The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c13.s5.49

v2.c13.s5.49

The most satisfactory explanation of all these statements can be offered again by a reference to Rāṣṭrakūṭa history and the relations between the Rāṣṭrakūṭas and the Eastern Cāḷukyas.² Govinda IV had deposed his elder brother Amoghavarṣa II and seized the Rāṣṭrakūṭa throne in A.D. 930, an act which set some of his courtiers against him. The dissenting nobles found support within the royal family from Govinda’s paternal uncle Baddega and Baddega’s more ambitious son Kṛṣṇa III. Govinda banished them and they fled to the Cedi court in Tripurī because Baddega’s queen was a Cedi princess, a daughter of Yuvarājdeva I. From there they seem to have carried on their intrigues against Govinda who on his part evidently did little to retrieve his popularity with his subjects. Arikesarī II of Vēmulavāḍa, although the brother-in-law of Govinda, seems to have joined his enemies and espoused the cause of Baddega. Another powerful feudatory prince who acted in the same way was the Gaṅga Būtuga, who visited Baddega in Tripurī and married his daughter, hoping, with his aid, in due course to carry out his designs on his ancestral throne as against his elder brother, the ruling Gaṅga prince Rājamalla III. Meanwhile, in another direction, Govinda’s policy, at first apparently successful, eventually landed him in inextricable difficulties. It was a period of confusion and disputed succession in Veṅgi from the close of Indra III’s reign. Soon after his accession, Govinda had supported Yuddhamalla II against his rivals, and virtually converted Veṅgi into a Rāṣṭrakūṭa province, all real power passing into the hands of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa officials. This was resented by Cāḷukya Bhīma II of the elder branch who got into touch with the anti-Govinda party and was supported by them either openly or in secret. When Cāḷukya Bhīma II began a war of independence, Govinda sent an army under his loyal nobles to put down the rebellion. But before this army could win through to success, another rebellion threatened its rear as Bijja or Vijayāditya of the Mudugoṇḍa branch of Cāḷukyas, who was ruling the territory adjoining the Vēmulavāḍa principality in the south, rose also. When Govinda sent yet another army against him, he appealed to Arikesarī for aid, which was readily granted, and Govinda's forces were defeated. Baddega, who was watching these developments from Tripurī, was then sent for, and was perhaps proclaimed king at Vēmulavāḍa, and Govinda's reign came to an abrupt end, Baddega Amoghavarṣa III and Cāḷukya Bhīma II both entering on the rule of their respective kingdoms in the years A.D. 934-5.