The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c18.14.2

v1.c18.14.2

The Basahi plate of Govindacandra supplies us with some details about Candradeva's rise. It tells us that when on the death of king Bhoja and king Karṇa, the world became troubled, he 'came to the rescue and became king and established his capital at Kanyākubja.'¹ It is generally accepted that the Karṇa of this passage is the great Kalacuri king Laṣmī-Karṇa, who died sometime before 1072 A. D.² The earliest known date of Candradeva is V. S. 1148, corresponding to A. D. 1090.³ It is therefore almost certain that he established himself as a sovereign ruler some time during the period 1072-1090 A. D. The claim that he made Kanauj his capital must however be accepted with some limitations. The Set Mahet inscription of Vidyādhara, dated in A. D. 1119-20, shows that the local rulers of Kanauj on that date and in the years immediately preceding it were not the Gāhaḍavālas but the Rāṣṭrakūṭas Gopāla and Madana.⁴ Gopāla is described in this record as *Gādhipurādhipa*. The fact that Madana is not given this epithet may possibly indicate that he was no longer a sovereign ruler, but a feudatory of the Gāhaḍavālas.⁵ But the fact remains that the local rulers of Kanauj from the time of Candradeva onwards were the Rāṣṭrakūṭas. It is therefore likely that, though by reason of its importance Kanauj was regarded as one of the capitals of the Gāhaḍavālas, they habitually resided in some other city.