GAHADAVALA DYNASTY

one of the many ruling families of North India on the eve of the Muslim conquests in the 12th13th century. Its history, ranging between the second half of the 11th century and the mid-13th century, illustrates all the features of early medieval North Indian politydynastic hostilities and alliances, feudal-state structure, absolute dependence on Brahminical social ideology, and vulnerability in the face of external aggressions. The family, perhaps originating in the Varanasi-Ayodhya area in Uttar Pradesh, later came to be associated with Kanauj, which had become one of the most crucial political centres in India. The majority of the Gahadavala epigraphic records were discovered in Uttar Pradesh and issued from Varanasi. The dynastic power became gradually consolidated in the period of the first three rulers: Yasovi-Graha, Mahicandra, and Candradeva (c. 10891103). By the period of Candradeva, the Gahadavalas had taken control of Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kanauj, and Indrasthaniyaka (modern Delhi) and expanded all over Uttar Pradeshsometimes at the expense of such powers as the Kalacuri. The Gahadavalas sought to ward off the growing menace of Muslim incursions by expedient alliances and the payment of tributes, at least until the period of Candradeva's son Madanapala (reigned c. 110413), who was, in all probability, the Kanauj king imprisoned and later released during the period of Ghaznavid Sultan Mas'ud III. Despite the regularity of Muslim attacks, which were at least temporarily repulsed by Govindacandra (reigned c. 111315), the Gahadavalas endeavoured to spread eastward; Govindacandra expanded to the Patna and Monghyr districts in Bihar, and in 116869 southwestern Bihar was being ruled by a feudatory of his son Vijayacandra (reigned c. 115569). Conventional accounts seem to suggest that Govindacandra had varied relations with an impressive number of Indian and non-Indian countries. Despite obvious exaggeration, hostilities with such powers as the Palas, Senas, and the Kalacuris appear to be substantially factual. The weakness of the internal structure of the Gahadavala kingdom was finally exposed late in the 12th century during the invasions of Mu'izz-ud-Din Muhammad of Ghur. Jayacandra (reigned c. 117094), who held Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar, had, according to bardic accounts, bitter enmity with the Cahamanas of Rajasthan. He lost the battle and his life at Chandawar (Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh) in an encounter with Muhammad of Ghur. Although the Gahadavalas lingered in Hariscandra's reign (c. 1194?) in Kanauj, Jaunpur, and Mirzapur districts until 1197, the buildup of Muslim expansion in the areas was steady through the early 13th century. Gahadavala royalty had an obscure death, sometime before the middle of the 13th century, at Nagod in central India, to which Adakkamalla, the last known Gahadavala, had escaped.