GordonCoulston at 10:05, 8 April 2026

2026-04-08T10:05:03Z

New page

{{Short description|13th century Indian dynasty}}

<mapframe text="[[Find spot]]s of the Yajvapala-era inscriptions" width="400" height="400" zoom="6" longitude="78.06" latitude="25.21">
{
"type": "FeatureCollection",
"features": [
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Balarpur" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.8538797, 25.4924839] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Bakhtar (Bhaktar)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [79.1604971, 25.1278127] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Barodi" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.7738163, 25.3575284] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Bhensarwas (Bhesarwas)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.6163803, 24.512737] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Bhimpur" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.358284, 25.0511451] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Budhera" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [78.1364889, 24.9524728] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Budirai (Budhi Rai)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.5074774, 25.1979983] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Gwalior" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [78.1828308, 26.2182871] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Kadwaha" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [79.2986668, 24.7130656] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Sesai" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.8453043, 25.0688934] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Surwaya" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.8081363, 25.4187043] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Tilori" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [78.2789365, 26.3459742] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Udaipur" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [78.0708985, 23.8737373] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "star", "marker-color": "000080", "title": "Narwar" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.9110321, 25.6487856] }
}
]
}
</mapframe>
The '''Yajvapala''' ([[IAST]]: Yajvapāla) dynasty ruled parts of central India during the 13th century CE. Their capital was located at Nalapura (present-day [[Narwar]] in [[Shivpuri district]]). They are also known as ''Jajapella'' or ''Jajpella''. The Yajvapalas carved out a kingdom in northern [[Madhya Pradesh]] during the first half of the 13th century, and successfully resisted invasions by the [[Chandela]]s and the [[Delhi Sultanate]] over the next few decades. It is not certain how their rule ended, but they probably fell to the Delhi Sultanate by the end of the century.

== History ==

A 1339 [[Vikrama Samvat|VS]] ({{circa|1282 CE}}) Yajvapala inscription, issued during the reign of Gopala, names the dynasty's progenitor as Jayapala (called Jajapella in vernacular language). It names the dynasty's place of origin as Ratnagiri (unidentified), and attributes the rise of Jayapala to the blessings of the goddess Maharunda (probably a [[family deity]]).{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=242}}

The next known member of the family is Ya[pa]ramadi-raja, whose son Chahadadeva conquered the Narwar area.{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=136}} Chahadadeva is mentioned as Chahar-i-Ajari in the writings of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] writer [[Minhaj-i-Siraj|Minhaj al-Siraj Juzjani]]. The Delhi Sultan [[Iltutmish]] had appointed Nusrat al-Din Taisi (Tayasi) as the governor of [[Gwalior]] region. In 1235 CE, Nusrat al-Din led an expedition against the neighbouring [[Chandela]] kingdom. While he was returning to Gwalior, Chahadadeva ambushed his army. According to Minhaj-i-Siraj, Taisi's army managed to defend itself with considerable difficulty.{{sfn|Peter Jackson|2003|p=144}} In 1251, the Sultanate general [[Ghiyas ud din Balban|Balban]] defeated Chahadadeva during the reign of Sultan [[Nasiruddin Mahmud (grandson of Iltutmish)|Nasiruddin Mahmud]], but he could not capture Narwar.{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=136}}

Chahadadeva was succeeded by Asalladeva.{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}} The next ruler Gopaladeva faced an invasion from the Chandela king [[Viravarman]] in 1281–82 CE (1338 VS). The Bangla and Narwar inscriptions of the Yajvapalas claim that Gopala defeated Viravarman.{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|pp=214–215}} According to the Bangla inscription, a battle was fought on the banks of the Valuva river (near modern Baruwa near Narwar) on 28 March 1281 CE (assuming [[Karttikadi]] year).{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=214}} The Narwar inscription states that Gopala defeated Viravarman and king Lakshmana of Chandragiri on the banks of the Sikata river.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=242}} However, the Dahi [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copper-plate inscription]] of the Chandelas claims that the Chandela general Mallaya defeated the lord of Nalapura (that is, Gopala).{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=169}} It is possible that the Chandelas achieved some initial successes, but ultimately, they were forced to retreat.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=137}}

The last known ruler of the dynasty is Ganapatideva.{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}} It is known that the Yajvapalas ruled Narwar until 1298 CE,{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=136}} but the end of the dynasty is not certain. Historians generally assume that the Yajvapalas fell to an invasion by the Delhi Sultan [[Alauddin Khalji]].{{sfn|Peter Jackson|2003|p=145}}

== Rulers ==

Following rulers of the dynasty are attested by inscriptions and coins:{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|pp=135-136}}

# Chahada-deva
#* His inscriptions have been found at Udaipur, Kadwaha, Bhaktar{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}}
#* Issued coins datable to 1237–1254 CE{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}} These coins are dated in [[Vikrama Samvat]]. They feature a horseman on one side, and the legend ''Srimat Chahadadeva'' on the other side.{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=136}}
# Asalla-deva
#* His inscriptions have been found at Narwar, Barodi, Bhimpur, Budirai{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}}
#* Issued coins datable to 1254–1279 CE{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}} These coins also feature a horseman.{{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=136}}
# Gopala-deva
#* His inscriptions have been found at Narwar (3), Bangla (13), Balarpur, Barodi, Sesai and Surwaya{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}}
#* His coins have been found in a hoard of 791 coins of the dynasty (found at Gwalior){{sfn|P. C. Roy|1980|p=135}}
# Ganapati-deva
#* His inscriptions have been found at Tilori, Narwar, Paharo, Balarpur (2), Bhensarwas, Surwaya (2), Budhera and Gwalior{{sfn|Om Prakash Misra|2003|p=16}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===

{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |author=Om Prakash Misra |title=Archaeological Excavations in Central India: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0ISjDDWJwQC&pg=PA16 |year=2003 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-874-7 }}
* {{cite book |author=P. C. Roy |chapter=The Coinage of the Kalachuris of Ratnapura |title=The Coinage of Northern India |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f2Et2zZGJPUC&pg=PA18 |year=1980 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-122-5 }}
* {{cite book |author=Peter Jackson |title=The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt2tqOpVRKgC&pg=PA144 |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-54329-3 }}
* {{cite book |author=R. K. Dikshit |title=The Candellas of Jejākabhukti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a9j9ZJGJOV0C&pg=PA130 |publisher=Abhinav |year=1976 |isbn=9788170170464 }}
* {{cite book |author=Sisirkumar Mitra |title=The Early Rulers of Khajurāho |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=irHN2UA_Z7gC&pg=PA113 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1977 |isbn=9788120819979 }}
{{ref end}}

[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:History of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Shivpuri district]]

Yajvapala dynasty - Revision history

GordonCoulston at 10:05, 8 April 2026