Formation of Lineage Power
The formation and
consolidation of lineage power did not develop in a uniform way. One of the
indicators of the process of lineage power formation was the colonization of
new areas, as is evident in the expansion of the number of settlements. The colonization
of new areas could result from the annexation of the new territories by means
of organised military strength. Tho Chauhan kingdom of Nadol known as Saptashata
is said to have been made into Saptasakesrikadesha by a Chauhan chief who
killed chiefs of the boundaries of his kingdom and annexed their villages. Territorial
expansion of the Western Indian powers was accomplished, on some areas, at the
expense of tribal settlements. For example, Mandor Pratihar Kakkuka is said to
have resettled a place which was terrible because of being inhabited by the Abhiras.
Similarly, there are examples of the suppression of tribal population like Shabaras,
Bhillas and Pulindas in Western and Central India.
Similar movements are found in the case of the Guhilas and the Chahamanas as well. For example, though the Guhila settlements were to be found in various parts of Rajasthan as early as the seventh century, slightly later traditions recorded in the inscriptions of the Nagada-Ahar Guhilas trace their movement from Gujarat. The bardic tradition also suggests that the Guhila kingdoms in south Rajasthan , succeeded the earlier tribal chiefdoms of the Bhils.
The movement of the
Chauhanas was from Ahichhetrapura to Jangakdesha (Shakambhari) which, as the
name indicates, was an inhospitable area. Their movement led to its
cobonization. A tenth century record says that Lakshmana, the son of Vakpati-f
of the Shakambhari Chahamana lineage started with few followers and fought
against the Medas who had been terrorising the people around Naddula with their
free-booting raids. It s0 pleased the brahmena masters of the arca that they
appointed him the guard of the towns. Gradually Lakshmana built up a small band
of troopers and suppressed the Medas in their, own territory. The Medas agreed to
keep off from villages paying tribute to Lakshmana. He became a master of 2000 horses
and extended his dominions at case and built a great palace in Nadol.
Political authority of a lineage could even be brought about by simply replacing one lineage by another as evident in the case of the Chahamanas of Jalor, a splinter line of the Nadol Chahamana branch. Kirtipeta, a son of Nadol Chahamana Alhana was dissatisfied with the share of land assigned to him. A man of ambition, he found that the situation in Mewar offered an advantage for an invader. Having failed there, he made his way into the region which was ruled by the Paramaras. He attacked Jalor, their capital, and made it the capital of his new kingdom. Similarly Chahamana line of Broach was brought into being when a Chahamana chief Bharatravaddha-lI founded a principality over the tract of the Gurjaras of Broach. He was helped by Pratihara Nagabhata-l in ousting the Gurjaras from Broach in the chaotic situation created by the coming of the Arabs. He then assumed the title of mahasamantadhipati in 756 A.D.
Thus the formation
of lineage power evolved through multiple channels and . processes which were
not compartmentalised and interacted with one another.
CONSOLIDATION OF
LINEAGE POWER
The emergence of
the political powers in Western and Central India was associated with certain
features. At the level of economy the patterns of land distribution are noteworthy.
From about the late tenth century there are evidences for the distribution of
land among the members of Chahamana ruling lineages. King Simharaja, his
brothers Vatsasraja and Vigrharaja and his two brothers Chandaraja, and
Govindaraja had their own personal estates. In the areas held by the Chahamanas
of Nado! assignments called as grasa, grasabhumil or bhukti were held by the
King, the crown prince, other sons of the F.ing, queens and so on. The incidence
of these assignments was higher in Rajasthan than in other parts. This feature
apparently represented a process which gradually developed and was associated
with the spread of a clan. Another pattern was the holding of units consisting
of villages which were part of administrative divisions as mandala or bhakti.
These units seem to have become centres of some kind of local control. The units
of 84 villages (chaurasia) which were held in Saurastra by the Gurjara Pratiharas
gradually spread to Rajasthan. This extension facilitated the land distribution
and political control among the ruling elites. Between the tenth andtwelfth
centuries the kings and princes of Chahamana and Paramara clans held such big
holdings. The process coincided with the construction of fortresses on a large scale
in different locations. Apart from serving defence purposes the fortresses also
worked as foci of control for their rural surroundings and helped the process
of the consolidation of ruling families.
The marriage
network among the ruling clans is another pointer to the process of the consolidation
of clan power at the social level. Marriage network brought about inter-clan
relationship which had significant political implications because the . families
were mastly the ruling Rajput clans. Apart from Paramara-Rashtrakuta and Chahamana-Paramara
matrimonial relations, the Guhila marriage network was varied and widespread.
Though the Guhilas extended their marriage relations with Chaulukyas,
Rashtrakutas, Chedis and Hunas in addition to those with Rajput clans like
Chahamana and the Paramara, the marriage network mostly constituted the Rajput
clan categary. The choice obviously was political as the families cited above constituted
the ruling clite of the carly medieval Western India. Inter-clan marriage relationships
were expected to lead to collaboration in wider activities of socio- political
nature since they facilitated the presence of clan members in different: - kingdom
and courts.
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