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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA and numismatic evidence shows that, in the thirteenth century, a branch of the Pratīhāra family was ruling at Gwalior and rulers of a dynasty called Jajapēlla or Yajvapāla were holding sway over Narwar.[1] The history of the Gwalior region between the fall of the Kachchhapaghātas and the rise of the Pratīhāras and Jajapēllas is obscure. According to the bardic traditions of the Rājputs, the last Kachhwāha (Kachchhapaghāta) king of Gwalior was Tej Karan, otherwise called Dulha Rai, who left his capital about 1128 A.D., and Parmal Deo or Paramardidēva, nephew of Tej Karan, founded the Parihār (Pratīhāra) dynasty of Gwalior, which ruled for 103 years until the capture of the fortress by the Turkish Musalmans in 1232 A. D. from Sārang Deo, the seventh and last prince of the line.[2] But we have seen that it was Pratīhāra Malayavarman who was ruling Gwalior about the year 1232 A.D. At least some of the details of the Rajput traditions must therefore be regarded as wrong.
According to some Muslim chroniclers, Sultān Mahmūd invaded the territories of Nandā (sic. Vīdā, i.e. Chandēlla Vidyādhara, circa 1015-40 A.D.) for a second time in 1022 A. D.[3] In the course of this expedition he laid siege to the fortress of Gwalior ; but, finding it too strong, he permitted the hākim or governor of the fort (apparently a Kachchhapaghāta feudatory of the Chandēlla king) to compound for a formal submission by a gift of thirtyfive elephants. About the end of 1196 A.D., Muizuddīn Muḥammad bin Sām, accompanied by Qutbuddīn, advanced against Gwalior and besieged it ; but ‘ he found the fortress too strong to be taken by a coup de main and he could not spare the time for a regular siege ; but the Rājā was prepared to purchase immunity for himself and his dominions, and in consideration of a promise to pay tribute and the immediate payment of a first instalment he was permitted to retain possession of his state and his fortess’.[4] The fief of Gwalior was allotted to Iltutmish. The name of the king of Gwalior who opposed the Muslim armies under Muizuddīn is given by the Tājul Ma’asir as Rai Solankh Pal. Cunningham[5] identifies him with Lohang Deo, one of the seven Parihār kings of the bardic list, the authenticity of which is, however, doubtful. The fortress of Gwalior apparently assumed independence shortly afterwards and, about the beginning of 1232 A.D., Iltutmish came back to subdue it permanently. The fortress was occupied by Iltutmish after a protracted siege lasting for eleven months.[6] The Tabagāt-i-Nāsirī gives the name of the king of Gwalior defeated by Iltutmish as Milak Deo, son of Basil. Some writers propose to read the name as Mangal Bhava Deo, son of Mal Deo or Birbal Deo.[7] But the difficulties of reading correctly an Indian proper name given in the Perso-Arabic script are wellknown ; cf. the name of Chandēlla Trailōkyavarmadēva given in the Tabaqāt-i-Nāsirī as Dalkī wa Malkī (apparently of Tilkīwama Deo).[8] The known facts of the history of Gwalior, discussed above, make it clear now that the names intended by the Tabaqāt-i-Nāsirī in the present case were Malaiwama Deo, son of Bigarh Deo, i.e. Malayavarmadēva, son of Vigrahadēva. The Muslim authors appear to suggest that Gwalior remained a fief under Iltutmish from the time of its nominal conquest by Muizuddīn and Qutbuddīn about the end of 1196 A.D. till death of Qutubuddīn in 1210 A.D.[9] But they do not speak of the extirpation of Hindu rule from Gwalior. It appears therefor that the Hindu king of Gwalior paid tribute to the Musalmans during the above period. Malayavarman thus seems to have conquered Gwalior not from the Musalmans but from ___________________________________________________
[1] Ind. Ant., Vol. XLVII, pp. 241 ff.
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