Kingdom of Malwa

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Kingdom of Malwa
350–625
947–1305
1401–1562
The Kingdom of Malwa in 544
The Kingdom of Malwa in 544
The Kingdom of Malwa in 1304
The Kingdom of Malwa in 1304
CapitalMandsaur
Mahismati
Dhar
Mandu
Religion
Hinduism
Sunni Islam
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
King 
• 350–375
Jayavarman (first)
• 1555–1562
Baz Bahadur (last)
Historical era
• House of Aulikara established
350
• House of Kalachuri established
550
625
948
1305
1401
1562
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
350:
Malava Republic
948:
Gurjara Empire
1401:
Delhi Sultanate
625:
Kannauj Empire
1304:
Delhi Sultanate
1562:
Hindustan
Today part ofIndia

The Kingdom of Malwa was a monarchy in Central India during the Classical Era and the Early Mediaeval Era. It was ruled by multiple royal houses discontinuously including the Aulikaras, Paramaras, Kalachuris, Khaljis and Ghurids.[1][2][3]

The Kingdom of Avanti of ancient India had been based in the region where the Kingdom of Malwa later came up. The Kingdom of Avanti was conquered by Indo-Scythia in 61 BC. Following this, the region was ruled by the Malava republic. During the period, the region's name gradually changed to Malava or Malwa. In 350 AD, Jayavarman established the Kingdom of Malwa in region and founded the House of Aulikara. Yashodharman, the King of Malwa between 515 and 545 AD significantly expanded the kingdom and conquered the territories of Huns. Following his death, Krishnaraja became the King of Malwa and founded the House of Kalachuri in 550 AD.

The Kingdom of Malwa was conquered and ruled by Harsha, the Emperor of Kannauj between 625 and 647 AD after which regained it's independence until being conquered by the Gurjara Empire in 755 AD. Hereafter it formed a part of the Gurjara Empire until it regained its independence in 948 under the House of Paramara until it was conquered by the Delhi Sultanate in 1305. In 1401, the governor of Malwa declared his independence and established the Sultanate of Malwa under the House of Khalji which reigned till its conquest by Akbar, the Shahenshah of Hindustan in 1562.

History

House of Aulikara (350–530)

The region where the Kingdom of Malwa was established had earlier been part of the Malava republic. The Malavas had been a tribe from northwestern India who conquered and established their rule over the Malwa region sometime after the fall of the Kingdom of Avanti (61 BC). They formed an oligarchic republic and maintained their rule over Malwa until 350 AD. Jayavarman, a Malava chief, deposed the republican government and established the Kingdom of Malwa and the House of Aulikara. Taking advantage of the confusion created during the reign of Rudrasena III, the Saka Satrap of Gujarat for thirteen years, from 351 to 364 AD, Jayavarman seized the territory near Mandsor from the Sakas. In 423 AD, Viswavarman accepted the suzerainty of Kumaragupta I, the Emperor of Magadha. In 467 AD, following the succession crisis after the death of Emperor Skandagupta of Magadha, Prabhakara became an independent monarch.

Further north, the First Hunnic War began in 496 between the Hunnic Empire and the Magadha Empire and the Huns conquered parts of Central and Northwest India by 510. However, in 515 during the reign of Yashodharman, the Kingdom of Malwa joined the War in aid of Magadha and managed to defeat the Huns. The Hunnic King Toramana died from war injuries after a battle with the Magadhan Emperor Narasimhagupta.

In 520, the Second Hunnic War began after the son of Tomara, Mihirakula, King of the Huns invaded the Magadhan Empire once more and occupied and sacked Patliputra, the Magadhan capital. Following this, Malwa formed an alliance with the Kingdom of Thanesar and in 528, defeated the Hunnic Empire.

House of Kalachuri (530–625)

In 530 AD, Yashodharman died without any heirs. Seeing this Krishnaraja seized power and became the King of Malwa and established the House of Kalachuri. His son, Shankaragana (c. 575– 600) conquered parts of the Magadhan Empire. Shankaragana's son, Buddharaja (c. 600–625) was defeated by Chalukyas and lost southern territories and was ultimately defeated and conquered by the
Kannauj Empire under Harsha.

Kannauj Interregnum to Rashtrakuta feudatory

Harsha of the Kannauj Empire conquered Malwa around 625 of which it remained a part until his death 647. Following this the history of Malwa is mostly unknown. In 756 AD, the Gurjara Empire conquered Malwa. In 786, the Rashtrakuta Empire conquered the region from the Gurjaras. During this period, Malwa was made a vassal kingdom under the House of Paramara.

