Krishna III

Krishna III whose Kannada name was Kannara (939 – 967 C.E.) was the last great warrior and able monarch of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty of Manyakheta. He was a shrewd administrator and skillful military campaigner. He waged many wars to bring back the glory of the Rashtrakutas and played an important role in rebuilding the Rashtrakuta empire. He patronised the famous Kannada poets Sri Ponna who wrote "Shanti purana", Gajankusha, also known as Narayana who wrote on erotics and the Apabhramsha poet Pushpadanta who wrote "Mahapurana" and other writings.Kamath (2001), p84, p90] Sastri (1955), p356] Reu (1933), p86] His queen was a Chedi princess and his daughter Bijjabbe was married to a Western Ganga prince. During his rule he held titles such as "Akalavarsha", "Maharajadhiraja", "Parameshvara", "Paramamaheshvara", "Shri Prithvivallabha" etc.Reu (1933), p82] At his peak, he ruled a vast empire stretching from the Narmada river in the north to the Kaveri river delta in the south. A copper grant of 993 issued by the Shilahara king of Thana claims the Rashtrakuta control extended from the Himalayas in the north to Ceylon in the south and from the eastern sea to the western seas. The grant states that when King Krishna III mobilised his armies, the kings of Chola, Bengal, Kannauj, Andhra and Pandya regions used to quiver.Reu (1933), p43]

outhern invasion

He killed the Western Ganga ruler Rachamalla II and made his brother-in-law Butuga II the king of the Gangavadi territory. He invaded the territory of Gurjara Prathihara and captured Chitrakuta and Kalinjara regions. He even defeated his own family relations, the Chedi of Tripuri who had turned against the Rashtrakutas.Kamath (2001), p82] Later he invaded the southern Deccan and recaptured Kolar and Dharmapuri from the Banas and Vaidumbas who had given shelter to Govinda IV due to his matrimonial relations with the Cholas. Though he initially may have experienced setbacks, Tondaimandalam (northern Tamil regions) was secured by 944. He defeated the Cholas and captured Kanchi and Tanjore, according to the Siddalingamadam plates of 944.Kamath (2001), p83] In 949 he defeated the Cholas decisively in a battle in Takkolam, North Arcot district.From the Karhad record of 949 (Kamath 2001, p83)] Krishna III was helped by his Western Ganga feudatory Buthuga II in these campaign. Rajaditya Chola was killed while seated on his elephant with a well-aimed arrow. Krishna III gave Buthuga II extensive Ratta territories near Banavasi in return for this victory. From the Atakur inscriptions (Kamath 2001, p83)] He later defeated the Pandyas, the rulers of Kerela region and obtained the submission of the King of Ceylon, extracted tributes from the Manadlika rulers, and erected a pillar of victory at Ramesvaram.From the Sholapur copper plate inscriptions of 958 (Reu 1933, p84, p85)] This victory is narrated in Somadeva's writing "Yashatilaka Champu" of 959 as well.Krishna III is described as the conqueror of Chola, Chera, Pandya and Simhala (Ceylon) (Reu 1933, p86] However, from location of the inscriptions it is argued that Krishna III had full control only of Tondaimandalam (northern Tamil Nadu) as his inscriptions are not found further south in modern Tamil Nadu.Sathianath Ayer in Kamath 2001, p83] After these victories he proclaimed himself "Conqueror of Kacci and Tanjai" (Kanchi and Tanjore).from the Tirukkalukkunram and Lakshmeshvara inscriptions (Reu 1933, p83, p85)] He exerted influence on the Vengi (modern Andhra Pradesh) by helping Badapa secure the throne against his competitor Amma II. Later, Danarnava of Vengi became his feudatory.

Northern expedition

While Krishna III focussed on southern Deccan, the Chandelas had captured Chitrakuta and Kalinjar. This prompted Krishna III to send his Western Ganga feudatory Marasimha, son of Buthuga II, to retrieve the lost areas. Marasimha defeated the Gurjara Prathihara and the Paramara ruler Harsha Siyaka of Malwa. The northernmost Kannada inscription of the Rashtrakutas, dated about 964 is the Jura record (near Jabalpur) in present-day Madhya Pradesh. The details of these victories are inscribed in this inscription.

At his peak, Krishna III ruled an empire that extended from Narmada river in the north and stretched south covering large parts of present-day northern Tamilnadu in the south. The Prathihara, the Paramara, the Seuna (ruled by Vaddiga) and the northern Kalachuri were his feudatories in the northern Deccan and central India.However the Deoli inscriptions claim the Rashtrakuta control extended from the Himalayas in the north to Ceylon in the south and from the eastern sea to the western sea (Reu 1933, p83, p84)]

His enemity towards the end of his rule with the northern Kalachuri of Tripuri proved fatal to the empire. Krishna III was also perhaps reckless in giving large "fiefs" (land grants) to his commanders. He gave the province of Tardavadi (present day Bijapur district) sometime before 965 to Tailapa II his Chalukya feudatory right in the heart of his empire. This later turned out to be to the Rashtrakutas' undoing.

Notes

References

*cite book |last= Sastri|first= Nilakanta K.A.|title= A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar|origyear=1955|year=2002|publisher= Indian Branch, Oxford University Press|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8
*cite book |last= Kamath|first= Suryanath U.|title= A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present|origyear=1980|year= 2001|publisher= Jupiter books|location= Bangalore|oclc= 7796041|id= LCCN|809|0|5179
*cite book |last= Narasimhacharya|first= R|title= History of Kannada Literature|origyear=1988|year=1988|publisher= Asian Educational Services|location= New Delhi, Madras|isbn= 81-206-0303-6
*cite book |last=Reu|first= Pandit Bisheshwar Nath |title=History of The Rashtrakutas (Rathodas)|origyear=1933|year=1997|publisher= Publication scheme|location= Jaipur|isbn= 81-86782-12-5

External links

* [http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm History of Karnataka, Mr. Arthikaje]