The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s4.144

v2.c30.s4.144

The dates in the inscriptions noticed above range from V.S. 1076 to 1103, *i.e.*, from about 1020 to 1047 A.D. Two more dates for Bhoja's reign within these limits are supplied by literary tradition. One of these is supplied by al-Bīrūnī, who records that in *c.* 1030 A.D., when he composed his *Indica*, the king of Dhārā, the capital of Mālava, was Bhojadeva.³ Another date, Śaka 964 (A.D. 1042-43), is supplied by the *Rājamṛgāṅka-karaṇa*.⁴ Bühler, chiefly relying on the statement of Bilhaṇa that on his journey from Kashmir to various places in Northern India Dhārā cried out to him 'Bhoja is my king,'⁵ placed the death of Bhoja sometime after the year 1062 A.D.⁶ But the Māndhātā grant of his successor Jayasiṁha shows that he must have died in or before V.S. 1112 (A.D. 1055-56).⁷ The upper limit is more difficult to settle. The fact that his Banswara plates show that he had already conquered Konkan in 1020 A.D. certainly indicates that he ascended the throne some time before that date. Bühler has pointed out from the Cāḷukya records that Bhoja fought with the Cālukya Jayasiṁha some time between Śaka 933 (1011-12 A.D.) and Śaka 941 (A.D. 1019-20). As Padmagupta, who probably composed his work in *c.* 1005, does not refer to Bhoja, Bühler thought that Bhoja at that time had not reached the age of 16, the Indian age of majority. He therefore concluded that Bhoja's accession must fall *c.* 1010 A.D., or even somewhat later.¹ With this conclusion most scholars agree.