Prithviraj III

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Statue of Prithvi Raj Chauhan at Ajmer

Prithvi Raj Chauhan (1149-1192 CE) was a king of the Hindu Rajput Chauhan (Chauhamana) dynasty, who ruled a kingdom in northern India during the latter half of the 12th century.

Prithviraj Chauhan was the second-to-last Hindu king to sit upon the throne of Delhi (the last Hindu king being Hemu). He succeeded to the throne in 1169 A.D. at the age of 20, and ruled from the twin capitals of Ajmer and Delhi which he received from his maternal grand-father Ballal Sen of the Sen Dynasty in Bengal. He controlled much of present-day Rajasthan and Haryana, and unified the Rajputs against Muslim invasions. His elopement with Samyukta (Sanyogita), the daughter of Jai Chandra Rathod, the Gahadvala king of Kannauj, in 1175, is a popular romantic tale in India, and is one of the subjects of the Prithviraj Raso, an epic poem composed by Prithviraj's court poet and friend, Chand Bardai.

Prithvi Raj defeated the Afghan ruler Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191 CE. Ghori attacked for a second time next year, and Prithvi Raj was defeated and slain at the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 CE. After his defeat, India was open to invasion by Muslim invaders, and Delhi came under the control of the Muslim rulers. Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi, also known as Pithoragarh, is named after him.

[edit] Biography

Prithviraj Chauhan's succession was not secure since the death of Vigraha-raja in 1165; Prithviraj re-consolidated control over the Chauhan kingdom and conquered several neighboring kingdoms, making the Chauhan kingdom the leading Hindu kingdom in northern India. He campaigned against the Chandela Rajputs of Bundelkhand and his kingdom included much of present-day northwest India including Rajasthan, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. The princely state of Nabha had close relations with Prithviraj Chauhan.

Coin of Prithiviraj Chauhan or Chahamanas of Ajmer/Delhi , circa 1179 AD -1192 AD. Minted in Ajmer
Obv: Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse facing right. Devnagari Legends : Sri Pr/thvi raja Deva'. Rev: Recumbent bull facing left, trishula on bulls rump, Devnagari Legends : Asavari / Sri Samanta Deva.

Prithviraj Chauhan, also called Rai Pathora, was the ruler of Ajmer and Delhi, and was the strongest ruler of Northern India toward the end of the twelfth century. He was known to be brave, powerful, and was the essence of Rajput chivalry. Prithvirajs' first cousin Jaichand (Raja of Kanauj), had strained relations with Prithviraj because their grandfather Ajaya Deva (father of both their mothers) made Prithviraj heir to the throne of Delhi.

[edit] Lineage

Ballal Sen, the King of Delhi and Gaud (Bengal), had two daughters, Roopsundari and Kamaladevi. Roopsundari was married to Vijaypal, King of Kannauj and had a son Jai Chandra. Jai Chandra's daughter was named Sanyogita. Kamaladevi was married to Someshwar Chauhan, the King of Ajmer and had a son Prithviraj and a daughter Pratha. Prithviraj later married cousin Sanyogita and Pratha was married to Samar Singh (Maharana (King) of Chittor). His uncle Kanh's daughter was married to Raja Pajawan or Pajjun of Amber.

[edit] Early life

Prithviraj was born circa 1149 A.D. to King Someshwara Chauhan and his wife Karpurawali (or, Kamaladevi). He is believed to be the sharpest among all the Chauhan princes from this household^{[citation needed]}.

At Gurukul, Prithviraj learnt shastra vidya (weaponry, armed combat), sahitya (literature), kala (arts), and rajniti shastra (politics). At Gurukul he also learned the art of "shaabd bhedi baan vidhya" (hitting a target without sight on the basis of sound)^{[citation needed]}.

Prithviraj Chauhan at the age of twelve (12) killed a lion barehanded and won a spectacular battle against Bheemdev Solanki, the king of Gujarat, subsequently killing him^{[citation needed]}.

Stories of Prithviraj Chauhan's courage, valor, and intelligence spread far and wide and Anangpal Tomar, the King of Delhi, chose to make him the King of Delhi over Jai Chandra (King of Kanauj). At the age of thirteen (13) Prithviraj was crowned the King of Delhi^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Early Battles

1) The battle against Bhimdev Solanki of Gujarat.

Prior to this battle, Prithviraj Chauhan had killed many of Bhimdev's generals. During this battle Bhimdev's son Vanraj Solanki was seen as a real danger to watch out for due to his known military tactics. A general who served Someshwar had betrayed Prithviraj and had joined Bhimdev. He had given all the inside information to Bhimdev and had poisoned Prithviraj Chouhan's army. Prithviraj's army was then reduced to a mere 300. Bhimdev's first round of combat was sending 500 soldiers to finish Prithviraj Chauhan's army off. However, as this failed, Bhimdev then decided to send 1000 soldiers to attack in the middle of the night. On the final day, Bhimdev himself clashed with Prithviraj Chauhan's sword and was defeated.

2) The battle against Mahoba.

