Campaign of Kakatiyas

Campaign of Kakatiyas
Map of the Kakatiyas, circa 1150–1300 CE
Date 1195-1198 Location Telangana Result Yadava victory Territorial changes Kakatiya dynasty becomes vassals to Yadava
Belligerents
Seuna (Yadava) dynasty	Kakatiya dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Jaitugi	Rudradeva † Mahadeva † Ganapati (POW)

In around 1195 A.D., Jaitugi, exploiting the Yadavas' preoccupation with the Hoysalas, defeated the Kakatiyas of Warangal, killing their king Rudradeva. Jaitugi captured Rudra's nephew, Ganapati, and later defeated Rudra's brother, Mahadeva, who succeeded in 1196 A.D. Jaitugi then installed Ganapati as the Kakatiya ruler in 1198 A.D., a move that earned him acclaim as the founder of Telangaraya, a title celebrated in Yadava records. This success became a significant source of pride for the Yadavas and influenced the titles adopted by Jaitugi's successors.

Background

During his father Bhillama V's reign, Jaitugi fought alongside him in wars against the Hoysala king Ballala II, defending Kalyani and Devagiri from capture. Despite their efforts, Bhillama V was eventually defeated by the Hoysalas. Seizing the opportunity created by the weakened Yadava power, the Kakatiyas invaded the eastern part of the Yadava kingdom. All three dynasties—the Yadavas, Hoysalas, and Kakatiyas—had been vassals of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. The Yadavas, viewing themselves as the true successors of the Chalukyas, expected the Kakatiyas to acknowledge their suzerainty.

After the Yadava-Hoysala conflict settled and Yadava power was restored, Jaitugi undertook a successful campaign against the Kakatiyas around 1194.

Campaign

With the Hoyasala front quiet, Jaitugi turned his attention to the south-east, where the Kakatiya Dynasty of Warangal lay beyond the Yadava territory. The Kakatiyas, also vassals of the old Calukya empire, were expected to acknowledge Yadava suzerainty, a demand that was bound to cause friction. Exploiting the critical period when the Yadavas were preoccupied with the Hoyasalas, the Kakatiyas faced Jaitugi's retaliation in around 1195 A.D. In the ensuing battle, the Kakatiyas were decisively defeated, and their king Rudradeva was killed. Kakatiya records describe the chaos that ensued in their kingdom. Ganapati, the nephew of the slain king, was captured by Jaitugi. Rudra's brother, Mahadeva, who succeeded him in 1196 A.D., attempted to resist the Yadavas but was soon defeated and Killed, solidifying the Yadava victory.

Jaitugi then took control of Warangal and decided to place the captive Ganapati on the Kakatiya throne. Dr. Altekar suggests that Ganapati was reinstated in 1198 A.D., marking his first regnal year as indicated in his later inscriptions. Jaitugi's success in establishing Ganapati as the Kakatiya ruler earned him great acclaim as the founder of Telangaraya, a title celebrated in many Yadava records, including the Kalegaon copper-plate of Mahadeva (App. Insc. no. 335). This achievement was a significant source of pride for the Yadavas, and even Jaitugi's successors often adopted the title ‘Establisher of Telangaraya’ as a traditional honor.

He (Jaitugi) assumed the sacrificial vow on the holy ground of the battle field, and throwing a great many kings into the fire of his prowess by means of ladles of his weapons, performed a human sacrifice by immolating a victim in the shape of the fierce Raudra, the lord of the Tailangas, and vanquished the three worlds.