Battle of Rajasthan (738 CE)

Battle of Rajasthan
Part of Umayyad campaigns in India
Date 738 Location Rajasthan Result Victory of the Hindu Indian rulers. Muslim Arabs retreat back to Sindh and their expansion in the Indian subcontinent is halted.
Belligerents
Umayyad Caliphate	Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty Chalukya Empire Chalukyas of Navasarika Kingdom of Mewar
Commanders and leaders
Al-Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri  † Tamim ibn Zaid al-Utbi †	Nagabhata I Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin Bappa Rawal
Strength
30,000 or more	5000 infantry, ? cavalry
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Unknown

The Battle of Rajasthan was a major conflict fought between the invading Arab army of the Umayyad Caliphate and an alliance of Hindu kings. It was a decisive Indian victory, which forced the Arabs to retreat back to Sindh.

Background

The rapidly expanding Umayyad Caliphate attempted to conquer the frontier kingdoms of India - Kabul, Kapisa, and Sindh - but were repulsed. However, in 712 Umayyad general Muhammad ibn Qasim conquered Sindh. From Sindh, Umayyads attempted to expand into Punjab but were defeated by Lalitaditya of Kashmir and Yashovarman of Kannauj.

Al-Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri, the successor of Muhammad ibn Qasim, subdued the last of the Hindu resistance in Sindh. Then he attacked the smaller kingdoms of Western India in early 730 CE. He divided his large force into two contingents and plundered several cities in southern Rajasthan, western Malwa, and Gujarat. Many kingdoms were overrun by this large Arab force. According to Indian records, al-Murri was only successful against the smaller states in Gujarat, but the southern contingent moving south into Gujarat was defeated at Navsari by Avanijanashraya Pulakesi who was a governor of Vikramaditya II, ruler of the Chalukya Empire.

Battle

The Pratihara ruler knew that he could not fight the Arabs alone, hence he requested aid from Chalukya Vikramaditya II. In response, the Chalukya ruler sent the governor of Navsari, Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin to assist him. The army reinforced the already fighting Mewar forces under Bappa Rawal, at the border of Rajasthan. The battle was fought between 5,000 and 6,000 Rajput-Gurjara Infantry and cavalry of the allies, facing more than 30,000 Arabs. The Rajputs managed to kill governor Al-Junaid during the battle.

This enhanced the morale of the Hindu forces while the Muslims were demoralized due to their leader's death. Chaos ensued, they retreated and were frequently harassed by local forces until they reached Sindh back, taking great casualties.

Aftermath

Junayd's successor Tamim ibn Zaid al-Utbi organized a fresh campaign against the Indian kingdoms, but failed to hold any territories there for long. He would be further pushed across River Indus by Pratihara Nagabhata, thus limiting the Arabs to the territory of Sindh across River Indus. Tamim ibn Zaid al-Utbi was later killed.

Bibliography

• Durga Prasad Dikshit (1980). Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami. Abhinav. OCLC 8313041.