Some soldiers from Delhi were injured in Digvijay and decided to stop at the Mahoba royal gardens and ask for help. The Mahoba soldiers at the royal gardens told the Delhi soldiers that they had given insult to the Mohaba king Parmar by stepping into his garden and were attacked and killed. Prithviraj Chauhan came to know of this and declared war on Mahoba. During the battle for Mahoba the Mahoban army was split into 3 different sections. One was led by the Prince of Mahoba, while the other two were led by the brothers Alha and Udal. Prithviraj Chauhan defeated the section under the control of Udal and also the section under the control of the Prince of Mahoba. Udal had injured Pundir (a friend and general of Prithviraj Chauhan) in combat. Udal was then killed by Prithviraj Chauhan who was badly injured during the battle and could hardly move. Prithviraj and another friend Sanjham Rai, who was also badly injured, fell down a nearby hill and were left to be eaten by crows. Sanjham Rai, in an attempt to save his friend Prithviraj, allowed the crows to feed on him and not on Prithviraj. Prithviraj Chauhan was saved by Sanjham Rai who died a slow death. Alha's section was still in battle with Prithviraj's army when Alha had seen Prithviraj fall. Alha was stopped from killing Prithviraj Chauhan by his guru as his guru explained that Alha only wanted to kill for revenge of his brother Udal and not for the welfare of the Mahoba State. When help arrived from another friend, Chand Bardai, Prithviraj became unconscious. Prithviraj later woke in a hut in front of an alchemist. He was shocked for the death of his close friend and grieved for him.

Prithviraj Chauhan recovered from this battle and continued his conquests winning one kingdom after another.

3) One of Prithviraj's small battles was against King Raichand. King Raichand and some of the other neighbouring kings saw Prithviraj's injury and tenderness. At a time when they knew Prithviraj could not fight, they attacked Delhi's army. The generals and close friend of Prithviraj Chauhan guarded the king of Delhi. Some villagers also came in handy to help fight off King Raichand. King Raichand was killed in this battle.

4) Prithviraj Chauhan had claimed victory over forces in mountains, taking over the Kukada kingdom. He continued to take over kingdoms, extending his region in all four directions. His army continued a somewhat bloody victory march for over four years.

5) The last battle of his victory march was against the king of Dariyagargh. Prithviraj Chauhan won the battle and decided to return to Delhi, to celebrate his victory in the Digvijay. But soon after conquering the kingdom of Daryigargh he had to witness the destruction of a major portion of his state.It was here when he came face to face with the mighty warrior Sultan Muhammad Shahab-ud-din Ghori. This was Muhammad Ghori's first attack on Prithviraj's domain. .

[edit] First Battle of Tarain

Muhammad's conquests brought him to the border of Prithviraj's Chauhan kingdom, and in 1191 A.D. Muhammad Ghori captured a fortress, either at Sirhind or Bathinda in present-day Punjab state, on the Chauhan's northwestern frontier. Prithviraj's army, led by his vassal prince Govinda-Raja of Delhi, rushed to the defense of the frontier, and the two armies met at the town of Tarain (Taraori), near Thanesar in present-day Haryana, approximately 150 kilometres north of Delhi.

According to urban myth in contemporary India the armies clashed first with the charge of the Rajput cavalry. Two regiments of the Turkic army with Muhammad Ghori fled the center with a body of soldiers; where Ghori met Govind-raja in personal combat. Govinda-raja lost his front teeth to Sultan Muhammad Ghori's lance. As the battle continued the Ghori army was exhausted, shorn of water, and unfamiliar with the scale of its opponent it retreated in apparent disarray towards the Afghan highlands.

[edit] Second Battle of Tarain

In 1192, the Ghori army returned to challenge Prithviraj at the Second Battle of Tarain. Sultan Muhammad Shahab-ud-din Ghori proceeded towards India with an army numbering 120,000. When he reached Lahore, he sent his envoy to Prithviraj Chauhan to demand his surrender but Prithviraj Chauhan refused to comply. Prithviraj Chauhan then issued a fervent appeal to his fellow Rajput rulers and aristocracy to come to his aid against Muhammed Ghori.

Prithviraj assembled a large army with the aid of approximately 150 Rajput rulers and aristocrats. A large portion of the army consisted of Indian war elephants, which proceeded to meet Sultan Muhammad Shahab-Ud-Din Ghori in Tarain where Prithviraj a year before he had inflicted defeat on his adversary, confident of defeating him again. Muhammad Ghori delivered an ultimatum to Pritviraj that he convert to Islam or be defeated. Prithviraj countered with an offer that Muhammad consider a truce and be allowed to retreat with his army. Sultan Muhammad Shahab-ud-din Ghori decided to attack.

Ghori divided his troops into 5 parts and attacked the Rajput armies in the early morning hours sending waves of mounted archers to attack the Rajput forces, but retreated as the Rajput elephant phalanx advanced. Ghori deployed four parts to attack the Rajputs on four sides keeping a fifth part of his army in reserve. Khande Rao (General of Prithviraj), was killed. The enthusiasm of Prithviraj also dampened against these reverses. At dusk, Ghori led a force of heavily-armored horsemen to the center of the Rajput line which collapsed into confusion, and Prithviraj firstly killed Ghori and then Great Prithviraj Chauhan and his friend Chand commited suicide. The Rajput Army broke ranks and fled, giving victory to Sultan Muhammad Shahab-ud-din Ghori.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

[edit] Aftermath

The Rajput kingdoms of Saraswati, Samana, Kohram, and Hansi were captured by Ghori without difficulty and he marched onwards unchallenged towards Ajmer. Sultan Muhammad Ghori spared the son of Prithviraj Chauhan, Kola, who in turn took the oath of loyalty to Ghori. Dead body of Prithviraj was burried in Afghanistan.

[edit] Grave Site

According to Captain Bingley, British officer of the Rajput Regiment during the British Raj and in command of Rajput troops during the Afghanistan Campaign, the grave site is marked with the inscription "Here lies the Kaffir King of India". During Captain Bingley brief visit to the site, the grave was given honours by the British Indian Army regiments.^{[11][12][13][14][15][16]}

Recently a political movement has begun among Rajputs in Rajasthan and Bihar to force the Government of India to request the remains of Prithviraj from the Afghan government so that they may be given proper funeral rites in India.

[edit] References