The Ayudha dynasty was the short-lived ruling dynasty that ruled from

Kannauj Kannauj (Hindustani language, Hindustani pronunciation: ) is an ancient city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar palika, Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Ut ...

in the late 8th to the early 9th century. It ruled as a

client kingdom A client state in the context of international relations is a state that is economically, politically, and militarily subordinated to a more powerful controlling state. Alternative terms for a ''client state'' are satellite state, associated state ...

Dharmapala of Bengal Dharmapala was the second Pala emperor of Bengal ( Vangala) in the Indian subcontinent. He was the son and successor of Gopala, the founder of the Pala dynasty. Dharmapala was mentioned as the King of Vangala (''Vangapati'') in the Nesari pla ...

during the reign of Chakrayudha. The dynasty was established when

Vajrayudha The Vajra (, , ), is a legendary and ritualistic tool, symbolizing the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force). It is also described as a "ritual weapon". The use of the bell and vajra together as s ...

deposed the Varmans and started ruling over Kannauj.

History

The successors of

Yashovarman Yashovarman (IAST: Yaśovarman) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Kannauj and first king of the Varman dynasty. Life Yashovarman was the king of Kannauj in the early part of the eighth century. The city (then known as Kanyakubja) had previously ...

, the powerful king of

, were all weak rulers who did not demonstrate the skills to run and defend the kingdom. Kannauj was taken over by Ayudhas, probably during the reign of Bhoja of Kannauj (not to be confused with

Mihira Bhoja Mihira Bhoja () or Bhoja I was the Pratiharan Emperor from 836 to 885 CE. He inherited a weakened realm in an adverse situation from his father, Ramabhadra. However, his capable reign transformed it into a large and prosperous empire. Bhoj ...

Bhoja Bhoja was the Paramara dynasty, Paramara king of Malwa from 1010 until his death in 1055. He ruled from Dhara (city), Dhara (modern Dhar), and Military career of Bhoja, fought wars with nearly all his neighbours in attempts to extend his king ...

).Shyam Manohar Mishra (1977). Yaśovarman of Kanauj. Abhinav. pp. 120–121 OCLC 5782454

Vajrayudha

Vajrayudha, who ascended to the throne in 770 CE, was the first ruler of the dynasty. He was probably defeated by the

Karkota The Karkota dynasty (c. 625 − 855 CE) ruled over the Kashmir valley and some northern parts of the Indian subcontinent during 7th and 8th centuries. Their rule saw a period of political expansion, economic prosperity and emergence of Kashmir ...

king of

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

, Jayapida. But if Jayapida carried out this campaign in the later years of his career, however the defeated king of

he defeated must instead have been Vajrayudha's successor, Indrayudha.

Indrayudha

Indrayudha succeeded his father Vajrayudha in 783. He was defeated by the powerful

Rashtrakuta The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapu ...

king

Dhruva Dharavarsha Dhruva (r. 780 – 793 CE) was one of the most notable rulers of the Rashtrakuta Empire. He ascended the imperial throne after replacing his elder brother Govinda II. Govinda II had become unpopular among his subjects on account of his various ...

, and the powerful king of the

Palas A ''palas'' () is a German term for the imposing or prestigious building of a medieval '' Pfalz'' or castle that contained the great hall. Such buildings appeared during the Romanesque period (11th to 13th century) and, according to Thompson ...

Dharmapala A ''dharmapāla'' is a type of wrathful god in Buddhism. The name means "''dharma'' protector" in Sanskrit, and the ''dharmapālas'' are also known as the Defenders of the Justice (Dharma), or the Guardians of the Law. There are two kinds of ...

. Instead of annexing his territory,

made Chakrayudha, his protégé, king of

as his

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...

, and this was approved by the rulers of all the neighbouring territories. But then the two brothers, Indrayudha and Chakrayudha , started fighting for the important city of

Chakrayudha

When

defeated Indrayudha, he appointed Indrayudha's brother, Chakrayudha, his protégé as the king of

, but as a

under

. This arrangement was approved by the rulers of all the neighbouring territories. But then both the brothers, Indrayudha and Chakrayudha started fighting for the important city of

. Then the

emperor

Govinda III Govinda III (reign 793 – 814 CE) was the Rashtrakuta monarch who succeeded his father Dhruva Dharavarsha. He was militarily the most successful emperor of the dynasty with successful conquests from Kanyakumari in the south to Kanyakubja in ...

invaded the

north North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and defeated and gained the submission of both

and Chakrayudha.

Decline

The invasion of

that defeated Chakrayudha and his overlord

caused in anarchy and confusion in the region. The population was harassed by these invasions. Then the king of the Gurjara-Pratiharas,

Nagabhata II Nagabhata II (reign 795–833) was an Indian Emperor from Pratihara dynasty. He ascended the throne of Pratihara dynasty after his father Vatsraja. His mother was queen Sundari-Devi. He was designated with imperial titles - ''Paramabhattaraka ...

, took advantage of the situation, invaded

, defeated Chakrayudha, and then made

his capital. This marked the end of the Ayudhas.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ayudha dynasty Medieval Indian dynasties Kingdom of Kannauj States and territories established in the 770s 770 establishments 8th-century establishments in India States and territories disestablished in the 9th century