History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.s1.25

v1.c14.s1.25

The end of this wonderful king was alike wonderful. Where and when he died is not known to Kashmir historians. He certainly did not die in Kashmir. A messenger arrived from his camp somewhere among the Northern barbarians announcing that the king could not return and that the ministers should proclaim his son king. He is said to have ruled for 36 years and thus his reign came to end in 736 A. D. Comparing this account with the account derivable from foreign sources as related by Smith we may say that an embassy from China in 733 A. D. may have been received, investing Lalitāditya with the title of king. Of couse it must be taken subject to Chinese misrepresentation in that the Chinese Emperor was believed to be the ruler of the whole world. Lalitāditya also looked upon himself as Emperor and the embassy must have been nothing more than greetings between rival emperors claiming sovereignty over Turkestan. As for the date of his victory over Yaśovarman, Smith on the authority of Levi and Chauvanes places it in 740 A. D. But this does not seem to be correct. It is against the authority of the Tarangiṇī which places his death in 736 and also against the evidence of the Chacha-nāma which seems clearly to place this victory before the conquest of Sind by the Arabs in 712 A. D. This date will be further discussed in a note.