• Source: Chronology of Chudasama dynasty

The early history of the Chudasama dynasty in Saurashtra (now part of Gujarat, India) is largely lost. Bardic legends vary significantly in names, sequence, and numbers, rendering them unreliable as historical sources. Mandalika Kavya, a Sanskrit poem by Gangadhara, provides some information on the dynasty, though it holds limited historical accuracy. Certain inscriptions from the period offer early genealogical details, but these also vary in their order of succession. Historians like Ranchhodji Diwan, A. K. Forbes, James Burgess, and Gaurishankar Oza have attempted to determine a more consistent genealogy and chronology. Based on dates from inscriptions linked to Chudasama kings and other literary sources, the genealogy and chronology of the dynasty's later period are now relatively established. It is known that they ruled approximately from Vikram Samvat (VS) 900 to VS 1527, or around 875 CE to 1472 CE.




Chronology and genealogy






= Based on inscriptions

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There is no inscription available from the period before the reign of King Mandalika I. However, it is clear that the Chudasama dynasty had established its rule in the Saurashtra region before the Chaulukya king Mularaja came to power in Anahilavada, as literary sources mention battles between Chudasama and Chaulukya kings, including Mularaja and Jayasimha Siddharaja. The Dhandusar inscription (VS 1445) identifies the dynasty’s founder as Chudachandra (also known as Chuda of the Samma).
A Vanthali inscription records a King Mandalika, whose kingdom was seized by Jagatsimha, a feudatory of the Chaulukya king Viradhavala. This King Mandalika must be a different ruler than the Mandalika mentioned in later genealogies. Since Viradhavala is known to have lived around VS 1288, this event is likely dated accordingly. The Vanthali inscription itself dates to VS 1346, indicating that Jagatsimha’s family likely retained control until then. Later, a Chudasama king named Mandalika apparently regained Vanthali as Chaulukya rule weakened, marking a new starting point for the dynasty’s later genealogy in subsequent inscriptions.
The Chudasama dynasty continued to rule until VS 1527 (1472 CE), when they were defeated by the Gujarat Sultan Mahmud Begada. Since inscriptions describe the Chudasama resistance against the Gujarat Sultans, it can be concluded that they were the most powerful dynasty in the Saurashtra region during that period.



Genealogy and chronology table





= Early attempts

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Ranchhodji Amarji (1825)

Ranchhodji Amarji, the Diwan (or prime minister) of Junagadh State, wrote Tarikh-i-Sorath in Persian in 1825. In this work, Ranchhodji documented that the Chudasama dynasty belonged to the Chandravanshi lineage, claiming they were descendants of Shri Sadashiv and originally hailed from Sindh. He noted that there was a tradition of rulers with recurring names, including nine rulers named Navghan, ten named Jakhra, and eleven named Alansingh, among others, who held power in succession.
He provided the following chronology of Chudasama rulers in Tarikh-i-Sorath:

Following the defeat by Mahmud Begada, Mandalika’s descendants were granted the jagir of Junagadh as Jagirdars. However, real power was exercised by the Thanadar, appointed by the rulers in Ahmedabad and later by provincial governors.



James Burgess (1876-1882)

James Burgess translated the Târikh-i-Soraṭh into English under the title Târikh-i-Soraṭh: A History of the Provinces of Soraṭh and Hâlâr in Kâthiâwâd, based on Gujarati translations of Persian manuscripts. The translation, edited by James W. Watson, was published in 1882. Burgess consulted several manuscripts and referenced an inscription from the Vastupal Jain Temple on Mount Girnar to verify the chronology provided by Ranchhodji Amarji. He initially published these findings in his Report on the Antiquities of Kathiawad and Kachh and included editor notes in the translation. Burgess also incorporated information from other sources and made conjectural corrections to dates, marking uncertain dates with "(?)" when converting to CE format.
In the Târikh-i-Soraṭh, Ranchhodji lists the reigns of the first four kings, starting with Navaghana I, extending over 151 years, followed by a 22-year gap between Navaghana II and his successor Mandalika I. Burgess added Khengar II (c. 1107 CE) to the chronology, who was omitted by Ranchhodji. Additionally, Burgess noted that Ranchhodji excluded Navghana (c. 1235) after Mandalika, whom he assigned a reign of 22 years and 3.75 months, beginning in VS 1270, with Mahipala’s reign beginning in VS 1302. This adjustment left a 10-year gap, which may coincide with the reign of Navaghana IV. Ranchhodji’s genealogy includes Mugatsingh’s successors in the order of Madhupat (VS 1416-1421), Mandalika (VS 1421-1439), and Malek (VS 1439-1450), possibly derived from the Revatikunda inscription, which lists: Mandalika III, his son Mahipala, his son Khangara IV, his son Jayasimha, and his son Mugatsimha, with sons Mandalika and Melak. Burgess retained the dates VS 1421 and 1439 but suggested modifications to VS 1428 and 1433.
Burgess observed that some copies list VS 874 for Navghan’s accession, allowing him a 42-year reign. He criticized James Tod for counting Chudachandra as the fortieth prince before his time and as the eighth before Jam Unad, who Tod placed in VS 1110, speculating Chudachandra’s reign around VS 960.



= Rulers and chronology
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The rulers are listed with Samvat (VS) dates, probable CE dates, and notes on their reigns and relations:



= Post-subjugation as tributary jagirdars
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After the dynasty was subjugated by the kings of Ahmedabad, it continued as tributary Jagirdars for another century, with the following succession:

Some versions of the Târikh-i-Soraṭh list additional names without dates.



James W. Watson (1884) and Harold Wilberforce-Bell (1916)

James W. Watson, in Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kathiawar Volume VIII (1884), provided a chronology of the Chudasama kings. The early kings' chronology was based on bardic legends, while the later chronology was derived from inscriptions.
In 1916, Harold Wilberforce-Bell published The History of Kathiawad from the Earliest Times. He expanded on Watson's chronology, confirming that the kings starting with Mandalik I were correctly positioned in the chronology, though the dates of accession varied from later chronologies. He presented the following chronology:




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Chronology of Chudasama dynasty
• Chudasama dynasty
• Legendary and early kings of Chudasama dynasty
• Chaulukya dynasty
• List of dynasties
• Mahipala I (Chudasama dynasty)
• Vaghela dynasty
• List of Hindu empires and dynasties
• Chavda dynasty
• Chudachandra