Jump to content

Ajayaraja I

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ajayaraja I
King of Sapadalaksha
Reignc. 721–734 CE
PredecessorNaradeva
SuccessorVigraharaja I
DynastyChahamanas of Shakambhari

Ajayaraja I (r. c. 721–734 CE) was a king belonging to the Chahamana dynasty of Shakambhari (modern Sambhar). He ruled parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. He is also known as Jayaraja, Ajayapala Chakva or Ajayapala Chakri.[1]

Life

[edit]

Ajayaraja I succeeded Naradeva as the Chahamana king.[2] According to the 12th century chronicle Prithviraja Vijaya, he was a great warrior who defeated several enemies.[1]

According to one theory, Ajayaraja I founded the city of Ajayameru (modern Ajmer). The Prabandha-Kosha states that he commissioned the Ajayameru fort, which later came to be known as the Taragarh Fort of Ajmer.[3] The Akhbar ul-Akhyar calls it the first hill fort of India. However, the Prithviraja Vijaya attributes the establishment of Ajmer to his descendant Ajayaraja II (12th century CE).[3] According to historian R. B. Singh, Ajayaraja I is more likely to be the founder of Ajmer, considering the fact that inscriptions dated to 8th century CE have been found at Ajmer.[4] Singh theorizes that Ajayaraja II later significantly developed the town and moved the kingdom's capital from Shakambhari to Ajmer.[5] Others, such as Shyam Singh Ratnawat and Krishna Gopal Sharma, believe that it was Ajayaraja II who founded Ajmer.[2]

Ajayaraja I was succeeded by his son Vigraharaja I.[6]

References

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • R. B. Singh (1964). History of the Chāhamānas. N. Kishore. OCLC 11038728.
  • Shyam Singh Ratnawat; Krishna Gopal Sharma (1999). History and culture of Rajasthan: from earliest times upto 1956 A.D. Centre for Rajasthan Studies, University of Rajasthan.