Unit-02 Kings and Kingdoms

1. HISTORY
UNIT-02 NEW KINGS
AND KINGDOMS

2. INTRODUCTION

3. EMERGENCE OF NEW
DYNASTIES:
The big landlords and warriors
chiefs in different regions of
the Sub-continents were
known as Samantas.
Samantas- Maha Samantas or
Maha mandalaeshvara (the
great lord of a “circle” or
region).

4. SAMANTAS
 Rashtrakutas were subordinates
with Chalukyas in the Deccan.
 In the mid 8th century Dantidurga
overthrew his Chalukya overload
and performed a ritual called
Hiranya-Garbha.
◦ This ritual was done by
Brahmanas for the rebirth of the
scarifies as Kshatriyas.

5. Brahmanas to Kshatriyas:
Kadama Mayurasharman
and the Prathihara
Harichandra who were
Brahmans took arms and
successfully established
their kingdoms in Karnataka
and Rajasthan

7. ADMINISTRATION:
Title: Maharaja, Adhiraja
(great kings, overlord of
kings).
Title: Tribhuvana-
Chakravartin (lord of the
three worlds)
They were associated with the
Samantas, Peasants, Traders
and Brahmanas

8. TAXES:
Tax: Vetti- taken not in cash
but in the form of forced labor.
Tax: Kadamai or Land
revenue
This taxes were collected by
the King family members or
relatives.

9. TAXES
Taxes to
◦ Financial
Establishment
◦ Construct temples
◦ Fight wars.

10. PRASHASTIS:
 Prashastis is a special kind of
inscription meaning “in praise of”.
They were composed in praise of the
rulers. This were not true.
 Rulers wanted to show themselves as
great warriors and often described
themselves as equal to god.
 Prashastis contains information such
as how rulers wanted to depict
themselves such as victorious, valiant
etc.

11. LAND GRANTS:
 These were composed by learned
Brahmanas, who occasionally helped
in the administration.
 Kings often rewarded Brahmanas by
grants of land.
 These were recorded on copper
plates, which were given to those who
received the land.

13. WARFARE FOR
WEALTH:
 Rulers belonging to the Gurjara-
Prathiharas, Rashtrakutas and Pala
dynasties fought for control over
Kanauj-Tripartite struggle.
 Rulers also tried to demonstrate their
power and resources by building large
temples.
 So they chosen to target temples,
which were sometimes extremely rich.

15. GHAZNI:
 One of the best known
rulers is Sultan
Mahmud of Ghazni,
Afghanistan.
 From 997C.E
to1030C.E
 He raided the sub-
continent almost every
year-his target were
wealthy temples,
including that of

16. KITAB UL-HIND
 Written by Al-Biruni
 In Arabic Language.
 This description based on the
Sanskritic tradition, and the
conclusion with comparison with
other culture.
 He consulted Sanskrit scholars to
prepare this account.

18. CHAUHANS:
 They ruled over the region around
Delhi and Ajmer.
 They were opposed by Chalukyas
and Gahadavalas.
 Famous ruler- Prithviraja III(1168-
1192C.E).
 He defeated an Afghan ruler named
Sultan Muhammad Ghori in
1191C.E,but lost to him the very next
year, in 1192C.E.

20. CHOLAS

21. FROM URAIYUR TO
THANJAVUR:
 Cholas were subordinates to the
Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram.
 A minor chiefly family known as
the Muttaraiyar held power in the
Kaveri delta.
 Vijayalaya, chieftain from Uraiyur
captured the delta region from
Muttaraiyar Chieftain.

23. CHOLA DYNASTY
 He built the town of Thanjavur
and a temple for goddess
Nishumbhasudhini.
 His successors grew the kingdom
by capturing the Pandyas and
Pallavas territories.
 Rajaraja-1(985C.E) most powerful
Chola ruler.

26. CHOLA DYNASTY
Rajaraja-I expanded control
over most of these areas.
Rajendra I continued his
policies and even raided the
Ganga valley, Sri Lanka and
Countries of Southeast Asia,
Developing a navy for these
expeditions.

28. SPLENDID TEMPLES:

29. SPLENDID TEMPLES:

30. BRONZE SCULPTURE

31. AGRICULTURE AND
IRRIGATION:
 Many of the achievement of the
Cholas were made possible through
new development in Agriculture.
 River Kaveri
 Fertile soil(Rice)
 Forest were cleared
 Prevent Flooding
 Canal constructed-Irrigation
 Tanks- Rainwater collection

34. ADMINISTRATION
Maganam
Mandalam
Nadu
Ur

35. ADMINISTRATION
 Ur- Settlement of Peasants
 Nadu- Group of villages( Justice and
Tax collection)
 Supervised by Vellala caste(Rich
Peasants)
 Rich landowner titles-
Muvendavelan(a Velan or serving
three kings)
 Araiyur-(chief) in respect

36. TYPES OF LAND:
 Vellanvagai – Land of non-Brahmanas
Peasant proprietors
 Brahmadeya- Land gifted to
Brahmanas
 Shalabhoga- Land for the
maintenance of a school
 Devadana, Tirunamattukani –Land
gifted to temples.
 Pallichchhandam- Land donated to
Jain Institution.

37. SABHA:
The Sabha Committees to
look after irrigation works,
Gardens, Temples, etc
Name of those eligible to be
members of these
committees were written on
small tickets of palm leaf.

38. Requirement of member of
Sabha:
Owners of land,
Own house,
35-70 years of age,
Knowledge of Vedas,
Well-versed in
administrative matters and
honest.

39. Requirement of member of
Sabha:
If anyone has been a member
of any committee in the last
three years, he cannot
become a member of another
committee.
Anyone who has not submitted
his account, those of his
relatives, cannot contest the

41. TANG DYNASTY
China –Tang Dynasty(300
years from 7th century to 10th
century)
Capital- Xi’an
Largest cities in the world –
Turks, Iranians, Indians,
Japanese and Koreans.