Dantidurga (reigned 753–756 CE), also known as Dantivarman II was the founder of the
Rashtrakuta Empire of
Manyakheta.
[ Reu (1933), p54] His capital was based in
Gulbarga region of
Karnataka
Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
. His successor was his uncle
Krishna I who extended his kingdom to all of
Karnataka
Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
.
The Ellora record of Dantidurga narrates that he defeated the
Chalukyas in 753 and took the titles ''Rajadhiraja'' and ''Parameshvara''. The
inscription
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
calls him son of Indra II. The
Samangad inscription (modern Kolhapur district, Maharashtra) states his mother was a Chalukyan princess from
Gujarat
Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
called Bhavanaga. The same inscription states he defeated the infinite and invincible ''Karnataka-Bala'' (Karnataka army) of the Badami Chalukyas.
[Kamath (2001), p74][He defeated the great Karnatik army of the Chalukyas, (Reu, 1933 p54)] Further he defeated the
kings of Lata (Gujarat),
Malwa, Tanka,
Kalinga and Sheshas (Nagas) in central India and performed many sacrifices.
[Reu (1933), p55] Though he conquered the Chalukyan Empire, it is clear from the Vakkaleri inscription of 757 that the Chalukyan Emperor
Kirtivarman II retained control over his southern provinces up to the year 757. His daughter was married to a
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
King
Nandivarman II
Nandivarman II (718 CE – 796 CE) was a Pallava monarch who reigned in southern India. Sen states Nandivarman reigned from 731 CE to 796 CE and built the Vaikuntha-Perumal Temple. He was born in the country of Champa (present-day Vietnam), ...
of
Kanchi. Dantidurga helped Nandivarman recover Kanchi by warring against the Chalukyas.
[Thapar (2003), p333]
The Navasari grant (c.739) throws light on his achievements in the era prior to Rashtrakuta independence. The Arab intention might have been to make inroads into
South India. However, to the south of the
Mahi River lay the powerful
Chalukyan empire. The Chalukya viceroy at Navsari,
Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin, decisively defeated the invading Arab forces as documented in the grant. The ''Tājika'' (Arab) army defeated was one that had attacked "Kacchella, Saindhava, Saurashtra, Cavotaka, Maurya and Gurjara" kings. Viceroy Pulakesi subsequently received the titles "Solid Pillar of
Deccan" (''Dakshināpatha-sādhāra'') and the "Repeller of the Unrepellable" (''Anivartaka-nivartayitr''). The
Rashtrakuta prince Dantidurga, who was subsidiary to Chalukyas at this time, also played an important role in the battle.
Dantidurga was a clever diplomat but at the same time used military power to expand his empire's boundaries. By 750 AD Dantidurga had brought Madhya Pradesh and Southern Gujarat under his control.
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
History of Karnataka, Mr. Arthikaje
756 deaths
Hindu monarchs
History of Karnataka
Rashtrakuta emperors
8th-century Indian monarchs
{{india-royal-stub