Bhaṭārka trident (symbol of
Shiva) with legend in the
Brahmi script:
Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Bhatárakasa Mahesara–Śrí Bhaṭṭárakasa "Of the illustrious, the Shaivaite, Bhattaraka, the great king; the great
Kshtrapa; the Lord and devotee of
Maheshwara." The
Senapati (general) Bhaṭārka, was a military governor of
Saurashtra peninsula under the
Gupta Empire, who had established himself as the independent ruler of Gujarat approximately in the last quarter of 5th century when the Gupta empire weakened. He continued to use the title of
Senapati (general). Apart from his military accomplishments, not much is known from the copper-plates. He was Śaiva according to the title
Parama-Maheshwara used for him in grants by his descendants. It seems that he transferred the capital from Girinagar (
Girnar) to Vallabhi. The legends of all Valabhi coins are marked with
Sri-Bhaṭārka. Almost all the Maitraka inscriptions start with his name. He is known only from the copperplate inscriptions of descendants.
Dharasena I . National Museum, New Delhi. Bhaṭārka was succeeded by his eldest son Dharasena I who also used only the title of
Senapati (general). He reigned approximately from 174 to 180 Valabhi Era (VE) (c. 493–499 CE). It seems that he further consolidated power in weakening
Gupta Empire. the Maitrkas had a marriage alliance with
Harisena, the King of Avanti who had himself captured many regions formerly under Magadha. Chandralekha, who is described in
Dharasanasara of Devasena as the daughter of the king of Ujjayani and the queen of Dhruvasena I.
Droṇasiṁha Droṇasiṁha (c. 499 - c. 519 CE), a younger brother of Dharasena I, declared himself as
Maharaja known from his copperplate dated 183 VE (502 CE). It is known that his coronation was attended by some higher authority, probably
Ujjain as they had a marriage alliance. According to the
Eran inscription of
Gupta Empire ruler
Bhanugupta (new revised translation published in 1981),
Kalpa Sutra, the Jain text, was compiled probably during the reign of Dhruvasena, 980 or 993 years after the death (
Nirvana) of
Mahavira. Kalpa Sutra mentions that the public reading of it started at Anandapura (Vadnagar) to relieve Dhruvasena from the grief of the death of his son. Based on his grants, it known that his kingdom extended from Dwarika to Valabhi, whole Saurashtra peninsula and as far as Vadnagar in the north. During his rule, the
Garulakas or Garudakas had accepted the Kingdom of Valabhi as their overlord. The Garulaka had captured
Dwarika probably with help of Valabhi. They probably has an emblem of the
Garuda and it his clear from their grants that they were Vaishnavas. They had made grants to Brahmanas and Buddhists alike.
Dharapaṭṭa Dhruvasena I was succeeded by his younger brother Dharapaṭṭa who reigned for a very short period, c. 549 to c. 553. He must be old when he ascended to the throne as his elder brothers ruled before him and thus his reign may have been short. He is the only ruler described as
Paramaditya-Bhakta, the devotee of the sun god. He is known by the copperplate grants of his grandson.
Guhasena Dharapaṭṭa was succeeded by Guhasena who reigned from c. 553 to c. 569 CE. He must be great king as the all later ruler from Śilāditya I to the last ruler records his name in grants. Guhasena stopped using the term
Paramabhattaraka Padanudhyata along his name like his predecessors, which denotes the cessation of displaying of the nominal allegiance to Magadha. He had assumed the sovereign title of
Maharajadhiraja. During his early rule, the Maitraka kingdom was invaded by King of KannaujIshwaravarman. The Raivataka (Girnar) hill is mentioned in his Jaunpur stone inscription but who won the war is unclear as the inscription is fragmentary. It is assumed that Guhasena must have repelled the attack. All his copper-plates record donations to Buddhist monasteries. He was a devotee of Shiva as mentioned in his grants and the copperplate bore the symbol of the
Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva. He was interested in Buddhism in his last years of reign which is known from his grants. Guhasena wrote poems in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Saurseni Apabhramsa. Early historians had considered
Gahlots (Gohil) of Mewar (
Guhilas of Medapata) as his descendants.
James Tod had recorded one such legend but epigraph evidence does not support the assumption. Virji also makes the point that Gahlots were Brahmanas as per their inscriptions while the Maitrakas were Kshatriyas.
Dharasena II Gahasena was succeeded by his son Dharasena II, who used the title of
Samanta in his early grants and later readopts the title of
Maharaja and later again as
Mahasamanta. He reigned from 569 to 589–90 CE. It is considered that he had become subordinate to Kannauj king
Ishanavarman for sometime between which reflect in the changes in titles. From Haraha inscription it known that Ishanavarman held sway over several rulers and Dharasena may have had to submit to him. He had made land grants to Brahmanas noted in his copperplate grants. One of his grants of 254 or 257 VE mentions solar eclipse which had helped in establish the dating of the Valabhi Era (VE). His one grant mentions Sthiramati, the Buddhist monk mentioned by Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang. One independent grant dated 574 CE made by
Garulaka king Simhaditya is also found at
Palitana along with him.
