Krishna II
| Krishna II | |
|---|---|
| Maharajadhiraja | |
| Rashtrakuta Emperor | |
| Reign | c. 878 – c. 914 CE |
| Predecessor | Amoghavarsha |
| Successor | Indra III |
| Born | Unknown Manyakheta, Rashtrakuta Empire (modern day Karnataka, India) |
| Died | c. 914 Manyakheta, Rashtrakuta Empire (modern day Karnataka, India) |
| Consort | Mahadevi |
| Issue | Jagattunga |
| Father | Amoghavarsha |
| Religion | Jainism[1][2][3]Hinduism[4][5] |
| Rashtrakuta dynasty |
|---|
|
Krishna II (r. 878–914 CE) ascended the Rashtrakuta throne after the demise of his illustrious father Amoghavarsha I Nrupatunga. His Kannada name was Kannara.[6] His queen was a Haihaya princess of Chedi called Mahadevi. From the chronology of inscriptions that mention the name of this emperor, it seems Krishna II may have started to rule even during the lifetime of his father. The fact that Amoghavarsha in his last years renounced the affairs of the state in dharmic pursuits supports this claim.[7] The reign of emperor Krishna II saw significant advances in literature, although in the affairs of expansion of the empire, his reign was mixed.[8] During his reign he cultivated matrimonial alliance with Chedis to form military gain.[9]
Religion
is often described as supporting Jainism and being Jain by faith,[10][11] while also patronizing other religions such as Hinduism Epigraphic records and grants indicate patronage of Jain monks and temples, reflecting the dynasty’s strong ties with Jain institutions established by his father Amoghavarsha I. While there is no definitive evidence that Krishna II himself formally adopted Jainism as his personal faith, inscriptions suggest he maintained and encouraged Jain religious institutions within his empire.[12][13] According to the Kannada historical novel *Nrupatunga* by T. R. Subba Rao (Ta. Ra. Su), Krishna II is portrayed as studying under the Jain Acharya Jinasena, reflecting the dynasty's deep cultural and religious associations with Jainism.[14]
Vengi affairs
His reign was one of mixed fortunes. He suffered some reversals against the Eastern Chalukyas ruled by King Gunaga Vijayaditya III whose commander pursued Krishna II to central India. After the death of Vijayaditya III, Krishna II continued hostilities against Chalukya Bhima I in 892 and succeeded in defeating him and taking him prisoner. However, Bhima I later freed himself and pushed back the Rashtrakutas from Vengi and crowned himself king. A few years later, Krishna II suffered two more defeats at the hands of the Vengi Chalukyas at Niravadyapura and Peruvanguru.[15] However other sources claim Krishna II conquered Andhra.[7]
Deccan and northern affairs
Krishna II defeated the Gurjara Bhoja I of Prathihara dynasty of Gujarat, merging the Lata line (Gujarat) of Rashtrakutas to bring it under his direct rule from Manyakheta.[7][15][16] He defeated the kingdoms of Banga, Kalinga, Magadha. It is claimed his kingdom extended from the Ganges river in the north to Cape Comorin in the south.[7] He held titles such as Akalavarsha and Shubatunga.
Tamil politics
His daughter had married the Chola king Aditya I. With this the emperor had hoped to achieve influence in the Tamil country. After the death of Aditya I, instead of his Rashtrakuta lineage son Kannara-devan ascending the throne, Parantaka I became the Chola monarch. Krishna II then invaded the Chola realm with the help of his feudatories, the Banas and the Vaidumbas rulers, hoping to force the issue. He failed to consolidate his influence on the Cholas. The Rashtrakutas suffered a defeat in the battle of Vallala at the hands of Cholas under Parantaka in 916.[17]
Notes
- ^ Desai, P.B. (1957). *Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs*.
- ^ Altekar, A.S. (1934). *The Rashtrakutas and Their Times*.
- ^ Subba Rao, T.R. (Ta. Ra. Su.) (1950). Nrupatunga. Bangalore: Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
- ^ Altekar, A.S. (1934). The Rashtrakutas and Their Times. Poona: Oriental Book Agency.
- ^ Kamath, Suryanath U. (2001). A Concise History of Karnataka: From Pre-historic Times to the Present. Bangalore: Jupiter Books.
- ^ Reu (1933), p75
- ^ a b c d Reu (1933), p76
- ^ Sen, S.N. (2013), p30, A Textbook of Medieval Indian History, Delhi: Primus Books, ISBN 9789380607344
- ^ Nath sen, Sailendra (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. Routledge. p. 372. ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0.
- ^ Desai, P.B. (1957). *Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs*.
- ^ Altekar, A.S. (1934). *The Rashtrakutas and Their Times*.
- ^ Desai, P.B. (1957). *Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs*. Sholapur: Jaina Samshodhana Sangha.
- ^ Altekar, A.S. (1934). *The Rashtrakutas and Their Times*. Poona: Oriental Book Agency.
- ^ Subba Rao, T. R. (Ta. Ra. Su.) (1950). *Nrupatunga*. Bangalore: Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
- ^ a b Sastri (1955), p160
- ^ Kamath (2001), p80
- ^ Sastri (1955), pp160-161
References
- Sastri, Nilakanta K.A. (2002) [1955]. A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar. New Delhi: Indian Branch, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-560686-8.
- Kamath, Suryanath U. (2001) [1980]. A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present. Bangalore: Jupiter books. LCCN 80905179. OCLC 7796041.
- Reu, Pandit Bisheshwar Nath (1997) [1933]. History of The Rashtrakutas (Rathodas). Jaipur: Publication scheme. ISBN 81-86782-12-5.