Rashtrakuta Dynasty | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Origin

• The Rashtrakutas considered themselves descendants of Satyaki.
• Historians differ on the question of their origins.
• It is evident from a few Chalukya kings’ inscriptions that they were vassals of the Chalukyas.
• Rashtrakutas were of Kannada origin and their mother tongue was Kannada.

The Rashtrakuta Empire

The Rashtrakuta Emperors

Founder

Dantivarman or Dantidurga (735 - 756)

• Dantivarman or Dantidurga (735 – 756) was the founder of the Rashtrakutas dynasty.
• Dantidurga occupied all territories between the Godavari and Vima.
• He is said to have conquered Kalinga, Kosala, Kanchi, Srisril, Malava, Lata etc. and occupied Maharashtra by defeating Chalukya King Kirtivarma.

Rulers

• Krishna I succeeded Dantidurga.
• He conquered the territories that were still under the Chalukyas
• He also occupied Konkan.
• Krishna I also defeated Vishnuvardhana of Vengi and the Ganga king of Mysore.
• He was a great patron of art and architecture.
• The Kailash Temple at Ellora was built by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I.

(ii) Govinda II (774 - 780)

• Govinda II son of Krishna I succeeded.

(iii) Dhruva (780 - 793)

• He defeated Gurjara-Pratihara King Vatsyaraja, the Pallavas of Kanchi and the Pala King Dharmapala of Bengal.

(iv) Govinda III (793 - 814)

• Dhruva son of Govinda III succeeded the throne.
• He defeated the great Gurjara King Nagabhatta II.
• Pala King Dharmapala and his protégé Charayudh sought the help of Govinda III.
• His kingdom spread up to the Vindhyas and Malava in the north and the river Tungabhadra to the south.

(v) Amoghavarsha I (814- 878 A.D.)

• The greatest king of the Rashtrakuta dynasty was Amoghavarsha I son of Govinda III.
• Amoghavarsha I set up a new capital at Manyakheta (now Malkhed in Karnataka State) and Broach became the best port of the kingdom during his reign
• Amoghavarsha I was a great patron of education and literature.
• Amoghavarsha was converted into Jainism by Jinasena, a Jaina monk.
• Suleman, an Arab merchant, in his account called Amoghavarsha I as one of the four greatest kings of the world, the other three being the Caliph of Bagdad, the king of Constantinople and the emperor of China.
• Amoghavarsha ruled for 63 years.

(vi) Krishna II (878 - 914)

• Son of Amoghavarsha, succeeded the throne.

(vii) Indra III (914 -929)

• Indra III was a powerful king.
• He defeated and deposed Mahipala

(viii) Krishna III (939 – 967)

• The last powerful and efficient king of the Rashtrakutas.
• He also succeeded in conquering Tanjore and Kanchi.
• He succeeded in defeating the Tamil kings of Chola kingdom.

(ix) Karka (972 – 973)

• The Rashtrakuta King Karka was defeated and deposed by Taila or Tailapa, the Chalukya king of Kalyani.

Rasjtrakutas Administration

 Literature under Rashtrakutas

• Rashtrakutas widely patronized the Sanskrit literature.
• Trivikrama wrote Halayudha and composed Kavirahasya during the reign of Krishna III.
• Jinasena composed Parsvabhudaya, a biography of Parsva in verses.
• Jinasena wrote the Adipurana, the life stories of various Jain saints.
• Sakatayana wrote Amogavritti a grammar work.
• Viracharya – a Great mathematician of this period wrote Ganitasaram.
• During the period of the Rashtrakutas, the Kannada literature saw its beginning.
• Kavirajamarga composed by Amogavarsha’s was the first poetic work in the Kannada language.
• Pampa was the greatest of the Kannada poets and Vikramasenavijaya is his famous work.
• Santipurana was another great work wrote by Ponna another famous Kannada poet.

Rashtrakutas Art and Architecture

• The art and architecture of the Rashtrakutas can be found at Ellora and Elephanta.
• The most remarkable temple Kailasanatha temple at Ellora was built by Krishna.

Other facts of Rashtrakutas

• Vaishnavism and Saivism flourished during their period.
• Active commerce witnessed between the Deccan and the Arabs.
• They stimulated the Arab trade by maintaining a friendship with them.