RAS question
Prithviraj III (Prithviraj Chauhan), who was defeated in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), belonged to which Rajput dynasty?
Correct answer: (A) Chahamana (Chauhan).
Prithviraj III, also known as Prithviraj Chauhan, belonged to the Chahamana or Chauhan Rajput dynasty of Ajmer.
Explanation
Prithviraj III was a ruler of the Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty of Ajmer, and the Utsav Portal, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India calls Prithviraja III a Rajput warrior king of the Chauhan (Chahamana) clan. The Second Battle of Tarain took place in 1192: he had earlier defeated Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191, but was defeated and killed in the second battle in 1192. His 1192 defeat in the Second Battle of Taraori, or Tarain, is linked to Muhammad Ghori. Therefore, the dynasty was Chahamana, commonly romanised in exam material as Chauhan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Guhilot (Sisodia) is not correct because Prithviraj III belonged to the Chahamana or Chauhan line.
- (C) Rathore does not fit because Prithviraj III was connected with the Chauhan (Chahamana) clan.
- (D) Kachhwaha is wrong because Prithviraj III's 1192 defeat at Tarain is tied to the Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty.
Concept
Dynasty identification in medieval Rajasthan history often links rulers, capitals and landmark battles. Prithviraj III recurs because the Tarain battles connect Rajasthan's Rajput polities with the wider political changes of the late twelfth century.