The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c32.s5.3

Language: English

v2.c32.s5.3.1

According to Nayacandra, Govinda was succeeded by his eldest son Bālhaṇa and the latter by his eldest son Prahlāda. The *Manglana stone-inscription* dated in (V.) S. 1272 (*c.* 1215 A.D.) seems to show that Vallaṇadeva (*i.e.*, Bālhaṇa) was still a feudatory of the *Hamīra* Samasadāṇa (Shams ud-Dīn Iltutmish) of the city of Joginī. The marble stone bearing this inscription was found at Manglana, 19 miles W. of Maroth in Marwar. It records the construction of a step-well by Vallaṇa's feudatory, the Dadhīca *Mahārāja-putra Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara* Jayatasiṁha.² Prahlāda's younger brother Vāgbhaṭa served him as his primeminister. Prahlāda died in a lion-hunt, and was succeeded by his son Vīranārāyaṇa, who is reported by Nayacandra to have been decoyed to Yoginīpura (Delhi) and poisoned the Śaka (Muslim) prince Jallāladīna. I am unable to identify this Delhi Sulṭān. The only prince bearing that name in the 13th century is Fīrūz(A.D. 1290-96), the first of the Khaljī kings of Delhi; but his date forbids identification with him. It seems extremely probable that by ‘Jallāladīna’ Nayacandra really meant Shams ud-Dīn Iltutmish (1211-36 A.D.), whose officers according to the *Ṭabaqāt-i-Nāṣirī* took the impregnable fort in 623 A.H. (1226 A.D.).¹ Vāgbhaṭa, Vīranārāyaṇa’s uncle, we are told, was absent from Ranthambhor at the time of his nephew’s tragic death; he had been insulted by him, and consequently he had retired to Malwa in dudgeon.

v2.c32.s5.3.2

The Muslim king, according to Nayacandra, sent instructions to the prince of Malwa to kill Vāgbhaṭa, but the latter was too much for him. Having learned the evil intentions of the Malwa ruler, Vāgbhaṭa killed him, and with the assistance of the ‘Kharpūrās’ attacked and captured Ranthambhor, which was presumably in Muslim hands at the time. This must have happened during the weak rule of the successors of Iltutmish. According to Niẓām ud-Dīn the fort was recovered by the Hindus during the reign of Sulṭān Raziyya (1236-40 A.D.), shortly after the death of Iltutmish.² It is difficult to identify the Malwa prince slain by Vāgbhaṭa, for the history of that area during the last quarter of the 13th century is extremely obscure. I am also unable to suggest the region where these ‘Kharpūrās’ dwelt. The name bears resemblance to the name of the Kharparika tribe who are reported by Hariṣeṇa to have paid taxes and obeyed the commands of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta.³ Kirtane seems inclined to accept them as Khakars, a Mongol tribe who invaded India about this time.

v2.c32.s5.3.3

There is as yet no means to verify all the details of the above account of the successors of Pṛthvīrājā given by Nayacandra.⁴ But that Vāgbhaṭa, a descendant of Pṛthvīrāja actually ascended the throne of Ranthambhor is proved by the recently discovered Balvan stone-inscription of Hammīra, the last Cāhamāna of this line.¹ This Vāgbhaṭa has been identified with ‘Bāhar-deo’ (Bāhaḍa-deva) of Ranthambhor, who is described by Minhāj as ‘the greatest of the Rāis of Hindūstān.’² He was attacked in A.H. 646 (A.D. 1248) by Ulugh Khān,³ who met with indifferent success, losing one of his nobles, Malik Bahā ud-Dīn Aibak in a battle under the fort of Ranthambhor.⁴ The Khān’s soldiers, we are told, “showed great courage and fought well; they sent many of the infidels to hell, and secured great spoil, after which they returned to the capital.” This happened in the reign of Sulṭān Nāṣir ud-Dīn Maḥmūd (1246-66 A.D.). The attack seems to have been renewed in A.H. 651 (A.D. 1253), when Ulugh Khān led a Muslim force from Nagor in the direction of Ranthambhor and Chitor. Minhāj relates that “Bāhar Deo, Rāī of Ranthambhor, the greatest of the Rāīs, and the most noble and illustrious of all the princes of Hindūstān, assembled an army to inflict a blow on Ulugh Khān. But……although the Rāī’s army was large and well appointed with arms and horses it was put to flight, and many of its valiant fighting men were sent to hell.

v2.c32.s5.3.4

The Musulmāns obtained great spoil and captured many horses and prisoners (*burda*). They then returned safe with their booty to Nāgor, which in consequence of Ulug Khān’s presence, had become a place of great importance.”⁵ It is clear from these accounts that the Cāhamānas of Ranthambhor, being aided by the weak rule of the successors of Iltutmish (1211-36 A.D.), had again consolidated their position to such an extent that their chief was regarded as the most powerful of all the Hindu princes of Hindustan.