Mandalika I was a

Abhira The Abhira tribe is mentioned in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. A historical people of the same name are mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea''. They are thought to be people who moved in from eastern Iran in the aftermath of ...

king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1294 CE to 1306 CE ( VS 1350 to VS 1362). His capital was at

Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally t ...

Reign

The inscription found at Hatasni (VS 1386/1329 CE, now at Bhavnagar Museum) mentions Somavanshi (

Chandravanshi The Lunar dynasty ( IAST: Candravaṃśa) is a legendary principal house of the Kshatriyas varna, or warrior–ruling caste mentioned in the ancient Indian texts. This legendary dynasty was said to be descended from moon-related deities ('' ...

) royal family in which a king named Shangara (Khangara) was born. In Shanagra's family, a Yashodhavala was born who was later married to Priyamaladevi of Suryavanshi family. They had three sons; Malla, Mandala (Mandalika) and Meliga. The inscription further mentions an ally Vakhala family of Mehar race who were under Mandalika and later under Mahisha which are identified as Mandalika I and his son

Mahipala I Mahipala I (913–944) ascended the throne of Pratihara dynasty after his step brother Bhoja II. He was a son of Queen Mahidevi. Mahipala I was also known by the names: ''Ksitipala'', ''Vinayakapala'', ''Herambapala'' and ''Uttarapatha Swami' ...

respectively. Mandalika's daughter Rupa was married in Vakhala family, a Mer dynasty based in

Talaja Talaja may refer to: People * Roope Talaja (born 1988), Finnish ice hockey player * Silvija Talaja (born 1978), Croatian tennis player Places * Talaja Caves, India * Talaja, Bhavnagar Talaja is a town and a municipality in Bhavnagar district ...

. The undated fragmentary inscription recovered from Adishwara Mahadeva temple in Adpokar mentions death of Kanhaddeva, fighting for king Vayajaladeva, in battle with army of Ranaka Mandalika. The Sutrapada inscription dated VS 1357 mentions Vayajaladeva so this inscription belongs to the same period and the mentioned king must be Mandalika I, living from VS 1316 to VS 1362. During Mandalika I's reign, in 1299 CE, Gujarat was conquered by

Ulugh Khan Almas Beg (died c. 1302), better known by his title Ulugh Khan, was a brother and a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He held the iqta' of Bayana in present-day India. Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's asce ...

and

Nusrat Khan Jalesari Nusrat Khan (died 1301) was a general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He served as Alauddin's wazir (prime minister) during the start of his reign, and played an important role in the Sultan's Devagiri (1296) and Gujarat (1299) ca ...

, the generals of Delhi Sultan

Alauddin Khalji Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over lar ...

. Ulugh Khan also destroyed Somnath temple which had been rebuilt since the time of destruction by

Mahmud of Ghazni Yamīn-ud-Dawla Abul-Qāṣim Maḥmūd ibn Sebüktegīn ( fa, ; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi ( fa, ), was the founder of the Turkic Ghaznavid dynasty, ruling from 998 to 1030. At th ...

in the 11th century. He also conquered the sea coast of the peninsula from

Ghogha Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is situated on the mid-western bank of the Gulf of Khambhat. It was an important historical commercial port on the Arabian Sea until the development of nearby Bha ...

to Madhavapur. On this occasion, Mandalika is said to have defeated a division of his troops but possibly he may have defeated one of the governors of the sea coast left by Ulugh Khan. The Revati Kund inscription near

Damodar Kund Damodar Kund ( gu, દામોદર કુંડ) is one of the sacred lakes as per Hindu beliefs, which is located at the foothills of Girnar hills, near Junagadh in Gujarat, India. It is considered holy, as per Hindu mythology and many Hind ...

, Junagadh (VS 1472/1417 CE) mentions him as conqueror of the Mudgalas (Muslims). The inscription at the Neminath Temple (c. VS 1510/c. 1454 CE) on

Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. Geology Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. The rock types identified in this complex are gab ...

mentions that he had adorned the Neminath temple with gold plates. Mandalika I was succeeded by his son Navaghana.

Notes

References

{{Chudasama dynasty Chudasama dynasty 13th-century Indian monarchs