Singhana II (1200-1246 AD) was the most powerful ruler of the Yadavas. He was crowned as his father's heir in 1200, and later he was crowned again in 1210 to commemorate his conquest of the Hoysala territories. He made several conquests and expanded the kingdom from the Narmada to the Tungabhadra rivers. He invaded Gujarat and other countries, expanding the Yadava Kingdom to rival the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta realms in size. He was an avid supporter of the arts and literature. In this article, we will discuss the Important Ruler of the Yadavas Dynasty Singhana II (1200-1246 AD) which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Singhana II - Background

• Singhana II was born in Sinnar in 1186.
• He was named after the goddess because he was born as the result of blessings of the goddess Narasimhi of Parnakheta.
• His mother was Bhagirathibai and father was Jaitugidev.
• During his reign, the Yadava empire reached its pinnacle. Neither the Hoysalas, nor the Kakatiyas, nor the Paramaras and Calukyas dared to challenge his Deccan dominance.
• Singhana attacked and defeated each of these powers.
• Sarangadeva, the author of Sangita Ratnakar, worked as an accountant in Singhana II's court.
• Sangeet Ratnakara is widely regarded as one of the most important works on Hindustani and Classical music.
• Two famous astrologers, Cangadeva (established an astrological college) and Anantadeva (wrote commentaries on Brahmagupta's Brahmasphutasiddhanta and Varahamihira's Brhajjataka), flourished in Sinhana’s court.
• Singhana II was succeeded by his grandson Krishna.

Military campaign

Campaign against Hoysalas

• In 1206, Singhana defeated the King Ballala, annexed a portion of the Bijapur district, and entrusted it to his general Kesavadasa.
• After his accession, he doubled his efforts in the war. He himself directed the military operations and wrested away the districts of Dharwar, Anantapur, Bellary, Citaldurga, and Simoga and annexed them to his kingdom.
• Sarvadhikari Mayideva was appointed governor of the new territory; he was succeeded in 1222 A.D. by Venka Ravuta, an officer from Karhad.
• Inscriptions of Yadava rulers dating back to the time of the last king Ramacandra refer to a number of Yadava feudatories or imperial officers ruling in this territory; it is clear that it became a part of the Yadava kingdom and that the Hoysalas accepted its loss.

Annexation of Kolhapur and Saundatti

• By 1215 A.D, the campaign against the Hoysalas had come to an end.
• Singhana made the decision not to tolerate the existence of a feudatory who harboured imperial ambitions and had proven to be a thorn in his side.
• In 1216, he attacked and captured Kolhapur, the capital of Bhoja. Bhoja fled to Fort Parnala (modern Panhala), but the fort was besieged, and he was captured.
• In 1217 A.D.2, Singhana annexed the entire Silahara kingdom for Gandaraditya, Bhoja's eldest son.
• A small Ratta principality ruled at Saundatti, not far from Kolhapur. It was also annexed by Singhana shortly after 1228 A.D.

Conflit with Paramaras

• The Malwa region was ruled by the Paramaras, the Yadavas' northern neighbours. Simhana's grandfather Bhillama had previously raided their territories.
• Simhana's contemporary, Paramara king Arjunavarman, married the Hoysala princess Sarvakala, who was most likely the daughter of Hoysala king Ballala's granddaughter.
• The invasion of Hoysala territory by Simhana appears to have sparked a new conflict between the Paramaras and the Yadavas.
• In 1215, Simhana invaded the Paramara kingdom, and according to the later Yadava court poet Hemadri, this invasion resulted in Arjunavarman's defeat and death.

Conflict with Southern feudatories

• In the south of Yadavas, the Ratta chiefs ruled a small principality in today's Belgaum district.
• Simhana's general Bichana appears to have conquered the Ratta principality sometime between 1228 and 1238.
• Bichana ruled the former Ratta territory as a feudatory of Simhana by 1238.
• Other chiefs who were subdued by Bichana included the Guttas of Dharwad, the Kadambas of Hangal, and the Kadambas of Goa.
• These chiefs alternated their allegiance between the Hoysalas and the Yadavas, attempting to gain independence whenever the opportunity arose. For their disobedience, Bichana inflicted severe punishments on these chiefs.
• In 1237, the Gutta chief revolted against Simhana, raiding Yadava territory. Simhana sent a cavalry army of 30,000 men against him, and this army captured the Gutti fort.

Conclusion

Singhana II proved to be his dynasty's most capable emperor and most powerful general; under his leadership, the Yadava empire reached its pinnacle of prestige and became as extensive as the old Chalukya Empire. During his reign, the Yadava kingdom expanded to its greatest extent. It most likely extended all the way up to the Narmada River in the north. His kingdom in the south extended up to the Tungabhadra River and included Belvola and Banavasi. It reached the Arabian Sea in the west and included the western part of Andhra in the east. Singhana's long reign ended in 1246 AD. His son Jaitugi, who was acting as Yuvaraja in 1229 A.D, had died, and he was succeeded by the latter's son Krishna.