Samantasimha

Samantasimha (IAST: Sāmantasiṃha, r. c. 1282-1305 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Chahamana dynasty, who ruled the area around Javalipura (present-day Jalore in Rajasthan). During the later half of his reign, he and his son Kanhadadeva jointly ran the administration. The Delhi Sultanate raided the kingdom twice during his reign, but could not capture it.

Samantasimha
Maharajakula
King of Javalipura
Reignc. 1282-1305 CE
PredecessorChachigadeva
SuccessorKanhadadeva
DynastyChahamanas of Jalor

Reign
  1. ^ Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, pp. 32-35.

Samantasimha succeeded Chachigadeva on the throne of Javalipura. He was probably Chachigadeva's son, although this cannot be said with certainty. He is also known as Samvantasimha and Samyantasimha.[1] The inscriptions issued during his reign give his title as Maharajakula.[2]

According to the 17th century chronicler Munhot Nainsi, Samantasimha had at least two sons: Kanhadadeva and Maladeva. As the heir apparent, Kanhadadeva assisted his father in administration from at least 1296 CE onwards.[3][4] The 1299 CE Chohtan inscription refers to their joint reign.[5]

Khalji invasion

According to the Gujarat chronicler Jinaprabha Suri, in 1291-92 CE (1398 VS), the Delhi Sultan Jalaluddin Khalji invaded the Jalore kingdom. Samantasimha's neighbour Sarangadeva, the Vaghela king of Gujarat, came to his rescue. Khalji's army advanced up to Sanchore, but was forced to retreat by the Vaghelas, who were perhaps concerned that the Delhi Sultan would invade Gujarat next.[3][4]

In 1299, Jalaluddin Khalji's successor Alauddin Khalji sent an army to Gujarat, under the command of Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan. While returning from Gujarat, the Delhi army marched through the kingdom of Jalore. There, a section of the Delhi army rebelled against their commanders over distribution of the plunder from Gujarat.[6] According to Munhot Nainsi, Samantasimha's envoys met the neo-Muslim rebel leader Mammushah (Muhammad Shah). Three days after this meeting, the Khalji army was attacked by the rebels from one side and by the Jalore army from the other side.[7] The mutiny was ultimately crushed. Ziauddin Barani's Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi (14th century) also describes the mutiny, but does not mention the Chahamana participation in the conflict.[8] The veracity of Nainsi's account is doubtful, as he inaccurately states that Alauddin personally led the Gujarat campaign.[9]

Inscriptions

The following inscriptions dated to Samantasimha's reign have been found:

DatePlacePurposeSource
1283 CE (1339 VS)BhinmalGrants by Guhila Sahajapala and his wife[1]
1284 CE (1340 VS)BudtaraConstruction of a well or tank by Rupadevi (daughter of Chachigadeva)[10]
1286 CE (1342 VS)BhinmalGrant to the Mahalakshmi temple by Rathoda Alhanasimha[11]
1288 CE (1345 VS)BhinmalGrant of a golden kalasha (cupola) and 200 gold coins to the Jagasvamin temple[11]
1288 CE (1345 VS)SanchoreReligious endowment[2]
1295 CE (1352 VS)Juna BarmerReligious grants at the Adinatha temple[12]
1296 CE (1353 VS)JaloreGrants to the Parshvanatha temple by family of Narpati and Gunadhara[13]
1299 CE (1355 VS)Chohtan[5]

References
  1. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 32.
  2. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, pp. 33-34.
  3. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 36.
  4. Dasharatha Sharma 1959, p. 159.
  5. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 35.
  6. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 38.
  7. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, pp. 38-39.
  8. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 39.
  9. Kishori Saran Lal 1950, p. 136.
  10. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, pp. 30-32.
  11. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 33.
  12. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, p. 34.
  13. Ashok Kumar Srivastava 1979, pp. 34-35.

Bibliography
  • Ashok Kumar Srivastava (1979). The Chahamanas of Jalor. Sahitya Sansar Prakashan. OCLC 12737199.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Dasharatha Sharma (1959). Early Chauhān Dynasties. S. Chand / Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9780842606189. OCLC 3624414.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kishori Saran Lal (1950). History of the Khaljis (1290-1320). Allahabad: The Indian Press. OCLC 685167335.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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