Question

What were the two major cities under the control of the Chahamanas?

Answer 1

Hint: One city was originally named as Ajayameru and was founded by an 11th-century Rajput king Ajaydeva. Another city was earlier known as Indraprastha.

Complete answer:
> In the 12th century, the Chauhan Dynasty or the Chahamanas ruled over the two major cities – Delhi and Ajmer.
> As these cities were centrally located, the Chahamanas aimed to extend their control to the west and the east, where they were defeated by the Chalukyas of Gujarat and the Gahadavalas of western Uttar Pradesh.
> Prithviraj III (1168-1192) was the best-known Chahamana ruler. In 1191, he defeated the Afghan ruler, named Sultan Muhammad Ghori, but in the very next year, in 1192, he also lost to him.
> The main territory of the Chahamanas was established in present-day Rajasthan. It was referred to as Sapadalaksha or Jangala-desh.
> As the territory of the Chahamanas expanded, the entire region over which they ruled came to be known as Sapadalaksha. The later Chahamana capitals Ajayameru (Ajmer) and Shakambhari (Sambhar) were also included. The term also came to be used in the larger area conquered by them.
> Indian inscriptions of the early medieval period, as well as the writings of the contemporary Muslim historians, suggest that the following cities were also a part of the Sapadalaksha: Hansi (in present-day Haryana), Mandore (in present-day Marwar region), and Mandalgarh (in present-day Mewar region).
> The Chahamanas were engaged in several wars with their neighbours, including, the Tomaras of Delhi the Chandelas of Bundelkhand, the Paramaras of Malwa and the Chalukyas of Gujarat.

Note: In the middle of the 12th century, under Vigraharaja IV, the Chahamana kingdom reached its peak. But in 1192 CE, the dynasty's power successfully terminated when the Ghurids defeated his nephew Prithviraj III.