Kamboja Shahi Rajya

Kamboja Region is the Gateway and the Kamboja Peoples the historical Gatekeeper to Bharatavarsha from the North West (refer to Gandharva Adimajati and Kamboja AB Adimajati-Rajya on the "Ancient Peoples and Kingdoms" page). Non could enter/invade Bharatavarsha without first defeating them. It is not known if they were defeated by the ethnically related Persian in 500 BCE whom they paid tribute for 200 years and thus it may be for the first time in 326 BCE that they were defeated and destroyed by the Greek - whom encountered 30,000 soldier - with 2000 horses and 30 elephant. 150 years later the Saka/Kushan from the direct North expelled the Greek rulers and after consolidating in the region moved on east to Bharata proper. In 300 CE the Kushan rule ended and then began Kamboja Shahi Kingdom - 300 CE - 1026 CE , also called the Kabul Shahi, Hindu Shahi.

The Kamboja Shahi Kingdom originally had its capital at Kapisa / Kabul and included all the areas of the original Gandharva / Kamboja AB Region, either directly or as tributaries. Later the kingdom was also divided between Kabul in the East and Zabul in the West. Although the Kings/dynasty of were ethnically Tushara and not Kamboja / the Pre Islamic Pashtun - their kingdom comprised almost exclusively of Kamboja people all through the history kingdom and thus it was a Kamboja kingdom. 

In 650 CE the Muslim Arab invaders arrived but could not get past the Kamboja Shahi kingdom for 375 years thereafter chipping away the smaller tributary state for a few hundred years..

650 CE the Muslim Arab had conquered Iran and arrived at the gateway of the Kamboja region but were systematically and easily repelled by the Kamboja and instead began conquering the bordering Balkh/Bahlika/Bactria and  Tushara/Saka/Turkic region to its North.
870 the Turkic Muslim succeeded in taking control of Kandahar and Ghazna regions which were tributaries of the Kamboja Shahi Rajya. Ghazna being at the doorstep of Kapisa/Kabul the capital of the Kamboja Shahi is shifted to Purushapura or Udabandhapura.
879 Kapisa/Kabul is abandoned (open from all sides and thus vulnerable), and the Laghman Pass is made the new frontier.
977 CE - Battle of Laghman, led by Kamboja Shahi Raja Jayapala and forces of the Sindh and Kashmira kingdoms of about 100,000 soldier. The coalition was on verge of victory when due to rain and snow the coalition armies not accustomed to it desisted, and left. Minor lose of territory between the Laghman Pass and the Khyber Pass.
1001 CE - Battle of Purushapura, led by Kamboja Shahi Raja Jayapala. After lose the capital is shifted across the Sindhu river with territory spanning between the Sindhu and Vitasta/Jhelum rivers.
1005 CE - Battle on the west bank of the Sindhu river (maybe near Besam) , minor or no territory changes
1009 CE - Battle of Chachch-Waihind, led by Kamboja Shahi Raja Anandapala. It was likely just a skirmish as both sides were separated by the wide Sindhu river. A truce is made, no change in territory. The Muslim account of this battle can be determined as a latter invention and false. The actual event would have been as follows : both camps are situated on either side of the wide Sindhu river. The Turkic Muslim attempt to cross and are eliminated by 5000 Gakhar (local Rajput). The Turkic Muslim offer a truce with no change in territory. 
1015 CE - Battle of Lohakot (Fort) led by Raja Trilochanapala and Mahamantri of Kashmir - coalition victorious.
1019 CE - Battle of ? (maybe Kashipur on banks of the Ram Ganga), Raja Trilochanapala and perhaps Gvaliyar rajya vs Turkic Muslim
1026 CE - Battle of Nandana (Fort), led by Kamboja Shahi Raja Bhimapala. The end of the Kamboja Shahi Rajya.


The Rai Chand of Sharwa of Muslim chronicles whom the Kamboja Shahi began taking territories from and then making matrimonial alliance is obviously the Katoch kings of "Kangra" - whom all carry the suffix Chand, and were the rulers of the adjoining Sub Himalaya, besides matching other descriptions made.


further/other details :
https://chetanshirasi.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-tribute-to-unsung-heroes-2the-shahi.html https://www.sikhnet.com/news/shahis-punjab-kabul-last-native-rulers-punjab-medieval-ages





Was there a Confederation of Hindu Kingdoms?

The claim that at various times a confederation of kingdoms of Uttara Bharata joined the Kamboja Shahi Rajya against the Turkic Muslim - is questionable. The source of this information is a Fersista writing in the 16th century and it has been pointed out that undue attention has been give to this later account, and such details were simply conflated exaggeration stylistic of some Muslim chronicles of various periods. Some factors are :
- Delhi and Ajmer kingdoms did not exist at the time
- Many small Chieftain/Raja of the Kamboja Shahi kingdom itself, ie the Pothohar plateau, the adjoining hill states and the Panjab plains west of the Vipasa/Beas DID join the Kamboja Shahi in the various wars and their presence is noted as such.
- The kingdom of Multan(-Sindh? Did participate in the battle of Laghman.

- The Kashmir kingdom most probably did participate in the Battle of Laghman but did Not assist the Kamboja Shahi thereafter until the change in rulership in about 1005 thereafter taking part in the battle of Lohakot, which may have been in Kashmir territory.

- The Raja of Gvaliyar may have assisted the Kamboja Shahi in a battle in 2019 and as a result Gvaliyar was plundered twice thereafter.
- Kannauj could have participated in the battle of Laghman but was otherwise known to be at a weak phase and restricted to Kannauj itself. When Kannauj was attacked it did not even put up a fight.
- The Chandela/Kalinjar kingdom succeeded Kannauj as the main force in Uttara Bharata at the time and could have joined the Kamboja Shahi in the battle of Laghman under Raja Ganda Chandela. The next Raja Vidyadhara Chandella (rule 1001-1036) had the largest army in the North and by all considerations never fought the Muslim invaders. This kingdom and the Muslim only came face to face once and did not fight - both reluctant of the outcome of a battle between both huge armies. Some attempt is made to redeem the matter but if there actually was a battle it would be obvious. That this kingdom was Not plundered during this period is proof. If the 2 did fight and the Chandelas lost - Khajuraho (the capital) would not be on the map at present; if Chandela won there would have been no Ghaznavid empire thereafter.

The only battle which could have been a confederation was the first one - Battle of Laghman in 977 CE. The coalition was on the verge of victory when rain and snow began and the coalition soldier of the plains unaccustomed to it desisted and left, it it was not a defeat. The (Muslim ruled) kingdom of Multan is explicitly mentioned as participating in this battle as their territories were regularly being raided. Kashmira are also most likely to have participated - as their kingdom lay just after the Kamboja Shahi, besides being historical allies. But this battle was also the first battle between the Kamboja Shahi kingdom and the Turkic Muslim and the figure given of 100,000 coalition soldier is comparably not a huge coalition (likely just above 3 kingdoms). The Battle of Purushapura definitely was not a confederation, and the Battle of Chach/Waihind was likely not even a actual battle (see the battle entry above). The other battles thereafter also were not. During all of these battle specific mention is made of the indigenous warrior clans participation  : the Gakhar, Janjua etc.

In conclusion the Kamboja Hindu Shahi Kings and Kingdom and Peoples were the true Shining Sun protecting Bharatavarsha from the original Mohammedan invaders.



Temples of the Kamboja Shahi Rajya