Karna (Vaghela dynasty)
| Karna | |
|---|---|
| King of Gujarat | |
| Reign | c. 1296 – c. 1304 |
| Predecessor | Sarangadeva |
| Successor | Alauddin Khalji |
| Spouse | Kamala Devi |
| Issue | Devala Devi |
| Dynasty | Vaghela |
| Father | Rama |
Karna (r. c. 1296 – c. 1304) was the last Vaghela king of Gujarat region in India. Little is known about his life except his defeat against Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate. Alauddin's forces ransacked his kingdom in 1299, forcing him to flee Gujarat. Karna seems to have gained control of at least some part of his territory in the subsequent years. However, a second invasion in 1304 resulted in the end of the Vaghela dynasty.
Karna was a son of the Vaghela king Rama. Variations of his name include Karnadeva (in Vaghela inscriptions), Rai Karan (in Muslim chronicles), and Karan Dev (in vernacular literature). He is also known as Karna II to distinguish him from the Chaulukya king Karna. The 15th century epic poem Kanhadade Prabandha calls him "Rao Karnade". The 16th century Portuguese historian João de Barros calls him "Galacarna".
Karna succeeded his uncle Saragadeva (the brother of Rama) on the throne. Sarangadeva's kingdom included the present-day Gujarat, and also extended up to Abu in present-day Rajasthan. Karna appears to have inherited this entire territory. Aside from his defeat against Alauddin Khalji, very little is known about his reign.
In 1299, Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate invaded Gujarat, which was one of the wealthiest regions of India. According to medieval chronicles (such as Merutunga's Vichara-shreni and Padmanābha's Kanhadade Prabandha), Karna had abducted the wife of his minister Madhava and killed Madhava's brother. In revenge, Madhava instigated Alauddin to invade Gujarat.
The invasion appears to have been a surprise for Karna, as Alauddin's army captured Gujarat easily in a very short time. This suggests that either Karna was unpopular among his subjects, or he had an ineffective military and administrative setup. The Jain chronicler Jinaprabha Suri states that Ulugh Khan's forces defeated Karna's army at Ashapalli (present-day Ahmedabad). According to the 14th century historian Isami, Karna took shelter in a fort, which was besieged by the Delhi army. His ministers told him that there was no alternative to fleeing Gujarat, and advised him to come back after the departure of the invaders. Ultimately, Karna fled to Devagiri, the capital of the neighbouring Yadava kingdom. A section of the Delhi army pursued him. The 14th century chronicler Isami states that he was refused asylum by the Yadavas, and had to seek shelter from the Kakatiya ruler Rudradeva. Meanwhile, the Delhi army plundered the wealthy cities of Gujarat, including the capital Anahilavada (modern Patan), Khambhat, Surat and Somnath.
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