History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c7.s1.6

c7.s1.6

The early history of Gujarāt is shrouded in obscurity. The Mauryas are known to have been its first rulers. The Vallabhīs ruled it from the fifth to the eighth century A.D.; then came the Chandava dynasty, which was succeeded by the Chalukyas or Solankīs. It was in the reign of Bhīm Deva I (1022—64 A.D.) that Maḥmūd of Ghazna sacked the celebrated temple of Somnath.⁷ The next important ruler of Gujarāt was Bhīm Deva II (1178—1242). He defeated Muḥammad Ghaurī in 1178, but could not effectively resist Quṭbuddīn Aibak who invaded the kingdom twice, in 1195 and 1197-98. In the later raid Quṭbuddīn plundered Anhilvaṛa (modern Patan and Nahrvala of Muslim historians), the capital, and returned with a large amount of booty.⁸