Vatsaraja

Vatsaraja
3rd Gurjara-Pratihara king
Reign	c. 780 – c. 800
Predecessor	Devaraja
Successor	Nagabhata II
Dynasty	Gurjara-Pratihara
Mother	Bhuyikadevi

Vatsaraja (780–800) or Vatsraja was one of the great rulers of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. He was grand-nephew of Nagabhata I and his mother was queen Bhuyikadevi.

After Nagabhata I, there have been two rulers namely Kakkuka and Devaraja before Vatsraja came to the throne. Kakustha or Kakkuka was the nephew of Nagabhata I and nothing much is known about him. The younger brother of Kakkuka, king Devasakti or Devaraja also maintained dignity of Gurjara Pratihara family, though there are references that Gurjara Pratihara power was threatened during his reign.

Vatsaraja originally ruled the Avanti region, as attested by the 8th century Jain text Harivamsa. According to the Gwalior inscription of his descendant Mihira Bhoja, Vatsaraja conquered parts of central Rajasthan after defeating the Bhandi clan and also defeated Indrayudha of Kannauj and Dharampala of Bengal and seized even his crown. Taking advantage of the time, Rastrakuta ruler Dhruva Dharavarsha invaded upon Vatsraj and defeated him. After this possibly, his empire remained centralized in Rajasthan. In Gwalior Prasati Vatsaraja is represented as "foremost among the most distinguished Kshatriya".

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