Page 13 - Journeys Through Society-7

Decline of the Three Dynasties
The three dynasties declined simultaneously. Their
strengths were similar and they were dependent on
well-organised armies. Their constant campaigns
meant maintenance of large armies and pressure on
source of revenue. While they remained busy over
their conflict in Kannauj, their feudatories declared
themselves independent. The constant struggle
eventually weakened the three dynasties and resulted
in their ultimate decline.
The Tripartite struggle among regional kingdoms
His successor, Dharmapala, made the Pala kingdom a Wow Fact
force to reckon within north India. Towards the end of
The rock-cut cave temples at Ellora and
the eighth century, he led a successful compaign and Elephanta caves in the modern day
conquered Kannuaj from the Pratiharas. He is credited Maharashtra are now two of the UNESCO
with building the famous university of Vikramashila. World Heritage sites in India. They were built
by the Rashtrakuta rulers.
His successor, Devapala, extended the borders of his
kingdoms to include
Kamrupa in Assam. The The Rise of the Rajputs
dynasty collapsed in the In Rajasthan and central India, there arose a number
12th century and was of small kingdoms ruled by dynasties called the
succeeded by the rulers Rajputs.
of Sena dynasty.
In the early medieval period, various Rajput clans
Pratiharas Mahabodhi Temple established Kingdoms in different parts of western,
northern and central India. They called themselves
The Pratiharas ruled over some parts of Rajasthan and
Rajputras, which literally claimed that they were
Gujarat.
princes. They claimed royal lineage and asserted
Famous rulers of this period were Raja Bhoj and
themselves as kshatriyas. These dynasties linked their
Mahendra Pala. Nagabhatta I was the founder of the
lineage either with the Suryavanshi or the solar family,
dynasty. They had trade relation with central Asia. The
Chandravanshi or the lunar family or Agni Kula,
successors were weak and could not protect their
descendants of the fire family.
kingdom. As a result, Mahmud Ghazni invaded and
defeated the last ruler of Pratihara.

Rashtrakutas
The third dynasty which was involved in the conflict
over Kannauj were the Rashtrakutas of Deccan.
According to some Arabic sources, the Rashtrakutas
were the most powerful of the three dynasties.
Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the
eighth century CE. He was originally a feudatory of the
Chalukyas. Rulers like Amoghavarasha and Krishna III
gave some stability to the kingdom. They also Prithviraj Chauhan fighting in a battle
extended the frontiers to include Kannauj.
Prithviraj Chauhan was the most powerful ruler of
Rashtrakuta rule in the Deccan lasted till the end of the
Rajput dynasty. He ascended the throne of Ajmer
10th century.
around 1169 C.E. He followed a policy of expansion.
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