Category Social Sciences

When did the Chalukyas of Vengi establish their kingdom?

             It was after the death of Pulakeshin II that the Eastern Chalukyas became an independent kingdom. They established themselves in the eastern Deccan and started ruling from Vengi. Pulakeshin II, who conquered the eastern Deccan in AD 616 had appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the governor of the new territory.

           Territorial disputes flared up between the Rashtrakutas, the new rulers of the western Deccan, and the Eastern Chalukyas after the decline of the Badami Chalukya Empire. This was followed by the subjugation of the Eastern Chalukyas by the Rashtrakutas for much of the next two centuries.

           The Eastern Chalukyas were notorious for causing many wars between the Cholas and the Western Chalukyas; both the kingdoms fought over the control of the strategic Vengi region.

           Telugu culture, literature, poetry and art flourished during the latter half of the rule of the Eastern Chalukyas.

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Why Pulakeshin II is considered the greatest of all Chalukya kings?

  As soon as Pulakeshin II ascended the throne in AD 610, he granted pardon to all those who opposed his succession in order to restore peace. He then worked to strengthen the law and order situation throughout his kingdom and settle other primary needs of the people.

          It won’t be wrong to say that Pulakeshin II, lived up to his name that meant ‘great lion’. He captured Vanavasi from the Kadambas, took over parts of the Pallava territory and defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of the river Narmada. As per an inscription found in Ai-hole, Pulakeshin ruled over ninety-nine thousand villages. He instilled fear in the kings of the neighbouring areas.

          Battles were not the only thing he was famous for; he was one of the most benevolent administrators as well. Pulakeshin II sent an ambassador to the court of Khusru II, king of Persia and had temples constructed in his kingdom. He was defeated and killed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman in AD 642.

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Why was the Chalukya dynasty prominent?

          The Chalukyas ruled the Deccan as three separate, yet related dynasties, the earliest of them being the Badami Chalukyas. Also known as early Chalukyas, the Badami Chalukyas ruled from Vatapi (modern Badami) from the mid-6th century. They were followed by Chalukyas of Vengi or Eastern Chalukyas and were later succeeded by Chalukyas of Kalyani or Western Chalukyas. The Chalukyas rose to power supplanting Vakatakas and their rule lasted till the 12th century.

          Pulakeshin I founded the empire of the Chalukyas of Vatapi; he built a fort at Vatapi, on a hill not far from the Mahaprabha river and ruled over the area between the Vindhya Mountains and river Krishna. The king later adopted the title Vallabheshvara.

          History credits him with the ashvamedha yaga that he conducted. Kirtivarman, who succeeded him, extended the kingdom further by defeating the Mauryas of North-Konkana, the Nalas of Nalavadi (Bellari) and the Kadambas of Vanavasi.

          However, Kirtivarman II, the last Chalukyan ruler was defeated by one of their feudatories, Dantidurga. Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty and thus, ended the Chalukya rule.

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Which were the Kingdoms that existed to the northwest and east of India ?

          Afghanistan and Gandhara were ruled by the descendants of Kushanas. Later, Turkish Shahiya kings were replaced by the Hindu-Shahi dynasty. Jayapala became the ruler of the Shahi kingdom in the late 10th century AD; he ruled over west Punjab, the North-West Frontier Province, and east Afghanistan. But, this kingdom was brought to the ground by Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century AD.

          The Karkota dynasty established themselves in Kashmir in the 7th century AD. Lalitaditya Muktapida was the most famous among their line of kings, who conquered parts of Punjab and defeated Yashovarman of Kanauj. Kamarupa was an independent state in the north-east through which, important trade routes from eastern India to east Tibet and China, passed. In the 16th century, the Ahom kingdom came into prominence in Assam.

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Why did the rule of the Rajputs decline?

          The Rajputs were not a single dynasty; they were chivalric, land owning Kshatriyas from north India and Gujarat. The Rajputs had many branches like Gurjara-Pratiharas, Chahamanas, Solankis and Vaghelas.

           Several Rajput-ruled kingdoms played a significant role in many regions of central and north India. The kingdom of Mewar ruled by the Sisodias was the first major Rajput kingdom. Most of their subjects were farmers. Trade and commerce flourished in their times. Though the Rajputs were strong and brave, they failed to accomplish much.

         They were always fighting with each other and seldom united even against a common foe. The feudal system also proved disastrous for the Rajputs. They were great patriots of their clan; but they cared more for their chiefs and clans rather than the country as a whole.

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Who reigned in the north of India after the Vardhanas?

         The death of Harsha was followed by a struggle for power in north India by many dynasties; Kanauj was the centre of all these struggles. Many of these dynasties called themselves Rajputs. The name Rajput came from Raja-putra, sons of kings.

         The Pratiharas, the Gahadavalas, the Palas, the Senas, the Chahamanas or Chauhans, the Chandellas, the Kalachuris, the Guhilas, the Solankis and the Paramaras were some of the known kingdoms of this period. The Pratiharas ruled over the area around Jodhpur while the Gahadavalas ruled over most of Uttar Pradesh. The Palas remained in power till the 1150s.

         The Chauhans ruled in Shakambhari in the 7th century AD. Prithviraj Chauhan was the last Chauhan ruler. For a long time, the Chandellas controlled the land of the Pratiharas. They later became independent and ruled Bundelkhand. During their rule, the Chandellas built many important temples, the most famous among them being those at Khajuraho, in Madhya Pradesh.

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