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Early Middle Ages947 CE – 1249 CEPeak: 234,889 km² (1222 CE)

Chaulukya Dynasty: Map & History

The Chaulukya dynasty, also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between c.

5.5
947 CEDrag timeline:1222 CE1249 CE
947 CE
1025 CE
1100 CE
1175 CE
1249 CE
Capital: Anahilavada (modern Patan)Peak Extent: 234,889 km²Vector Attribution: Cliopatria (CC BY 4.0)Wikidata: Q18211496 ↗
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Wikipedia: Chaulukya dynasty
Chaulukya dynasty historical cartography
Indian dynasty that ruled Gujarat from 940 to 1244

The Chaulukya dynasty, also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between c. 940 CE and c. 1244 CE. Their capital was located at Anahilavada. At times, their rule extended to the Malwa region in present-day Madhya Pradesh. The family is also known as the "Solanki dynasty" in the vernacular literature. They belonged to the Solanki clan of Rajputs.

Capital / Seat
Anahilavada (modern Patan)
State Governance
Monarchy
Historical Religion
Jainism, Hinduism
Peak Territory
234,889 km²
Preceded By
Chavda dynasty, Chalukyas of Lata
Succeeded By
Vaghela dynasty, Cutch State
Content & infobox metadata adapted from Wikipedia (Chaulukya dynasty)

Modern Countries Once Part of Chaulukya Dynasty

At its mapped extent, Chaulukya Dynasty covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.

States and Provinces

Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.

Chaulukya Dynasty in Depth

History

The Chaulukyas were one of the several dynasties that rose to power amid the decline of the Gurjara-Pratihara and the Rashtrakuta empires. In the mid-tenth century CE, the dynasty’s founder Mularaja supplanted Samantasimha, the last Chavda king. According to legends, he was a nephew of Samantasimha. According to the 12th century chronicler Hemachandra, Mularaja defeated Graharipu, the king of Saurashtra. He also defeated the Lata Chalukya chief Barapa, aided by his son Chamundaraja.

Chamundaraja succeeded Mularaja around 996 CE. During his reign, the Paramara king Sindhuraja appears to have invaded the Lata region, which was under Chaulukya suzerainty.

Origins

The word "Chaulukya" is thought to be a variant of the word "Chalukya". Several other dynasties were known by the name "Chalukya", including the Chalukyas of Vatapi, Navasarika, Vemulavada, Kalyani, Vengi and Lata. These dynasties are sometimes thought to be branches of the same family, but the relationship between all of them is not certain. Unlike the Chalukyas of Kalyani and Vengi, the Chaulukyas of Gujarat never claimed a shared descent or any other association with the earliest Chalukya dynasty—the Chalukyas of Vatapi. Moreover, they never used the term "Chalukya" to describe themselves.

However, the Chaulukyas of Gujarat shared a myth of origin with the Chalukyas of Kalyani and Vengi. According to this legend, the progenitor of the dynasty was created by Brahma.

Culture

Māru-Gurjara architecture, or "Chaulukya style", is a style of north Indian temple architecture that originated in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the 11th to 13th centuries, under the Chaulukya dynasty (or Solaṅkī dynasty). Although originating as a regional style in Hindu temple architecture, it became especially popular in Jain temples and, mainly under Jain patronage, later spread across India and to diaspora communities around the world.

The dynasty's founder Mularaja is said to have built Mulavasatika temple for Digambara Jains and the Mulanatha-Jinadeva temple for the Svetambara Jains. The earliest of the Dilwara Temples and the Modhera Sun Temple were constructed during the reign of Bhima I. According to popular tradition, his queen Udayamati also commissioned the Queen's step-well.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Chaulukya dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Chaulukya Dynasty: Key Facts

Key facts about Chaulukya Dynasty
Founded940s CE

Preceded by

Succeeded by

  • Cutch State

Facts from Wikidata Q18211496 (CC0).

Chaulukya Dynasty Map Over Time

Dated world maps on which Chaulukya Dynasty appears, with the other states of the time.

Chaulukya Dynasty Timeline

Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion

1 Epochs
Territorial Apex1222 CE

Expansion to peak recorded area of 234,889 km² in 1222 CE.

Chaulukya Dynasty: Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Chaulukya Dynasty exist?

The Chaulukya Dynasty is dated to 947 CE – 1249 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.

What was the capital of the Chaulukya Dynasty?

The capital of the Chaulukya Dynasty was Anahilavada (modern Patan).

How large was the Chaulukya Dynasty at its peak?

At its peak in 1222 AD the Chaulukya Dynasty covered about 234,889 km².

How did the map of the Chaulukya Dynasty change over time?

The Chaulukya Dynasty appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1000 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.