Śīlāditya I Dharasena II was succeeded by Śīlāditya I who is also called Dharmāditya, the "sun of Dharma". He reigned from c. 590 - 615 CE.
Manju-Sri-Mula-Kalpa assigns him thirty years. The
Śatruñjaya Máhátmya has a prophetic account of one Śíláditya who will be a propagator of religion in Vikrama Saṃvat 477 (420 CE). The work is comparatively modern and does not correspond to chronology and dating of the Valabhi kingdom. Although no reliance can be placed on the date still his second name Dharmáditya gives support to his identification with the Śíláditya of the Máhátmya. He had a son named Derabhaṭṭa. He was succeeded by his younger brother Kharagraha I. It seems that there must have been a contest between his elder brother Upendra and him but finally Kharagraha I had succeeded. Derabhaṭṭa is mentioned to had helped Śilāditya is conquering some region between Sahya and Vindhya. He probably had helped Pulakeshin in a war against Kalachuris and may be gained the region as a result. He may have ruled the region independently till his death. His son and successor Śilāditya may have ruled the region as an arrangement with his brother Karagraha. A queen named Janjika is mentioned in one of copperplates which may be a wife of Śilāditya I.
Kharagraha I Śilāditya I was succeeded by his younger brother Kharagraha I, also known as Ishwaragraha. His rule extended to
Ratlam, a town west of
Ujjain so whole modern central and north Gujarat were under the Maitrakas.
Dharasena IV Dharasena IV succeeded Dhruvasena II and reigned from c. 641 to 650 CE. He had subdued
Kingdom of Lata (south Gujarat) as he has issued copperplate grants from
Bharuch. he had assumed the imperial titles of
Paramabhattaraka Mahrajadhiraja Parameshvara Chakravartin. He had made grants to Buddhist Viharas and Brahmanas. He was a patron of scholars and the master archer. Probably during his reign, the Bhatti, the author of
Bhattikavya or
Ravanavadha, flourished. It is a grammatical poem. As Dharasena IV had no son, the succession transferred to the elder branch, Derabhaṭṭa lineage. He was succeeded by Dhruvasena III.
Dhruvasena III Dhruvasena III was a son of Derabhaṭṭa. He reigned from c. 650 to 654-655 CE. He had dropped the title of
Chakravartin and was Shaiva. He may have lost his sway on Lata region to Chalukyas.
Kharagraha II Kharagraha II Dharamaditya was a successor of his younger brother Dhruvasena II. He had made a grant from military camp at Pulindaka which suggest that he was in a continued struggle with Chalukyas. He reigned from c. 655 to 658. He had no son.
Śilāditya II Śilāditya was a son of Śilāditya, the elder brother of Kharagraha II. As Kharagraha II had no son, he assumed the throne. He reigned from c. 658 to 685 CE. He has mentioned his father Derabhaṭṭa in his grants. He had probably recovered the Lata region from the Sendraka governor under the Chalukyas. The Chalukyas recovered the region under Vikramaditya I and placed his son
Dharashraya Jayasimha as its governor. The region was still ruled by
Gurjaras of Lata and Dadda III was probably in the constant struggle with the Maitrakas. Arab historians mention that the Arab commander Ismail had attacked the
Ghogha in 677 CE (AH 57) but give no details. He must have been defeated by Śilāditya II.
Śilāditya III Śilāditya was a son and the successor of Śilāditya II. He reigned from c. 690 - 710 CE. Probably during this period,
Panchasar held by Jayasekhara of
Chavda dynasty was attacked.
Muslim invasions and decline Śilāditya IV into
Gujarat (724-740 CE). Śilāditya IV was affected by the
Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent and the
Umayyad campaigns in India. Śilāditya IV was a son of Śilāditya III who probably had Dharasena as his personal name. He ruled from c. 710 to 740 CE. Chalukya king Vikramaditya II had captured the Kheṭaka region from Valabhi with the presumed help of Jayabhatta IV, the king of Lata. Sanjan plate of 733 CE informs that
Rashtrakuta Indra I had forcefully married Chalukya princess Bhvanaga at Kaira (Kheda) so the region must be under them then. Biladuri, the Arab historian informs that the kingdom was invaded by the Arabs under
Junaid, Governor of the
Caliphal province of Sind, during the Caliphate of Hisham (724-743 CE). The invasion was carried out in 735-736 CE, and mentioned by the kingdom of Lata. The Muslims invaded all of the Gurjara region of north and south. The fall of the dynasty is attributed to the
Arab invasion from the
sindh Apart from legendary accounts which connects fall of Vallabi with the Tajjika (Arab) invasions, no historical source mention how the dynasty ended. The governors of Girinagar (Girnar) and Vamanasthali (
Vanthli) became independent and established their own dynasty on the fall of Vallabhi. ==Administration==