House of Paramara (947–1305)

In 947 AD, Siyaka, the ruler of Malwa and vassal of the Rashtrakuta Empire declared his independence. His son Munja defeated Sambhar, Mewar, Tripuri, Nadol and Gurjaratra. However, in 998, the Chalukya Kingdom of Kalyani defeated and conquered the southern territories of Malwa. His brother succeeded him and defeated Kalyani kingdom and took back the lost territories. His grandson Bhoja (r. 1010–1055) made extensive conquests. He made an alliance between the Kingdom of Tripuri, the Chola empire and the Kingdom of Malwa and defeated the Kingdom of Kalyani. In 1048, the Kingdom of Kalyani invaded and sacked the capital of Malwa, and forced to cede territories up till the Narmada.

After his death, he was succeeded by his son. Jayasimha I was defeated by an alliance of Gujarat and Tripuri. Jayasimha's successor and Bhoja's brother Udayaditya was defeated by Chamundaraja, his vassal at Vagada. He repulsed an invasion by the King of Gujarat, Karna, with help from his allies. Udayaditya's eldest son Lakshmadeva has been credited with defeating the Kingdom of Tripuri. Udayaditya's younger son Naravarman faced several defeats, losing to the Kingdom of Bundelkhand and the Gurjara king Jayasimha Siddharaja. By the end of his reign, one Vijayapala had carved out an independent kingdom to the north-east of Ujjain.

Yashovarman lost control of the capital Dhara to Jayasimha Siddharaja. His successor Jayavarman I regained control of Dhara, but soon lost it to an usurper named Ballala. The Gurjara king Kumarapala defeated Ballala around 1150 AD, supported by his feudatories the Naddula ruler Alhana and the Abu Paramara chief Yashodhavala. Malwa then became a province of the Gurjara kingdom. A minor branch of the Paramaras, who styled themselves as Mahakumaras, ruled the area around Bhopal during this time.[4] Nearly two decades later, Jayavarman's son Vindhyavarman defeated the Gurjara king Mularaja II, and re-established the sovereignty of Malwa. During his reign, Malwa faced repeated invasions from the Hoysalas and the Yadavas of Devagiri. He was also defeated by the Gurjara general Kumara. Despite these setbacks, he was able to restore the Paramara power in Malwa before his death.

Vindhyavarman's son Subhatavarman invaded Gujarat, and plundered the territory. But he was ultimately forced to retreat by the Gurjara feudatory Lavana-Prasada. His son Arjunavarman I also invaded Gujarat, and defeated Jayanta-simha (or Jaya-simha), who had usurped the throne for a brief period. He was defeated by Yadava general Kholeshvara in Lata.[5]

Arjunavarman was succeeded by Devapala, who was the son of Harishchandra, a Mahakumara (chief of a Paramara branch). He continued to face struggles against Gujarat and the Yadavas. The Sultan of Delhi Iltutmish captured Bhilsa during 1233-34 AD, but Devapala defeated the Sultanate's governor and regained control of Bhilsa. He was killed by Vagabhata of Ranthambhor, who suspected him of plotting his murder in connivance with the Delhi Sultan.

During the reign of Devapala's son Jaitugideva, the power of Malwa greatly declined because of invasions from the Yadava king Krishna, the Delhi Sultan Balban, and the Vaghela prince Visala-deva. Devapala's younger son Jayavarman II also faced attacks from these three powers. Jayavarman II moved the Malwa capital from Dhara to the hilly Mandapa-Durga (present-day Mandu), which offered a better defensive position.

Arjunavarman II, the successor of Jayavarman II, proved to be a weak ruler. He faced rebellion from his minister. In the 1270s, the Yadava ruler Ramachandra invaded Malwa, and in the 1280s, the Ranthambhor ruler Hammira also raided Malwa. Arjuna's successor Bhoja II also faced an invasion from Hammira.

Mahalakadeva, the last known Paramara king, was defeated and killed by the army of Ayn al-Mulk Multani, a general of Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1305 AD.

Delhi Interregnum

The Sultanate of Delhi annexed Malwa following it's invasion and it remained a province of the sultanate for nearly a century until 1401, when the governor of Malwa declared his independence from the Sultan and re-established the independent Kingdom of Malwa.

Ghurid dynasty

Dilawar Khan Ghuri, the governor of Malwa for the Delhi Sultanate asserted his independence in 1392, but did not actually assume the ensigns of royalty till 1401 when the sultanate was proclaimed. Initially Dhar was the capital of the new kingdom, but soon it was shifted to Mandu, which was renamed Shadiabad (the city of joy). After his death, he was succeeded by his son Alp Khan, who assumed the title of Hoshang Shah.

The Muzaffarids under Zafar Khan Muzaffar Shah I accused Hoshang of parricide and invaded Malwa. Hoshang was defeated and captured as a prisoner, while a Muzaffarid governor was appointed in his pace at Dhar.[6]

Khalji dynasty

The Ghurid dynasty, founded by Dilawar Khan Ghuri, was replaced by Mahmud Shah I, who proclaimed himself king on 16 May 1436. The Khalji dynasty, founded by him, ruled over Malwa till 1531.

