Bappa Rawal - Founder of Mewar Dynasty - Warrior Who Defeated Arabs - 713-780 AD

Bappa Rawal (AD. 713-810), was the founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 734-753).


Bappa Rawal was one of the most powerful and famous rulers of the Mewar Dynasty. He is  a surviving member of the Guhilot clan. But he established the Mewar Dynasty, naming it for the kingdom he had just taken. He went on to become a celebrated hero on battlefields near and far.  It is said that Bappa was blessed by Harit Rishi, a sage of the Mewar region, with kingship.

Bappa Rawal is said to have spent his childhood near a place called Nagda.

Bappa Rawal played an important role in the Battle of Rajasthan, a series of wars fought in the 8th century AD between the regional rulers of North-Western India and the Arabs of Sindh, in which the regional Indian rulers inflicted a resounding defeat on the invading Arabs.

In the 8th century Arab Muslims started attacking India within a few decades of the birth of Islam, which was basically an extension of invasion of Persia. In order to ward off Muslim invasions across the western and northern borders of Rajputana, Bappa united the smaller states of Ajmer and Jaisalmer to stop the attacks. Bappa Rawal fought and defeated the Arabs in the country and turned the tide for a while. Bin Qasim was able to defeat Dahir in Sindh but was stopped by Bappa Rawal.

Bappa defeated and pursued Bin Qasim through Saurashtra and back to the western banks of the Sindhu (i.e. current day Baluchistan). He then marched on to Ghazni and defeated the local ruler Salim and after nominating a representative returned to Chittor. Subsequently, Bappa Rawal and his armies invaded various kingdoms including Kandahar, Khorasan, Turan, Ispahan, Iran and made them vassals of his kingdom. Thus he not only defended India's frontiers but for a brief period was able to expand them.


Bappa Rawal was also known to be a just ruler. After having ruled his kingdom for almost 20 years he abdicated the throne in favour of his son, he became a devout Siva 'upasak' (worshipper of Shiva) and became a 'Yati' (an ascetic).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bappa_Rawal

http://www.ensyklopedia.com/2012/07/24/bappa-rawal-founder-of-mewar-dynasty-winner-of-battle-of-rajasthan-713-ad-753-ad/

Bappa Rawal's Childhood
http://www.bheel.8k.com/custom.html

Bappa Rawal Story Book
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=AualbeLdXj8C

First Battle of Rajastan - Arab lost badly
http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-history-strategy/230353-first-battle-rajasthan-where-arab-lost-indians.html