History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.Campbell, James M.
History
History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.
Campbell, James M.
Gujarat (India) -- History
In these four specimens Dámasrí or Dámájada is styled Mahákshatrapa,
while in his own coins he is simply called Kshatrapa. The explanation
perhaps is that the known coins of Dámasrí or Dámajada belong to
the early part of his reign when he was subordinate to his father,
and that he afterwards gained the title of Mahákshatrapa. Some such
explanation is necessary as the distinction between the titles
Kshatrapa and Mahákshatrapa is always carefully preserved in the
earlier Kshatrapa coins. Except towards the close of the dynasty no
ruler called Kshatrapa on his own coins is ever styled Mahákshatrapa
on the coins of his son unless the father gained the more important
title during his lifetime.
The dates and the difference in the style of die used in coining
A and in coining B, C, and D are worth noting as the earliest coin
has the date 100 and C and D the third and fourth coins have 118. If
Jivadáman's reign lasted eighteen years his coins would be common
instead of very rare. But we find between 102 and 118 numerous coins
of Rudrasimha son of Rudradáman and paternal uncle of Jivadáman. These
facts and the difference between the style of A and the style of B,
C, and D which are apparently imitated from the coins of Rudrasimha
and have a face much older than the face in A, tend to show that soon
after his accession Jivadáman was deposed by his uncle Rudrasimha,
on whose death or defeat in 118, Jivadáman again rose to power.
[Kshatrapa VII. Rudrasimha I. A.D. 181-196.] Rudrasimha the seventh
Kshatrapa was the brother of Dámajadasrí. Large numbers of his coins
have been found. Of thirty obtained by Dr. Bhagvánlál, twenty have
the following clearly cut dates: 103, 106, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113,
114, 115, 116, and 118. As the earliest year is 103 and the latest 118
it is probable that Rudrasimha deposed his nephew Jivadáman shortly
after Jivadáman's accession. Rudrasimha appears to have ruled fifteen
years when power again passed to his nephew Jivadáman.
The coins of Rudrasimha are of a beautiful type of good workmanship
and with clear legends. The legend in old Nágarí character reads:
Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudradámaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Rudrasimhasa.
Of the king the great Kshatrapa Rudrasimha son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudradáma.
Rudrasimha had also a copper coinage of which specimens are recorded
from Málwa but not from Káthiáváda. Pandit Bhagvánlál had one specimen
from Ujjain which has a bull on the obverse with the Greek legend round
it and the date 117. The reverse seems to have held the entire legend
of which only five letters rudrasi.mhasa (Rudrasimhasa) remain. This
coin has been spoilt in cleaning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account