Lohara dynasty

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The Lohara dynasty ruled Kashmir between 1003 and 1171 . It came to power in several changes of government after the fall of the Utpala dynasty and was followed by the Upyadeva dynasty. In their time, the power of the kingship in Kashmir perished and the Muslims gained influence in the state for the first time.

history

prehistory

After the suicide of King Yassaskara, who replaced Utpala (ruled 939-948, incurable disease), the scheming scribe Parvagupta became king for a year (949-950, previously minister since 939). He was followed by his son Kshemagupta (reigned 950–958), a voluptuous who married the princess Didda of Lohara.

Queen Didda of Lohara

After the death of her husband Kshemagupta, Didda took over the government for her son Abhimanyu (ruled 958–972) and her grandchildren and finally made herself queen in 980. She was not exactly harmless (eliminated many people, including her grandson Bhimagupta 980), but administratively she was capable and is considered to be the actual founder of the Lohara dynasty in Kashmir. In terms of foreign policy, Didda was allied with the kingdom of the Hindu Shahis (in Afghanistan and in the Pandjab), as she was on her mother's side a granddaughter of the local king Bhima Deva (ruled approx. 940-965). She supported the Hindu Sahis against the Muslims .

Sangrama Raja

Bronze stater of Sangrama Raja, 1003-1028 AD.
Back of the bronze stater

After Didda's death in 1003, her nephew Sangrama Raja (1003-1028) ruled Kashmir; the son of her brother Udaya Raja (ruled Lohara around 980). Sangrama Raja had already led the government together with the Minister Tunga in Didda's last years. He also supported the Hindu Shahis against the Muslims of the conqueror Mahmud of Ghazna (ruled 998-1030) with an army under the Minister Tunga. But the days of the Hindu Sahis were numbered, so that some of the princes there had to flee to Sangrama Raja. Kashmir itself had to be defended against the Ghaznavids twice (1015 and 1021), most likely successfully.

King Sangrama Raja was followed by his son Ananta Deva (ruled 1028-1063, suppressed the aristocratic revolt) and then his grandson Kalasha (ruled 1063-1089).

Civil war under King Harsha

The turning point came under Kalasha's sons Utkarsha (ruled 1089) and Harsha (ruled after 1089). Harsha was a man full of personal contrasts; gifted and cultured, kind, cruel and greedy. His government began splendidly after the bloody deeds of his brother Utkarsha and ended in megalomania, distrust and tyranny. Here the fortunes of the dynasty turned: the landed gentry and people rose, Harsha's troops overran, the capital was betrayed and the queens were burned in the palace. Harsha himself was killed while trying to escape.

During Harsha's time, because of their military abilities, Muslims were accepted into the army in large numbers for the first time , and later also into the administration. However, it took more than 200 years for this belief to prevail in the country.

Downfall

With Harsha's demise, the usurper Uchchala (ruled 1101–1111), a descendant of Didda's brother Udaya Raja, came to power. Uchchala was followed by his brother Sushala (ruled 1112-20 and 1121-28, previously in Lohara) and then his son Vijaya Simha (ruled 1128-1155), but their succession to the throne and rule was often contested by relatives. All these kings were from the beginning dependent on the landed gentry, who had supported them in the seizure of power and - if they became too arbitrary - then fought them again with new candidates for the throne. The power of kingship declined and the dynasty ended in 1171.

Ruler

The main kings:

  • Queen Didda (r. 958 / 80-1003)
  • Sangrama Raja (reigned 1003-1028)
  • Hari Raja (r. 1028)
  • Ananta Deva (reg. 1028-1063, abs.)
  • Kalasha (ruled 1063-1089)
  • Utkarsha (r. 1089)
  • Harsha (ruled 1089-1101)
  • Uchchala (r. 1101–1111)
  • Sushala (ruled 1112-20 and 1121-28)
  • Vijaya Simha (reigned 1128–1155)
  • Paramanu Deva (r. 1155-1164)

literature

See also

Web links