and Tamin in Battle of Rajasthan. His kingdom extended from Gujarat, Malwa, and parts of Rajasthan. He left a powerful principality for his successors.[8][9]:20
| Preceded by Founder |
Gurjara Pratihara Emperor 8th century |
Succeeded by Kakkuka and Devaraja (760-780) |
References
- ↑ Estimated dates. Atherton 1997, p. 14 states 730-756. Puri 1986, pp. 55–58 estimates 730-760.
- ↑ Puri 1986.
- ↑ Sanjay Sharma 2006, p. 204.
- ↑ Atherton 1997, p. 12.
- ↑ Puri 1986, p. 54.
- ↑ Shanta Rani Sharma 2012, p. 8.
- ↑ Gurcharn Singh Sandhu (2000). A Military History of Ancient India. Vision Books.
- ↑ Sailendra Nath Sen (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 266. ISBN 9788122411980. ISBN 8122411983, ISBN 9788122411980.
- ↑ Sen, S.N., 2013, A Textbook of Medieval Indian History, Delhi: Primus Books, ISBN 9789380607344
- Sources
- Atherton, Cynthia Packert (1997). The Sculpture of Early Medieval Rajasthan. BRILL. ISBN 9004107894.
- Puri, Baij Nath (1986). The History of the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal.
- Sharma, Sanjay (2006). "Negotiating Identity and Status Legitimation and Patronage under the Gurjara-Pratīhāras of Kanauj". Studies in History 22 (22): 181–220. doi:10.1177/025764300602200202. (subscription required (help)).
- Sharma, Shanta Rani (2012). "Exploding the Myth of the Gūjara Identity of the Imperial Pratihāras". Indian Historical Review 39 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1177/0376983612449525. (subscription required (help)).