Rashtrakutas

Rashtrakuta was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries.

The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapura, a city in Central or West India.

Other ruling Rashtrakuta clans from the same period mentioned in inscriptions were the kings of Achalapur (modern Elichpur in Maharashtra) and the rulers of Kannauj.

The Elichpur clan was a feudatory of the Badami Chalukyas, and during the rule of Dantidurga, it overthrew Chalukya Kirtivarman II and went on to build an empire with the Gulbarga region in modern Karnataka as its base

At the same time, the Pala dynasty of Bengal and the Prathihara dynasty of Malwa were gaining force in eastern and northwestern India respectively.

This period, between the eighth and the 10th centuries, saw a tripartite struggle for the resources of the rich Gangetic plains, each of these three empires annexing the seat of power at Kannauj for short periods of time

At their peak, the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta ruled a vast empire stretching from the Ganges River and Yamuna River doab in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, a fruitful time of political expansion, architectural achievements, and famous literary contributions.

The early kings of this dynasty were influenced by Hinduism and the later kings by Jainism.

☞Founder

Dantivarman(735 – 756 CE )

→ Dantivarman or Dantidurga was the founder of the Rashtrakutas dynasty.

→ Dantidurga occupied all territories between the Godavari and Vima.

→ His capital was based in the Gulbarga region of Karnataka.

→  Further, he defeated the kings of Lata (Gujarat), Malwa, Tanka, Kalinga, and Sheshas (Nagas) in central India and performed many sacrifices.

☞Expansion

The ascent of Dhruva Dharavarsha’s third son, Govinda III, to the throne, heralded an era of success like never before.

During his rule, there was a three-way conflict between the Rashtrakutas, the Palas, and the Pratiharas for control over the Gangetic plains. 

Having conquered Kannauj, he traveled south, took firm hold over Gujarat, Kosala (Kaushal), Gangavadi, humbled the Pallavas of Kanchi, installed a ruler of his choice in Vengi and received two statues as an act of submission from the king of Ceylon. 

 The Cholas, the Pandyas and the Kongu Cheras of Karur all paid him tribute

The successor of Govinda III, Amoghavarsha I made Manyakheta his capital and ruled a large empire. Manyakheta remained the Rashtrakutas’ regal capital until the end of the empire

Krishna II ended the independent status of the Gujarat branch and brought it under direct control from Manyakheta

After a succession of weak kings during whose reigns the empire lost control of territories in the north and east, Krishna III the last great ruler consolidated the empire so that it stretched from the Narmada River to Kaveri River and included the northern Tamil country (Tondaimandalam) while levying tribute on the king of Ceylon.

☞Rulers

I. Krishna I (756 – 774 CE)

Krishna I, uncle of Dantidurga, took charge of the growing Rashtrakuta Empire by defeating the last Badami Chalukya ruler Kirtivarman II in 757.

He conquered the territories that were still under the Chalukyas.

He also occupied Konkan.

Krishna I also defeated Vishnuvardhana of Vengi and the Ganga king of Mysore.

He was a great patron of art and architecture.

The Kailash Temple at Ellora was built by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I.

  II. Govinda II (774 – 780 CE)

He was the eldest son of Krishna I.

Govinda II left the administration to his younger brother Dhruva Dharavarsha who also known as Nirupama.

 III. Dhruva Dharavarsha (780 – 793 CE)

He was one of the most notable rulers of the Rashtrakuta Empire.

He defeated Shivamara II, the Western Ganga Dynasty ruler of Gangavadi, and imprisoned him and appointed his own son, Prince Kambarasa as the governor.

He defeated Gurjara-Pratihara King Vatsaraja, the Pallavas of Kanchi and the Pala King Dharmapala of Bengal.

During his reign, Rashtrakutas emerged as a true pan-India power, controlling large regions across the Indian subcontinent.

 IV. Govinda III (793 – 814 CE )

Dhruva son of Govinda III succeeded the throne.

His reign was also marked by brilliant military success and exploits.

He defeated the great Gurjara King Nagabhata II.

His kingdom spread up to the Vindhyas and Malavas in the north and the river Tungabhadra to the south.

