History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c39.7

v3.c39.7

The condition of India at this time resembled that of Germany at the end of the eighteenth century. Germany was divided at that time into several small but strong kingdoms the ruler in each of which aspired to the imposing dignity of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and consequently tried to humble though not destroy the others. In the same way in India each Rajput king aspired to being called Chakravartin or emperor and for that end tried to conquer other kings without attempting to annex his kingdom. Thus while the power of both was lessened, the conqueror gained no strength from increase of resources or dominion. Bhoja of Malwa for example fought with and humbled other Rajput kings and was called Mālava Chakravartin. Karna of Chedi followed his example. And Kumārapāla attempted to obtain the same honour. The rivalry between the Gāhadavālas and the Chauhans lasted for nearly thirty years, between Vijayachandra and Vigrahapāla and Jaichand and Prithvīrāj and weakened both. As the Rāsā relates, ninety out of a hundred of Prithvīrāj's sāmantas fell in his conflict with Jayachand in carrying off Sanyogitā. It is, therefore, no wonder that the Rajput kingly families fell before Shihabuddin as the Germanic states severally fell before Napoleon.