3 Review(s)

To a vocal section of the Hindu right, Prithviraj Chauhan appears as “the last Hindu emperor” of India who made a valiant attempt to stop the Islamic invaders who would go on to rule over much of the country until the arrival of the Europeans. In the popular imagination, he is the heroic figure who symbolises the exalted ideals of patriotism and national pride — even if the historical evidence demonstrates rather different ways in which Prithviraj has been seen over the ages. Prithviraj belonged to the Chauhan or Chahamana dynasty of Ajmer which emerged after the decline of the Pratihara empire in the 11th century AD. He ascended the throne in 1177 or 1178, and very quickly expanded his kingdom, defeating many of the smaller Rajput states. However, he struggled against the Chalukyas of Gujarat, and was forced to look towards the Ganga valley instead. While Prithviraj’s army was able to decisively defeat the invading Ghurids in the First Battle of Tarain (present-day Haryana) in 1191, he was defeated in the Second Battle of Tarain in the following year. The battle marked a watershed moment in the history of medieval India, paving the way for the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate and the beginning of Muslim rule.