RAJPUTS
- The period was from 647 AD to 1200 AD.
- From the death of Harsha to the 12th century, the destiny of India was mostly in the hands of various Rajput dynasties.
- They belonged to the ancient Kshatriya families.
- There were nearly 36 clans of Rajputs. The major clans are :
- The Pratiharas of Avanti
- The Palas of Bengal
- The Tomars of Delhi
- The Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer
- The Rathores of Kannauj
- The Guhilas or Sisodiyas of Mewar
- The Chandellas of Bundelkhand
- The Paramaras of Malwa
- The Senas of Bengal
- The Solankis of Gujarat
NOTE: The Pratiharis and the Palas have been discussed before (Medieval History - North Indian Kingdoms)
The Tomars of Delhi
- The Tomars were the feudatories of the Pratiharis.
- They founded the city of Delhi in 736 AD.
- Chauhans captured Delhi in the middle of the 12th century and the Tomars became the feudatories.
The Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer.
- The Chauhans declared their independence at Ajmer and were the feudatories of Pratiharas.
- They captured Ujjain from the Paramaras of Malwa and Delhi in the early part of 12th
- They shifted their capital to Delhi.
- Prithviraj Chauhan was the most important ruler of this dynasty.
Rathores of Kannauj
- The Rathores established themselves on the throne of Kannauj from 1090 AD to 1194 AD.
- Jaichand was the last great ruler of this dynasty.
- He was killed in the battle of Chandawar in 1194 AD by Muhammad Ghori.
The Chandellas of Bundelkhand
- Established in 9th
- Mahoba was the capital of Chandella during the period of Chief Yasovarman.
- Kalinjar was their important fort.
- The Chandellas built the most famous Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in 1050 AD.
The Guhilas or Sisodiyas of Mewar
- The Rajput ruler Bapa Raval was the founder of the Guhila or the Sisodiya dynasty and Chittor was its capital.
- During the period of Rana Ratan Singh of Mewar, Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1307 AD invaded his territory and defeated him.
The Paramaras of Malwa
- The Paramaras were also the feudatories of Pratiharas.
- They declared their independence in the 10th century and Dhara was their capital.
Raja Bhoja
- He was the most famous ruler of this period (1018 AD-1069 AD).
- He set up a college at Dhara for the study of Sanskrit literature.
The reign of the Paramaras came to an end with the invasion of Ala-ud-din Khilji
The Senas of Bengal
- The rulers of the Sena dynasty traced their origin to the South Indian region of Karnataka.
- The dynasty’s founder was Samanta Sena.
- The empire at its peak covered much of the north-eastern region of the Indian subcontinent.
The Solankis of Gujarat
- The Solanki dynasty ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Kathiawar in India between 950-1300 CE.
- They are also known as Chalukyas of Gujarat or the Solanki Rajputs.
- In 1026, the temple complex of Somnath in Gujarat was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni.
About Rajputs :
- They were great warriors and chivalrous by nature.
- They believed in protecting the women and the weak.
- Religion
- They were followers of Hinduism.
- They also patronized Buddhism and Jainism.
- During their period the Bhakti Cult started.
- Government
- Each kingdom was divided into a large number of Jagirs held by the Jagirdars.
Art and Architecture
- Mural paintings and Miniature paintings were popular.
- Temples of Khajuraho:
- Lingraja Temple at Bhubaneswar.
- The Sun Temple at Konark.
- The Dilwara Temple at Mount Abu.
End of Rajput power
- There was no strong military power during the Rajput period to keep the warring princes in check and to coordinate their activities against their foreign invasions.