V. Amoghavarsha I (814 – 878 CE) – The greatest king of the Rashtrakuta dynasty was Amoghavarsha I son of Govinda III.

• Amoghavarsha I set up a new capital at Manyakheta (now Malkhed in Karnataka State) and Broach became the best port of the kingdom during his reign
• Amoghavarsha I was a great patron of education and literature.
• Suleiman, an Arab merchant, in his account called Amoghavarsha I as one of the four greatest kings of the world, the other three being the Caliph of Bagdad, the king of Constantinople and the emperor of China.

VI. Krishna II (878 – 914 CE)

Son of Amoghavarsha succeeded the throne.

The rule of Krishna II saw significant advances in literature.

VII. Indra III (914 – 929 CE)

• Indra III was a powerful king.
• He defeated and deposed Mahipala

VIII. Amoghavarsha II (929 – 930 CE)

He succeeded his father Indra III upon his death and was himself assassinated by his brother and successor, Govinda IV.

 IX. Govinda IV (930 – 935 CE)

He was the younger brother of Amoghavarsha II.

Control over Kannauj was lost during his rule.

The Chalukyas of Vengi defeated him and many territories were lost

Finally, his own feudatories including King Arikesari of Vemulava in Andhra revolted against him and placed Amoghavarsha III on the throne.

X. Amoghavarsha III(936 – 939 CE)

Amoghavarsha III, whose Kannada name was Baddiga, was in exile in Tripura and was a younger brother of Indra III and uncle to Govinda IV.

He came to power with the help of feudatory King Arikesari of Vemulavada in Andhra and other vassals who revolted against Govinda IV.

His advanced age and religious temperament did not allow him to show any interest in the governance of the empire which was left to his son Krishna III.

XI. Krishna III(939 – 967 CE)

He was the last great warrior and able monarch of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty of Manyakheta.

He was a shrewd administrator and skillful military campaigner.

He waged many wars to bring back the glory of the Rashtrakutas and played an important role in rebuilding the Rashtrakuta Empire.

He patronized the famous Kannada poets Sri Ponna, who wrote Shanti Purana, Gajankusha, also known as Narayana, who wrote on erotics, and the Apabhramsha poet Pushpadanta who wrote Mahapurana and other works.

During his rule, he held titles such as  Akalavarsha,  Maharajadhiraja,  Parameshvara,  Paramamaheshvara,  Shri Prithvivallabha, etc

He killed the Western Ganga ruler Rachamalla II and made his brother-in-law Butuga II the king of the Gangavadi territory.

He invaded the territory of Gurjara Pratihara and captured Chitrakuta and Kalinjar regions.He even defeated his own family relations, the Kalachuris of Tripura (Chedi) who had turned against the Rashtrakutas. Later he invaded the southern Deccan and recaptured Kolar and Dharmapuri from the Banas and Vadumbas who had given shelter to Govinda IV due to his matrimonial relations with the Cholas

He also obtained the submission of the King of Ceylon, extracted tributes from the Manadlika rulers, and erected a pillar of victory at Rameswaram. This victory is narrated in Somadeva’s writing Yashatilaka Champu of 959 as well.

XII. Khottiga (967 – 972 CE)

bore the title Nityavarsha,

He was a ruler of the Rashtrakuta Empire.

During this period the Rashtrakutas started to decline.

The Paramaras King Siyaka II plundered Manyakheta and Khottiga died fighting them.

XIV. Karka II (972 – 973 CE). 

Karka II succeeded his uncle Khottiga Amoghavarsha to the Rashtrakuta throne.

He had military successes against the Cholas, Pandyas, Gurjaras

But the weaknesses created by the earlier plunder of Manyakheta by Paramaras King Siyaka II exposed the Rashtrakutas to further depredation who did not survive for long. During this time of confusion, Chalukya Tailapa II declared independence and killed Karka II.

XV. Indra IV(973 – 982 CE)

Indra IV  was the last Rashtrakuta ruler and a nephew of the feudatory king of the Western Ganga Dynasty of Talakad.

The Ganga king Marasimha II tried hard to keep the dwindling Rashtrakuta Empire intact but in vain. Marasimha II committed Sallekhana in 975 and Indra IV followed him in 982 at Shravanabelagola. Thus, the dynasty of Rashtrakutas vanished into history.

(Note: Sallekhana is a supplementary vow to the ethical code of conduct of Jainism. It is the religious practice of voluntarily fasting to death by gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids.)