Rashtrakuta
The Rashtrakuta were a medieval Indian dynasty that ruled over large parts of south and central India and on the Deccan Plateau between 752 and 973 .
history
The Rashtrakuta were originally vassals of the Chalukya in Berar , Gujarat and Nasik . King Dantidurga (ruled approx. 735 / 754–757) founded the state in the middle of the 8th century. In his youth he had to defend himself against his two uncles Karka and Krishna, so that his mother Bhavagana, a Chalukya princess, summoned the conqueror Lalitaditya of Kashmir . After his departure (around 747) he was able to establish his own domestic power with a victory over the Chalukya king Kirtivarman II (r. 746–757) around 753/4.
Finally his uncle Krishna I (ruled approx. 756-772) overthrew the underage sons of Dantidurga and succeeded him on the throne, so that the tribes were united. Krishna also destroyed Karka in Gujarat and defeated 757 recent restoration attempt of the defeated Chalukya King Kirtivarman II The King Krishna I also left the. Kailasa - cave temple in Ellora , which compared with the Chalukya- and Pallava Although not represent a new art style -Kunst , but still represents the most important architectural and artistic legacy of the Rashtrakuta. In addition, the Pataleshvara Temple in Pune and sometimes the enormous stone carvings on the fortress mountain of Daulatabad are attributed to the Rashtrakuta.
The early Rashtrakuta cultivated powerful and brutal art and a blood-based religion (sacrificial sites in the Dumar-Lena Temple of Ellora). They were fanatical devotees of Bhairava - Shivas and Durgas , but later changed this preference under the influence of other dynasties; since King Amoghavarsa (r. 815–877) the Jainas were also promoted.
Most of the dynasty's inscriptions are in the Kannada language.
Dantidurga's third successor, King Dhruva (ruled approx. 779–793), then advanced into the Gangestal , where he met the Pratihara King Vatsaraja (ruled approx. 775–805) and the Pala King Dharmapala of Bengal (ruled approx . 775–810) defeated, quite apart from successes against the Gangas , Pallavas and Vengi-Chalukyas. Govindra III attacked as early as 806/07. (ruled approx. 794–813) and his brother Indra with two armies advancing quickly northwards and defeated the Pratihara king Nagabhatra II, who fled into the desert of Rajasthan. However, they had to turn back quickly because of unrest in the south. Such power struggles for the historical heartland with the city of Kannauj were typical in the Indian Middle Ages, but did not show any lasting success.
Under Govindra III. (ruled approx. 794–813) Manyakhet or Malkhed in today's state of Maharashtra was also expanded as the new capital; his brother Indra got his own partial principality in Lata (South Gujarat ), whose heirs should cause problems for King Amoghavarsa (ruled approx. 815–877). In the middle of the 9th century, the Rashtrakuta also had a serious period of weakness.
King Amoghavarsa (ruled 815–877) was - it is said - peace-loving, pious, interested in art and literature, but incapable of governing . As a small child came on the throne, he experienced the uprising of Prince Stambha (816-21), which, however, was led by Prince Karka III. was thrown down by Lata, who then became "regent". But the "regent" son, Dhruva Akalavarsha grabbed the crown himself and had to be defeated by General Bankeya. Eventually even the Chalukya of Vengi stormed the capital Manyakheta and King Amoghavarsa abdicated in favor of his son Krishna II. (R. 880–914, co-regent since 861). Nevertheless, according to the Arab merchant Suleiman, Amoghavarsa is said to have been the fourth most powerful man in the world. (The Rashtrakuta also had good relations with the Arabs in Sind , which may explain this praise.)
The rise took place under the kings Indra III. (ruled approx. 915–917) and Govinda IV. (ruled approx. 918–934), when the Pratihara king Mahipala (ruled approx. 914–943) was threatened by internal strife and the growing independence of his vassals. Indra III. briefly conquered Kannauj in 915/16 and overran all of northern and central India, but was murdered in 917, so that the conquests were lost again.
Later came Krishna III. (ruled approx. 939–968) again to the foot of the Himalayas . He also defeated the Chola king Parantaka I (ruled approx. 907–955) at Takkolan in 949 and once again restricted the Chola to its home country. Rajaditya, the son and co-regent of the Chola King, fell in battle. The Wars of Krishna III. However, despite all the victories against Ganga, Chola, Pallava, Vengi-Chalukya, he consumed his troops (established principalities with their own administrations, armies, castles and cities everywhere) and so he had to resort to assassination against the Chola.
The fall of the dynasty came quickly. As early as 972, the Paramara sacked the capital and killed the king. A year later in 973, the next king, a nephew of Krishna III., Was overthrown by his preferred governor, a descendant of the Chalukya, who restored the Chalukya empire as King Tailapa Ahavamalla (r. 973-997). The last rashtrakuta took his life by fasting in 982.
Nevertheless, local rulers of this name still existed until the 13th century. B. the Northern Rashtrakuta in Kannauj (11th – 13th centuries). Kumaradevi, the wife of the Gahadavala king Govindachandra (r. 1114–1155) is said to have been a Rashtrakuta on her mother's side.
List of rulers of the Rashtrakuta
Rashtrakutas from Manyakheta
- Dantidurga (735-756)
- Krishna I (756-774)
- Govinda II (774-780)
- Dhruva Dharavarsha (780-793)
- Govinda III. (793-814)
- Amoghavarsha I (814-878)
- Krishna II Akalavarsha (878-914)
- Govinda IV.
- Indra III. (914-929)
- Amoghavarsha II (929-930)
- Govinda IV. (930-935)
- Amoghavarsha III. (935-939)
- Krishna III. (939-967)
- Khottiga Amoghhavarsha IV. (967-972)
- Karka II (972-973)
- Indra IV (973-982)
Rashtrakutas from Lata
- Indra (807-818) (brother of Govinda III.)
- Karka and Govinda (818-826)
- Dhruva II (835-845)
- Akalavarsha Shubhatunga (867-)
- Dhruva III. (-871)
Rashtrakutas from Hastikundi (near Jodhpur )
- Harivarma
- Vidagdha (916-938)
- Mammata (939-)
- Balaprasada (997)
literature
- Hermann Kulke , Dietmar Rothermund : History of India. From the Indus culture to today. CH Beck, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-406-60414-0 .
Web links
- The Rashtrakutas (English)