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thut adorned the throne of Anabilavāda. In his reign, the empire reached its zenith. Kumarapala maintained the same with a firm hand. His predecessor Siddharāja, though a great and popular king, cannot merit comparison with him. He did not hold sway over as large a territory as Kumārapāla. Konkana was not conquered by him, and the Sapādalaksha king was his friend, and ally rather than his feudatory. He was not a great statesman in as much as he did not make proper arrangements for the defence of the capital when he went on a pilgrimage to Somanātha with his mother. Naravarman invaded Gujarat and Santu Mantri had to give him gold to induce him to retire. The Chāhmans, moreover, claim that they, for some time, succeeded in occupying the capital under the leadership of Yojaka. 107
Madanavarma of Mahoba kapura defeated him. This is one of the reasons why Merutunga calls him a coward in battle. Jayasimha's personal character, morever, was not good. He relentlessly persecuted Kumārapāla for no fault of his. Merutunga's statement that he was not a 'paradára - sahodara' or a brother to the wives of others is very suggestive. The same seems to be confiru
107. E. I.; IX, p. 75. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com