History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c34.s4.22

v3.c34.s4.22

Govindachandra ruled long from about 1114 to 1155 A. D. Sir Vincent Smith, it appears, inadvertently includes the years 1104 to 1114 in the reign of Govindachandra (E. H. I. p. 384, 3rd Edn.). And Gaurishankar Ojha has rightly given the date of Govindachandra’s accession as 1114 A. D. This discrepancy of dates was striking and we specially looked into the inscriptions concerned and it appears that these grants from 1104 to 1109 A. D., Govindachandra signs or makes as heir apparent while Madanapāla was still ruling and hence these years must be included in the reign of Madanapāla. Kielhorn has also given the inscriptions of 1104, 1105, 1107 and 1109 as belonging to the reign of Madanapāla. The first insc. of 1104 is published in I. A. XIV (p. 103) and is the well-known Basāhi grant of that village in the Etawah District. Govindachandra is described therein as Mahārājaputra, meaning literally son of the Mahārāja, and in the last sentence the writing is said to be done with the consent of Purohita Jāgūka, Mahattaka (minister) Vālhaṇa and Pratihāri (chamberlain) Gautama. The inscription of 1105 is published in Ep. Ind. II (p. 358) and is similar in form to the above on which we will comment at length later on. It grants a village in the Pāñchāla country while the donor was encamped on the Ganges and in the end the writing is said to be made with the consent of the above officers as also of the queen-mother Rālhadevi. The third insc. dated 1107 is published in short in J. R. A. S. 1895 (p. 786). It was made in Benares by queen Prithvīśrikā for Madanapāla. And the fourth insc. dated 1109 is published in I. A. XVIII (p. 15.). The grant was made on the Jumna at Asaṭikā mentioned above, on account of a solar eclipse, by Govindachandra Mahārāja-putra ‘ while Madanpāla was ruling ’ and it does not contain at the end mention of any consent by any state officers. We have detailed these facts purposely as some points of importance appear clearly therefrom. Madanpāla, it must first be stated, did not come to the throne in 1097 as is sometimes supposed, for we have now an inscription of Chandra himself dated 1099. The insc. of St. 1154 or 1097 A. D. is given even by Kielhorn as belonging to Chandra. That insc. (I. A. XVIII p. 11) was recorded by Madanpāla to certify a grant made by Chandra in 1097 (St. 1154); when this certification or the inscription itself was recorded is not mentioned but it must have taken place after 1099 A. D., when Chandra was still ruling. We may take, therefore, the date of the rule of Chandra as circa 1080 to 1100; in which year Madanpāla may be taken to commence his rule. Strangely enough, the above noted four grants in the year 1104, 1105, 1107 and 1109 are made during his rule by his son Govindachandra and one by his mother queen Rālhadevi and one grant is consented to by his own queen Prithvīśrikā when the grantor was in Pāñchāla country. It may be inferred that Madanpāla by reason of illness or for some other cause did not rule personally during these years and authorised his son and queen to make grants and do other acts which are solely the function of royalty. It further appears that Rajput queens were often invested with power to act for the king as regents. In the last grant of 1109, Govindachandra was so far advanced in age and also in power that his act did not require the consent of the queen mother. Govindachandra's first grant in his own behalf found is dated 1114 (Kielhorn and Gaurīshankar) and we may take it that he came to the throne in 1110 A. D.