Mori Kingdom

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Mori Rajputs
700_734 CE. [1] [2]
The Moris and neighbouring South Asian polities circa 600 CE. [3]
Capital Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
24°53′11″N74°38′49″E / 24.8863°N 74.647°E / 24.8863; 74.647
Religion
State religion:
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Aulikaras
Guhila dynasty Blank.png
A view of Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India Chittorgarh fort.JPG
A view of Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
Chittorgarh fragmentary inscriptions of the Naigamas, first half of the 6th century CE. Chittorgarh fragmentary inscriptions of the Naigamas, first half of the 6th century CE.jpg
Chittorgarh fragmentary inscriptions of the Naigamas, first half of the 6th century CE.

The Mori was a kingdom that ruled over southwestern Rajasthan and northern Malwa from the 7th century and for a period of about 120 years. [6] They controlled the Chittor Fort. The Mori Rajputs were probably the most powerful power in this region before the rise of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. Mori is also considered a subclan of Parmar Rajputs. [7] [8]

Contents

History

The Mori Rajputs are mentioned as one of the thirty-five branches of the Parmar Rajput clan by British scholars. [9] [10] Chitrangada Mori, a Mori Rajput ruler, laid the foundation of the fort of Chittorgarh. [11] [12] [2]

A dynasty belonging to the Mori clan controlled the Chittor Fort and the surrounding region before the Guhila dynasty. The fort of Chittor was a well established citadel in the 8th century under the Moris. [13] The Chittorgarh inscription dated 713 AD gives four names of Mori Rajput rulers of Chittor. [14]

The Chittorgarh inscription dated 713 AD gives four names of Mori Rajput rulers of Chittor. [14] Manuraja is identified with Māna, mentioned in the Chittorgarh Māna-sarovara inscription of 713 AD. Māna was described as the son of Bhoja. [15] [16] Māna's great - grandfather was named Maheśvara. [17]

Bappa probably led the Mori campaign against the Arabs, which made him more famous than his overlord. Later, he either deposed Manuraja and became the king of Chittor with the help of the nobles or became the king after Manuraja died childless. [18] The Moris were expelled from Chittorgarh by Bappa Rawal. [19] [15]

Defeat by the Arabs

According to C.K. Majumdar, the Moris were ruling at Chittor [20] when the Arabs (mlechchhas) invaded north-western India around 725 CE. [20] The Arabs defeated the Moris, and in turn, were defeated by a confederacy that included Bappa Rawal. [21] [22] [16]

Decline of Mori Kingdom

King Maan Mori was defeated by Bappa Rawal. Bappa Rawal, defeated his maternal grandfather and captured the kingdom of Chittor. This event is mentioned in the Rajprashasti Abhilekh, in the epic Mahakavya, in Canto 3 [23] [24] :-

ततः स निर्जित्य नृपं तु मौरी जातीयभूपं मनुराजसंज्ञम्। गृहीतवांश्चित्रितचित्रकूटं चक्रेऽत्र राज्यं नृपचक्रवर्ती॥

— राजप्रशस्ति अभीलेख, महाकाव्य, सर्ग 3

As per yet another saying, the last king of Mori Dynasty of Chittor was Maan Singh Mori who fought against Arabs (mlechchhas) invasion north-western India around 725 CE. [20] Muhammad bin Qasim who was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate, attacked Chittor via Mathura. Bappa Rawal, of guhilote (Sisodia) dynasty, was a commander in Mori army. After defeating Bin Qasim, Bappa Rawal obtained Chittor in dowry from Maan Singh Mori in 734 A.D. Then onwards Chittor is ruled by Sisodia Rajputs. [25] Still descendents of Chitrangada Mori are surviving in the Malwa region of India. [26]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Parameswaran, Dr S. Pari (13 January 2023). ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY: AN EAGLE'S VIEW FOR CIVIL SERVICES AND OTHER EXAMS. MJP Publisher. ISBN   978-93-5528-240-8.
  2. 1 2 Guides, Bluworlds; Das, Joydip. Royal Rajasthan Pocket Travel Guide. Bluworlds Guides.
  3. ↑ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 21, 147. ISBN   0226742210.
  4. ↑ Balogh, Dániel (9 December 2018). "Chittorgarh fragmentary inscriptions of the Naigamas, inked rubbing". doi:10.5281/zenodo.2105017.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ Epigraphia Indica Vol 34. pp. 53–58.
  6. ↑ Somani, ram Vallabh (1976). History Of Mewar. p. 28.
  7. ↑ Shukla, Dinesh Chandra (1978). Early History of Rajasthan. Delhi: Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan. pp. 185–186. In the seventh century or in the beginning of the eighth century, the Mauryas, evidently the same as the Mori Rajputs, had a strong principality in S.E. Rajasthan
  8. ↑ Sharma, Dasharatha (1966). Rajasthan Through the Ages: From the earliest times to 1316 A.D. Rajasthan State Archives. pp. 226–228.
  9. ↑ Chand, Faquir; Sinha, N. K. (1992). People of India: Daman and Diu. Popular Prakashan. ISBN   978-81-7154-762-3.
  10. ↑ Dikshit, Durga Prasad (1980). Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami. Abhinav Publications.
  11. ↑ Singh Chib, Sukhdev (1979). Rajasthan. The University of Michigan. p. 118.
  12. ↑ Rajasthan. The University of Michigan. 1962. p. 44.
  13. ↑ India Tourism Development Corporation, India Tourism Development Corporation (1975). Guide to Rajasthan. India Tourism Development Corporation. p. 169.
  14. 1 2 Rajasthan State Gazetteer, Rajasthan State Gazetteer (1995). Rajasthan State Gazetteer: History and culture. Directorate, District Gazetteers, Government of Rajasthan. p. 322.
  15. 1 2 Calcutta Sanskrit College Research Series, Calcutta Sanskrit College Research Series (1965). Calcutta Sanskrit College Research Series. The University of California. p. 52.
  16. 1 2 Kumar, Raj (2008). Encyclopaedia Of Untouchables : Ancient Medieval And Modern. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-7835-664-8.
  17. ↑ Singh, R.B (1975). Origin of the Rajputs. Sahitya Sansar Prakashan. p. 40.
  18. ↑ Shyam Manohar Mishra 1977, p. 48.
  19. ↑ Topsfield, Andrew (2001). Court Painting at Udaipur Art Under the Patronage of the Maharanas of Mewar. Artibus Asiae Publishers. p. 17. ISBN   9783907077030.
  20. 1 2 3 R. C. Majumdar 1977, p. 298-299.
  21. ↑ Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 45.
  22. ↑ Khalid Yahya Blankinship 1994, p. 188.
  23. ↑ Bhatt, Ranchod (1973). Rajprasastia Mahakavyam.
  24. ↑ Ranchod Bhatt Maharana (1973). Raj Singh Raj Prashasti.
  25. ↑ indianrajputs.com/history.
  26. ↑ timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/chittorgarh/travel-guide.

Bibliography


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