Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

LURE - THRU THE AGES

RASHTRAKUTAS 756-973 A.D. * Kottiga (967-972) * Karka II (Nirupama) (972-973) Wars * The defeat of Kirtivarman II, the Cha- lukyan king, by Dantidurga at Khandesh (758 A.D.). * Invasion of Yengi (770) and the defeat of Chalukya Vishnuvardhana IV by prince Govinda. * Defeat of Vatsaraja (the Prathihara ruler of Ujjain); invasion of Gangetic doab, and march against Dharmapala by Dhruva. * Govinda III acquired Gujarat, Kosala, parts of Andhra and Gangavadi. * Ganga revolt (818-820) during the reign of Amoghavarsha, defeat of Chalukyas at Vingavalli. * Indra III captured Kanauj, controlled by Gurjara - Prathiharas and defeated Chalukya Bhima. * Krishna HI invaded the territory of Gurjara- Prathiharas, captured Chitrakuta and Ka- linjara. Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga I 814-880 Amoghavarsha I was born at Sribhavan (Sanjan plates 871 A.D.); put down early revolt, defeated Ganga rulers (Rachamalla, Sri Varma II); defeated Chalukyas severely at Vingavalli; and Chankarangana the Kalachuri feudatory and captured Elichpur; defeated Alupa prince Vimaladitya (c. 850); later de- veloped friendly relations with Gangas, Cha- lukyas and Pallavas; his Nilagunda records claim that he was being worshipped by the rulers of Vanga, Anga, Magadha, Malwa and Vengi; built a new capital at Malkhed (Mayurk- handi, old); a great scholar and patron of art, architecture and literature; wrote Kaviraja- marga in Kannada and Prashnottara Ratna- mala in Sanskrit; he had titles like, Nrupatunga, Atishayadhavah, Veeranarayana, Kattam- arthanda and Srivallabha. His empire was di- vided into 16 provinces (Sanjan plates 871). He ruled till 878. Friends : Feudatories Foes : Gangas, Chalukyas, Cholas, Palas and Gurjara- Pratiharas. Administration * Kingship was hereditary. * Mahasandhivigrahi was the Chief Minis- ter for war and peace; ministers were

Overview * Towards the end of the 8th century, the Guijara Pratiharas in the North, the Rash- trakutas in the Deccan and Pal as in Bengal began three-cornered struggle for para- mountcy. * The Rashtrakutas' empire extended from the Narmada valley (north), Mahanadi delta (east) and Kaveri (south). * Malkhed or Manyakheta was their capital (originally they came from Lattur or Lat- talur). * Dantidurga, Govinda II, Dhruva I, Gov- inda III, Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga were the most notable rulers. * They won brilliant victories over the Gan- gas, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Malwas, Par- amaras, Prathiharas. * Magnificent temples were built at Ellora, Elephanta and Malkhed; the most notable one is the Kailasanatha temple (the Rock- cut-monolith) at Ellora built by Rashtra- kuta Krishna I. * Inscriptions are the mainstay for the histo- rians to study the history of Rastrakutas - Kavirajamarga - a Kannada work written by Nrupatunga is also helpful. Advent * The Rashtrakutas started as feudatories of Chalukyas of Badami. Later they over- threw them and became the masters of the whole Deccan (Mid. 8th century). * In 753 A.D. Rashtrakuta Dantidurga de- feated the Chalukyas, captured Badami and established Rashtrakuta dynasty (the Ellora record of Dantidurga).

well versed in Rajaneethi (Political sci- ence). * The empire was divided into mandalas or rastras, vishayas or districts; village headman was Gavunda; village assem- blies were called Mahajana;\ taxes were called variously as udranga, uparika and bhagakara ; land revenue was collected in 3 instalments. * Coins like suvarna, drammas, kalanju, gadyanaka, kasu, manjati, akkam etc were issued. * The glorious reign of the Rashtrakutas saw at once the flowering of literary ac- tivities both in Kannada and Sanskrit; Somadeva mn-Yashastilaka champu and Neetivakayamrita (Sanskrit), Visvarupa- Balakrida; Jinasena and Virasena-Jain Theologists. * Mainly Vedic religion was followed; Bud- dhism and Jainism also existed. Islam was popular on Konkan coast. * The temple of Kailasa at Ellora is the most important construction of their period; the Rockcut-temple at Elephanta is also fa- mous. Decline During the period of Kottiga, the Rashtra- kuta power began to decline. The Rashtra- kutas were overthrown in the cyclic year, Srimukha corresponding to A.D. 973-74 and the rule of Chalukyas of Kalyana be- gan. (Gadag record of Chalukya Vikrama VI).

Chronology * Dantivarma

(650-665) (665-700) (700-715) (715-735) (735-755) (755-772) (772-780) (780-793) (793-814) (814-880) (880-914) (914-928) (928-929) (929-936) (936-939) (939-967)

* Indra I and Govinda I

* Karka I * Indra II

* Dantidurga * Krishna I * Govinda II

* Dhruva

* Govinda III

* Nrupatunga Amoghavarsha I

* Krishna II * Indra III

* Amoghavarsha II

* Govinda IV

* Amoghavarsha III

* Krishna III