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KUMARAPALA CHAULUKYA
101
When Kumarapala came to throne, he was in his fiftieth year of age. He had seen much of the world and had no doubt laid up a vast store of experience in course of his wanderings. No wonder that a man of his type should insist upon looking personally into the affairs of realm and allow no one to arrogate his authority. This attitude of his of course did not find favour with the old courtiers who saw their power gone and prestige damaged. They all became his enemies and with the object of killing him and placing their own nominee on the throne entered into a conspiracy. They posted their secret agents with instructions to watch and follow and kill the emperor. But before they could achieve their object, the conspiracy was discovered and all the conspirators were executed.
Kumarapala owed his elevation to the throne to Kanahadadeva just as Akbar owed his crown to Bairam-Khan. Kanahada, it appears, had looked forward to an era of all-powerfulness under the regime of his brother-in-law. He waited and waited but no power came to him. He then realised that he had been labouring under an illusion. He felt sullen and morose and ultimately his attitude towards Kumarapala became manifestly hostile. He defied his authority, published his low origin and questioned his right, Friendly warnings were given to him from time to time but he took no notice of them. At last by the orders of the emperor, he was arrested and was deprived of the use of his eyes.
When the council of the nobles and ministers had given its verdict in favour of Kumarapala, Chahada, the disappointed claimant sought the protection of Arnoraja the king of Sambhar and appealed to him for help. Arnoraja who had married a sister of Siddharaja gave him a rank in the army and took up his cause. The Chohan chief now began fomenting disaffection in the Chaulukyan army and both by purse and promise won over to his side some of the generals of Kumarapala. Having thus made himselt sure of his success, he set out at the head of a large force and came on the borders of Gujarat. Though treason and treachery were not unknown in the Chaulukyan camp, yet Kumarapala with his superior generalship and great personal
courage managed to defeat the enemy and inflict a heavy loss on Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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