The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c14.23

v2.c14.23

The next ruler, Dhāḍiyasa (c. A.D. 970-85), is again one of whom little is really known. It was during his reign that the Rāṣṭrakūṭa empire was overthrown, but we do not know whether he offered any help to his imperial relative at this critical juncture. Not blood relationship, but the exigencies of the situation, usually dictate the course of rulers in political crises, and we find Bhillama II, the son and successor of Dhāḍiyasa, transferring his allegiance to the Cālukyas, who had brought about the fall of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, though he had himself married a Rāṣṭrakūṭa princess named Lakshmī.¹ Bhillama in fact became a staunch supporter of the new Cālukya empire founded by Tailapa II; ‘he compelled’, says a verse in his own copper-plate charter, ‘the goddess of Royalty to remain as a chaste wife in the house of Raṇarājaraṅga (Tailapa II)’. He took an active part in the war with the Paramāras, which eventually ended in the overthrow and death of King Muñja.² The enthusiastic assistance thus given to the Cālukya emperor evidently did not remain unrewarded, for we find the Ahmadanagar District added to his patrimony about this time. It is possible that some outlying territories of the Paramāra dominion in the direction of the Khandesh may also have been allotted to him, though so far we have no direct evidence supporting this view.