kingdom · South Asia

Chavda dynasty

746 CE – 942 CE (approx.) · capital Anahilavada

The dynasty traditionally said to have founded Anahilavada Patan, the medieval capital of Gujarat.

Origins

Jain chronicles of the 13th and 14th centuries tell how Vanaraja, a prince whose father had been killed in battle, was raised under the protection of a Jain monk and founded the city of Anahilavada, modern Patan in northern Gujarat, around 746. Contemporary records of the dynasty are almost entirely lacking.

Rule and society

The chronicles portray the Chavdas as patrons of Jainism, a tradition that shaped later Gujarati culture. They probably ruled a small kingdom in northern Gujarat, at times under the Gurjara-Pratihara. Inscriptions mention Chapotkata chiefs in the region, which suggests a historical basis for the chronicles.

Decline and legacy

According to tradition, the last king, Samantasimha, was killed by his nephew Mularaja around 942, who founded the Chaulukya dynasty and made Anahilavada the capital of a far larger kingdom.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Lineage

Chavda dynastyChaulukya dynasty 942 CE – 1244 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Chavda dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chavda-dynasty
MLA
“Chavda dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chavda-dynasty. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Chavda dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chavda-dynasty.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Chavda dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chavda-dynasty (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