Nagabhata I facts for kids

Nagabhata I was an important Indian king who lived from about 730 to 760 CE. He is famous for starting the powerful Gurjara-Pratihara kingdom. Nagabhata I ruled a region called Avanti, which is in present-day Madhya Pradesh. His capital city was Ujjain. He also expanded his control to include parts of modern-day Gujarat and Rajasthan. Nagabhata I is well-known for defeating an Arab army, but he was later defeated by the Rashtrakuta king Dantidurga.

Who Was Nagabhata I?

Nagabhata I is known as the founder of the strong Pratihara dynasty. We learn about him from old writings, like the Gwalior inscription. This inscription was made by one of his later family members, Mihira Bhoja. Nagabhata I likely became king around the year 730 CE.

Nagabhata I's Battles

Nagabhata I was a skilled military leader. He fought in some very important battles during his time.

Fighting the Arab Army

According to the Gwalior inscription, Nagabhata I fought against an invasion by a group called the "Mlechchhas." These were actually Arab Muslim invaders. The Arab army was led by officers working for Junaid. Junaid was a general and governor from the Umayyad Caliphate, a large Islamic empire. Nagabhata I was successful in defeating this Arab army. This was a very important victory for his kingdom.

Facing the Rashtrakuta Empire

Even though Nagabhata I was a strong ruler, he was eventually defeated by another powerful king. This was Dantidurga, the ruler of the Rashtrakuta Empire. Records from the Rashtrakuta kingdom show that the ruler of Malava (which was Nagabhata I) was among the kings that Dantidurga defeated.