Ajayaraja I (r. c. 721–734 CE) was a king belonging to the Chahamana dynasty of Shakambhari (modern Sambhar). He ruled parts of present-day

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

in north-western India. He is also known as Jayaraja, Ajayapala Chakva or Ajayapala Chakri.

Life

Ajayaraja I succeeded Naradeva as the Chahamana king. According to the 12th century chronicle ''

Prithviraja Vijaya ''Prithviraja Vijaya'' (IAST: Pṛthvīrāja Vijaya, "Prithviraja's Victory") is an eulogy, eulogistic Sanskrit kavya, epic poem on the life of the Indian Chahamanas of Shakambhari, Chahamana king Prithviraja III (better known as Prithviraj Chauhan ...

'', he was a great warrior who defeated several enemies. According to one theory, Ajayaraja I founded the city of Ajayameru (modern

Ajmer Ajmer () is a city in the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Ajmer district and Ajmer division. It lies at the centre of Rajasthan, earning it the ...

). The '' Prabandha-Kosha'' states that he commissioned the Ajayameru fort, which later came to be known as the Taragarh Fort of Ajmer. The ''Akhbar ul-Akhyar'' calls it the first hill fort of India. However, the ''Prithviraja Vijaya'' attributes the establishment of Ajmer to his descendant

Ajayaraja II Ajayaraja II (r. c. 1110–1135 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. He defeated the Paramaras of Malwa, ...

(12th century CE). According to historian R. B. Singh, Ajayaraja I is more likely to be the founder of Ajmer, considering the fact that inscriptions dated to 8th century CE have been found at Ajmer. Singh theorizes that Ajayaraja II later significantly developed the town and moved the kingdom's capital from Shakambhari to Ajmer. Others, such as Shyam Singh Ratnawat and Krishna Gopal Sharma, believe that it was Ajayaraja II who founded Ajmer. Ajayaraja I was succeeded by his son

Vigraharaja I Vigraharāja I (r. c. 734–759 CE) was an Indian king from the Chahamana dynasty. He ruled parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. He is also known as Vigrahanṛpa. Vigraharaja succeeded his father Ajayaraja I as the Chahamana ...

References

Bibliography

* * {{Chahamanas of Shakambhari Chahamana kings of Shakambhari 8th-century Indian monarchs