Vision Academy EducareVision Academy Educare
Question 48 of 94 · Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms
Questionmedium
This question was previously asked in

SSC

The Rashtrakuta dynasty was founded by Dantidurga (Dantivarman) in about:

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option A — 753 CE

Detailed Solution

The Rashtrakuta dynasty was founded by Dantidurga (also called Dantivarman II) in about 753 CE, when he overthrew the Chalukyas of Badami.

About Dantidurga:

  • He was originally a feudatory (samanta) of the Chalukyas of Badami (Vatapi).
  • In about 753 CE, he defeated the Chalukya king Kirtivarman II and established the Rashtrakuta kingdom in the Deccan.
  • His early base was in the region of present-day Maharashtra (around Ellora).
  • He conquered parts of Gujarat, Malwa and central India.
  • The Samangad copper plates (753 CE) record his victories.

Important Rashtrakuta rulers:

  • Krishna I: Dantidurga's uncle and successor; he completed the conquest of the Chalukya territories, and the Kailasa temple at Ellora was built during his reign.
  • Dhruva: took part in the struggle for Kannauj, and defeated the Pratihara and Pala kings.
  • Govinda III: one of the greatest rulers; his armies reached the Himalayas in the north and Kanchi in the south.
  • Amoghavarsha I (814-878 CE): a peaceful ruler and patron of literature; he moved the capital to Manyakheta (Malkhed, Karnataka).
  • Krishna III: defeated the Cholas at the Battle of Takkolam (949 CE).

Decline:

The Rashtrakuta empire came to an end in 973 CE, when Tailapa II, a feudatory, established the Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani.

Arab accounts:

Arab travellers described the Rashtrakuta king as one of the four great kings of the world.

Rashtrakuta culture:

  • They patronised Jainism, Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
  • Kannada literature flourished under them; famous poets included Pampa, Ponna and Ranna (some under later patrons).
  • The Elephanta caves near Mumbai are often attributed to their period.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗606 CE is when Harsha became king.
  • ✗850 CE is when the Chola dynasty was revived.
  • ✗985 CE is a date from the Chola period.

Quick tip

Remember: Rashtrakutas = founded by Dantidurga in about 753 CE (overthrew the Chalukyas of Badami); capital Manyakheta (Amoghavarsha I); ended 973 CE (Tailapa II).

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty was founded by:
  2. Q2.Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni was a contemporary of which Chola ruler?
  3. Q3.Who was the court poet of Harshavardhana and the author of the 'Harshacharita'?
  4. Q4.In the battle on the banks of the Narmada, the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II defeated:
  5. Q5.The Shore Temple at Mamallapuram was built during the reign of:

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

‹ All Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms questionsBrowse all topics ›