Prithvi-pala (

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: Pṛthvīpāla, r. c. 1080–1090 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in

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 ...

). He achieved military successes against the

Chaulukya The Chaulukya dynasty (), also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between and . Their capital was located at Anahilavada (modern Patan). At times, their rule extended ...

s, the Paramaras of Vagada, and a

Ghaznavid The Ghaznavid dynasty ( ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin. It ruled the Ghaznavid Empire or the Empire of Ghazni from 977 to 1186, which at its greatest extent, extended from the Oxus to the Indus Va ...

raider.

Reign

Prithvipala was eldest son of the Chahamana king Jendraraja. He succeeded his father on the throne of Naddula. According to the Sundha Hill inscription, Prithvipala defeated the Gurjara (

) king

Karna Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-Raja, Sutaputra and Radheya, is one of the major characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahābhārata''. He is the son of Surya (the Sun deity) and princess Kunti (later ...

. The Shakambhari Chahamana king Vigraharaja III also claimed to have helped the Paramara king

Udayaditya Udayāditya (reigned c. 1070–1093) was a Paramara ruler of Malwa region of central India, who succeeded Jayasimha I. He is known for driving out the Kalachuri King Lakshmikarna. He was succeeded by his son, either Lakshmadeva or Naravarm ...

defeat Karna. Historian R. B. Singh theorizes that these three neighbouring kings (Prithvipala, Vigraharaja and Udayaditya) formed an alliance against Karna in order to curb his growing power. Another Chahamana inscription states that Prithvipala defeated a ruler named Mandalika at Rohadavapika. This ruler can be identified with a ruler of the Paramara branch of Vagada. The same inscription also states that Prithvipala was once surrounded by a

Turushka Turushka (or Turuṣka) may refer to: *a common Sanskrit descriptor for Mohammedans (Muslims), whether of Turkish origin or otherwise * a Sanskrit word for olibanum * a term often used for Turks in some ancient sources; see See also * Turushk ...

(Turkic) enemy, and rescued by his younger brother

Asharaja Asharaja ( IAST: Āśārāja, r. c. 1110–1119 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan), before being dethroned by his nephew Ratnapala. He then accep ...

. The Turushka enemy can be identified as a

raider, who must have been a subordinate of the

Ibrahim of Ghazna Ibrahim of Ghazna (b. 1033 – d. 1099) was sultan of the Ghaznavid empire from April 1059 until his death in 1099. Having been imprisoned at the fortress of Barghund, he was one of the Ghaznavid princes that escaped the usurper Toghrul's massac ...

. Prithvipala waived some taxes on the farmers, and may have commissioned an image of a deity known as Prithvipaleshvara. Prithvipala had a son named Ratnapala, but he was succeeded by his younger brother

Jojalladeva Jojalla-deva (r. c. 1090–1110 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan). The Chahamana records claim that he invaded the Chaulukya kingdom, and occupie ...

. It is possible that Ratnapala was born after Prithvipala's death, or that he was a minor at the time of his father's death. Prithvipala was thus succeeded by his brothers Jojalladeva and Asharaja. Ratnapala gained control of the throne during Asharaja's reign.

References

Bibliography

* * {{Chahamanas of Naddula Chahamana kings of Naddula 11th-century Indian monarchs