Early Medieval Period (650 AD-1206 AD)/ Rajput Period & Cholas

Early Medieval Period (650 AD-1206 AD)/ Rajput Period & Cholas

North India (Rajput Period)

After Harshavardhana, the Rajputs emerged as a powerful force in Northern India and dominated the Indian political scene for nearly 500 years from the 7^th century. 

Tripartite Struggle

• Towards the close of the 8th century AD, there were three great powers in India: the Palas in the East, the Gurjar-Partihara in the North, and the Rashtrakutas in the Deccan.

• The tripartite struggle for supremacy among the Palas, the Partiharas, and the Rashtrakutas was the important event of these centuries.

• The main cause for this struggle was the desire to possess the city of Kannauj (Kannauj Distt., UP). Which was then a symbol of sovereignty.

The Palas : 750-1150

Capital: Muddagiri/Munger (Bihar)

• Gopala founded the Pala Empire in 750 AD.

• His son Dharmapala (770-810) succeeded him.

• Dharmapala revived Nalanda University.

• He founded the Vikramshila University.

• The Pala dynasty was succeeded by the Sena dynasty of Bengal. Jayadeva ('Gita Gobinda') was the great court poet of Luxman Sen.

The Pratiharas: 730-1036

• The Pratiharas are also called Gurjara-Pratiharas, probably because they originated from Gujarat or southwest Rajasthan.

• Bhoja/Mihir Bhoja (836-882) was the greatest ruler of this dynasty.

• He was a devotee of Vishnu and adopted the title of ‘Adivarah.'

The Rashtrakutas : 752-973

• Dantidurg (752-756), who fixed his capital at Malkhand/Malkhed (Gulbarga dist., Karnataka), founded the kingdom.

• The greatest Rashtrakuta rulers were Govinda III (793-814) and Amoghvarsha (814-878).

• Amoghvarsha ruled for 64 years, but by temperament he preferred the pursuit of religion and literature to war. He was himself an author and wrote Kavirajamaga, the earliest Kannada book on poetics.

• The famous rock-cut temple of Kailash (Shiva) at Ellora was built by one of the Rashtrakuta kings, Krishna I.

Other Important Rulers

Prithviraj Chauhan (1178-92):

He ruled over Delhi and Agra and fought two important battles, viz.

• The First Battle of Tarain was fought in 1191 between the forces of Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohammad Ghori, in which the latter was defeated.

• The Second Battle of Tarain was fought in 1192 when Mohammad Ghori again invaded India, in which Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated and captured and later on slain. The Kingdom of Delhi fell to Mohammad Ghori.

• The Battle of Tarain had great significance in the political scene, as it led to the establishment of Muslim rule over North India and subsequently in the South for several centuries.

• Jai Chand Gadhawal/Rathor (1169-94): He was the last Rajput king who was also defeated and killed by Mohammad Ghori in the Battle of Chandawar (1194).

• Rana Kumbha, the Sisodiya ruler of Mewar (1433-68): Rana Kumbha was the famous ruler of Mewar.

• He defeated Mohammad Khilji and erected the Tower of Victory (Vijay Stambha) in Chittor. His successors Rana Sangram Singh (Rana Sanga) and Maha Rana Pratap were also great kings of the Mewar state.

Salient features of the Rajput kingdoms:

• The country remained free of invasions but lost foreign contact. The caste system was rigid. The Rajputs were proud, warrior-like people but hospitable.

• In the field of culture, many great fortresses and temples were built by them, such as Khajuraho (MP), the Lingaraja temple (Bhubaneshwar, Orissa), the Sun temple (Konarka, Orissa), the Jagannath temple (Puri), and the Dilwara temple (Mount Abu).

Causes of the Decline of the Rajputs:

Lack of unity and foresightedness, the caste system, and defective military organization were some of the causes for the downfall of the Rajputs.

South India (Cholas and Others)

The Chola Empire: 850- AD

Capital: Tanjore, Gangaikonda cholapuram

• The founder of the Chola dynasty was Vijayalaya, who was at first a feudatory of the Pallavas. He captured Tanjore in 850 AD.

• The greatest Chola rulers were Rajaraja (985-1014 AD) and his son Rajendra (1014-1044 AD).

• Rajaraja built the Vrihadeshwar/Rajarajeshwar temple (attributed to Shiva) at Tanjore.

• Rajendra I conquered Orissa, Bengal, Burma, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Chola dynasty was at its zenith during his reign.

• Rajendra I assumed the title of Gangaikondachola and built a city called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

• The last ruler of the Chola dynasty was Rajendra III.

• The king was the head of central authority, helped by a council of ministers, but the administration was democratic.

• The Chola Empire was divided into Mandalams (provinces), and these in turn were divided into Valanadu (commissionary), Nadu (district), and Kurram (a group of villages).

• The arrangement of local self-government is regarded as the basic feature of the administration of Cholas.

• Land revenue and trade tax were the main sources of income.

• The style of architecture that came into vogue during this period is called Dravida, e.g., the Kailashnath temple of Kanchipuram.

• Another aspect was image-making, which reached its climax in the dancing figure of Shiva called Nataraja.

• Kamban, who wrote Ramavataram, was one of the greatest figures of Tamil poetry. His Ramayana is also known as Kamba Ramayana.

• Kambana, Kuttana, and Pugalendi are considered as 'three gems of Tamil poetry.'

• In the temples, the vimana, or the tall pyramidal tower, dominates the whole structure of the shrine and imparts an extraordinary dignity to it.

• Gopuram and Garbhagriha are the other two important structures.

• The best specimens are the temples of Vijayalaya, Choleshwara, the Nageshwara temple, the Koranganath temple, and the Muvarakovitha temple.

Other Kingdoms of South

Note : The temple of Hoyasaleshwara at Dwarasamudra (modern Halebid) is the greatest achievement of Hoyasala art.