Rashtrakutas Study Material

2018-12-12

RASHTRAKUTAS (AD 753-973)

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The Rashtrakutas were descendants of the nobles governed under the Andhras. They were followers of Jainism. It is assumed that no other dynasty of Karnataka before or after, ruled over such a vast empire such as the1 Rashtrakutas. Dantidurga (AD 735-756) established this kingdom. His ancestors were subordinates ofthe Chalukyas. They overthrew the Chalukyas and ruledup to AD 973 Dantidurga was succeeded by his son Krishna I (AD 756-774) Krishna I is credited to have built the Kailasa temple at Ellora. He is also said to have totally eclipsed the contemporary Chalukya rulers. Other kings of this dynasty were Govinda II (AD 774-780), Dhruva (AD 780-790) Govinda III (AD 793-814) and AmoghavarsaNrupatunga I (AD 814-887). The extent of the Amoghavarsa’sEmpire can be calculated from the accountof the Arabian traveller, Sulaiman, who visited his court in AD 851 and wrote in his book ‘His kingdom was one of the four great empires of the world at that time’. (The other empries he mentioned were the Roman Emprie, the Chinese Empire and the Empire of the Khalif of Baghdan). Later Rashtrakuta rulers included Krishna II (AD 880-914); Indra III (AD 914-929); Amoghavarsha II (AD 929-930) Govinda VI (AD 930-935); Krishna III (AD 939-967) and Khottiga (AD 967-972). The later Rasbtrakutas could not keep pace with the rising Chalukyas of Vatapi. The Chalukyas under Tailapa II overthrew the last Rashtrakuta king Karka II in AD 973 and laid the foundations of the Chalukyas of Kalyani.