Rashtrakuta Dynasty: Map & History
The Rashtrakuta Empire was an early medieval Indian empire ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries.
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The Rashtrakuta Empire was an early medieval Indian empire ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. At their peak the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta ruled a vast empire stretching from the Ganges River and Yamuna River doab in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, a fruitful time of political expansion, architectural achievements and famous literary contributions.
Modern Countries Once Part of Rashtrakuta Dynasty
At its mapped extent, Rashtrakuta 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
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Rashtrakuta Dynasty's borders of that time.
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.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty in Depth
History
The sources for Rashtrakuta history include medieval inscriptions, ancient literature in the Pali language, contemporaneous literature in Sanskrit and Kannada and the notes of the Arab travellers. It is uncertain if there is any connection between the several Rashtrakuta dynasties that ruled small kingdoms in northern and central India, and the Deccan, in the 6th and 7th centuries, and the most famous later dynasty, the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta (present-day Malkhed in the Kalaburagi district, Karnataka state), who ruled between the 8th and 10th centuries.
Economy
The Rashtrakuta economy was sustained by its natural and agricultural produce, its manufacturing revenues and moneys gained from its conquests. Cotton was the chief crop of the regions of southern Gujarat, Khandesh and Berar. Minnagar, Gujarat, Ujjain, Paithan and Tagara were important centres of textile industry. Muslin cloth were manufactured in Paithan and Warangal. The cotton yarn and cloth was exported from Bharoch. White calicos were manufactured in Burhanpur and Berar and exported to Persia, Byzantines, Khazaria, Arabia and Egypt. The Konkan region, ruled by the feudatory Silharas, produced large quantities of betel leaves, coconut and rice while the lush forests of Mysore, ruled by the feudatory Gangas, produced such woods as sandal, timber, teak and ebony.
Culture
The Rashtrakuta kings supported the popular religions of the day in the traditional spirit of religious tolerance. Scholars have offered various arguments regarding which specific religion the Rashtrakutas favoured, basing their evidence on inscriptions, coins and contemporary literature. Some claim the Rashtrakutas were inclined towards Jainism since many of the scholars who flourished in their courts and wrote in Sanskrit, Kannada, and a few in Apabhramsha and Prakrit were Jains. The Rashtrakutas built well-known Jain temples at locations such as Lokapura in Bagalkot district and their loyal feudatory, the Western Ganga Dynasty, built Jain monuments at Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Rashtrakuta Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rashtrakuta Dynasty: Key Facts
| Capital | Manyakheta |
|---|---|
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Founded | 753 CE |
| Dissolved | 982 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q856691 (CC0).
Rashtrakuta Dynasty Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Rashtrakuta Dynasty appears, with the other states of the time.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,144,236 km² in 790 CE.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Rashtrakuta Dynasty exist?
The Rashtrakuta Dynasty is dated to 755 CE – 989 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty?
The capital of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty was Manyakheta.
How large was the Rashtrakuta Dynasty at its peak?
At its peak in 790 AD the Rashtrakuta Dynasty covered about 1,144,236 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
Early Middle Ages • Capital: Constantinople
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pataliputra, Ujjain
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Middle Ages • Capital: Chang'an