Vigraharaja IV

Vigraharaja IV
Sapadalakshiya-Nripati [1]
A coin of Vigraharaja IV. Obverse: Rama standing left, holding bow; “sri ra ma” in Devanagari. Reverse: “Srimad vigra/ha raja de/va” in Devanagari; star and moon symbols below.
King of Sapadalaksha
Reignc. 1150–1164 CE
PredecessorJagaddeva
SuccessorAmaragangeya
Names
Visaldev Chauhan
Regnal name
Vigraharāja IV
DynastyChahamanas of Shakambhari
FatherArnoraja
ReligionHinduism
Map
Find spots of inscriptions of Vigraharaja IV

Vigraharāja IV (r. c. 1150–1164 CE), also known as and also Visala-deva (or Visaldev) was a king from the Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty in north-western India, and is generally considered as one of the greatest rulers of the dynasty. He turned the Chahamana kingdom into an empire by subduing the neighbouring kingdoms of Chaulukya, Naddula, and Tomara kingdoms. He also repulsed Muslim invasions, from the Ghaznavid ruler Bahram Shah and defeated Khusrau Shah.

Vigraharaja's kingdom included major parts of present-day Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi; and possibly some parts of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh too. Vigraharaja commissioned several buildings in his capital Ajayameru (modern Ajmer), most of which were destroyed or converted into Muslim structures after the Muslim conquest of Ajmer. These included a Sanskrit centre of learning that was later converted into the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra mosque. Harakeli Nataka, a Sanskrit-language drama written by him, is inscribed on inscriptions discovered at the mosque site.

  1. ^ Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. New Delhi: Rupa Publication. p. 43. ISBN 81-291-0890-9.