Ghaznavid invasions of Kannauj

Ghaznavid invasion of Kannauj
Part of Ghaznavid campaigns in India
Kannauj
Date 1018 (first phase) 1086–1090 (second phase) 1114 (third phase) Location Kannauj 27°04′N 79°55′E / 27.07°N 79.92°E / 27.07; 79.92 Result Ghaznavid victory
Belligerents
Ghaznavid Empire	Pratihara dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Mahmud of Ghazni Mas'ud III of Ghazni Mahmud of Punjab	Rajyapala Gopala Madanapala  (POW)
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
Kannauj class=notpageimage| Kannauj Show map of India Kannauj Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh) Show map of Uttar Pradesh

The Ghaznavid invasion of Kannauj or the siege of Kannauj in 1018 was a military campaign conducted by Mahmud of Ghazni, the then ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, against the Pratihara dynasty. During this siege, the Pratihara ruler, Rajyapala, eventually surrendered to Mahmud of Ghazni, thereby accepting nominal suzerainty under his rule. This event marked the decline of the Pratihara dynasty's power. In the aftermath of his surrender to Mahmud, Rajyapala met his demise at the hands of the Chandela ruler, Vidhyadara, for capitulating to the Ghaznavid conqueror.

After the decline of the Pratihara dynasty, the Rashtrakutas rose to prominence in Kannauj. Their fourth ruler, Gopala, was defeated and Kannauj was plundered by the Ghaznavid governor of Punjab named Mahmud who was the son of Ibrahim of Ghazni. Subsequently, Kannauj came under the control of the Gahadavala dynasty, whose ruler, Madanapala, was defeated by Masud III and imprisoned by the Ghaznavids. He was later released upon payment of ransom by his son, Govindachandra.