The kingdom saw heavy decline in 1519 after the continues invasions of Rajput king Rana Sanga of Mewar.[7] Mahmud Khalji I was succeeded by his eldest son Ghiyas-ud-Din. The last days of Ghiyas-ud-Din were embittered by a struggle for throne between his two sons, with Nasir-ud-Din emerging victorious over Ala-ud-Din and ascending the throne on 22 October 1510, The last ruler Mahmud Shah II surrendered to Bahadur Shah, the sultan of Gujarat after the fort of Mandu fell to Bahadur on 25 May 1531.[8]

Since 1518, Mahmud Shah II was a vassal of the Gujarat Sultan. The last ruler Mahmud Shah II surrendered to Bahadur Shah, the sultan of Gujarat after the fort of Mandu fell to Bahadur on 25 May 1531.[8] During 1531 – 1537 the kingdom was annexed under the control of Bahadur Shah, though the Hindustani emperor Humayun captured it for a short period during 1535–36. The Gujaratis regained Malwa giving allegiance to Bahadur Shah until 1542.

In 1537, Qadir Shah, an ex-officer of the previous Khalji dynasty rulers, regained control over a part of the erstwhile kingdom.[9] But in 1542, Sher Shah Suri conquered the kingdom, defeating him and appointed Shuja'at Khan as the governor. His son, Baz Bahadur, declared himself independent in 1555. Darya Khan Gujarati, the ex-Wazir of Mahmud Khan of Gujarat ruled Ujjain.[10]

In 1561, emperor Akbar sent the Hindustani army, led by Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan, which attacked Malwa and defeated Baz Bahadur in the battle of Sarangpur on 29 March 1561, culminating in the Mughal conquest of Malwa. Akbar soon recalled Adham Khan and made over command to Pir Muhammad. Pir Muhammad attacked Khandesh and proceeded up to Burhanpur, but he was defeated by a coalition of three powers: Miran Mubarak Shah II of Khandesh, Tufal Khan of Berar Sultanate and Baz Bahadur. Pir Muhammad died while retreating. The confederate army pursued the Mughals and drove them out of Malwa. Baz Bahadur regained his kingdom for a short period. In 1562, Akbar sent another army, led by Abdullah Khan, an Uzbeg, which finally defeated Baz Bahadur. He fled to Chittor.[11] It became the Malwa Subah (top-level province) of the Hindustani Empire, with seat at Ujjain and Abdullah Khan became its first governor.

List of rulers

Further information: List of monarchs of Malwa

See also

References

  1. ^ Prasad, Ishwari. History of Mediaeval India 800–1700. In the tenth century the kingdom of Malwa fell into the hands of the Parmar Rajputs, and under their rule it attained to great prominence.
  2. ^ Austin, Ian. City of Legends The Story of Hyderabad. Mahmood of Ghazni and Sultan Mohammed Ghori looted the ineffectual Rajput tribes of their gold and jewels. Fortunately, the greatest diamond of all escaped that fate. When the invasions began, it was smuggled out to the Kingdom of Malwa, then ruled by the Parmar Dynasty, becoming their treasured heirloom to be handed down through generations.
  3. ^ Middleton, John. World Monarchies and Dynasties. PARAMARA DYNASTY (ca. 820-1235 С.Е.) Rajput rulers of the Indian kingdom of Malwa, who declared independence from neighboring imperial powers and allowed religion, the arts, and learning to flourish. The name Paramara means "slaver of the enemy." The first known king of the dynasty was Upendra (r. ca. 800-818), who was a vassal of the Rastrakuta dy nasty of the Deccan region of India
  4. ^ Kailash Chand Jain 1972, pp. 363–364.
  5. ^ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 21, 147. ISBN 0226742210.
  6. ^ Publications Division. India - Medieval History (A.D.1206-1761). Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 9788123026374.
  7. ^ Dasharatha Sharma (1970). Lectures on Rajput History and Culture. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8426-0262-4. Early 16th century marks the rise of patriotic one eyed chief of Mewar named as Rana Sanga who defeat several of his neighbour kingdom and establish Rajput hold on Malwa first time after fall of Parmara dynasty through series of victories over Malwa,Gujarat and Delhi Sultanate
  8. ^ a b Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp.173-86
  9. ^ Kolff, Dirk H. A. (2002). Naukar, Rajput, and Sepoy: The Ethnohistory of the Military Labour Market of Hindustan, 1450-1850. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 103. ISBN 9780521523059.
  10. ^ V. S. Krishnan · (1982). Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers: Ujjain. p. 46.
  11. ^ Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2007) The Mughul Empire, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ISBN 81-7276-407-1, pp.112-3

Sources

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