Mori Kingdom



The Mori was a kingdom that ruled over southwestern Rajasthan and northern Malwa from the 7th century and for a period of about 120 years. They controlled the Chittor Fort. The Mori Rajputs were probably the most powerful power in this region before the rise of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. They are considered as the branch of later Mauryans.

History
The Mori Rajputs are mentioned as one of the thirty-five branches of the Parmar Rajput clan by British scholars. Chitrangada Mori, a Mori Rajput ruler, laid the foundation of the fort of Chittorgarh.

A dynasty belonging to the Mori clan controlled the Chittor Fort and the surrounding region before the Guhila dynasty. The fort of Chittor was a well established citadel in the 8th century under the Moris. The Chittorgarh inscription dated 713 AD gives four names of Mori Rajput rulers of Chittor.

Bappa probably led the Mori campaign against the Arabs, which made him more famous than his overlord. Later, he either deposed Manuraja and became the king of Chittor with the help of the nobles or became the king after Manuraja died childless. The Moris were expelled from Chittorgarh by Bappa Rawal.

Defeat by the Arabs
According to C.K. Majumdar, the Moris were ruling at Chittor when the Arabs (mlechchhas) invaded north-western India around 725 CE. The Arabs defeated the Moris, and in turn, were defeated by a confederacy that included Bappa Rawal.

Inscriptions
The Dabok stone inscription, dating back to Gupta Samvat 407 (circa 725 AD), records events during the reign of Dhavalappadeva. This ruler is likely identified with Dhavala, a prince from the Maurya dynasty mentioned in the Kansuvam inscription of Vikrama Samvat 795 (738 AD). Prior to Dhavala, Mana ruled Chittor until at least 736 AD as per the Kansuvam inscription. It is known that Bappa captured the fort from Mana Mori, not from Dhavala Mori. The Kanswa inscription describes Dhavala as follows: (L.5)- The rulers (born) in this Mauryan race, like the elephants of the quarters, filling the noble with joy by (their) faces bright with generosity (as with rutting-juice) together with their adherents confidently take delight everywhere, undaunted of mind (and) exulting in (their) pride, of known renown on account of (their) good lineage (and) known for (their) virtues, praiseworthy for probity and full of energy. (L.6)- Among these kings, who were such (and) who ruled the whole earth, there was a prince who, Dhavala as he was, was dazzling by (his) fame. For their own sins, which day by day they always openly brought on themselves by their bodies and so forth, he defeated (his) enemies and reduced the wretches to such a state that, like evil spirits, naked (and) ever famishing (and thus) day by day revealing the punishment (meted out to them, and) again and again wandering at night to strangers houses, they even now are kings. —Kanswa Inscription of Dhavala Mori

Decline of Mori Kingdom
King Maan Mori was defeated by Bappa Rawal. Bappa Rawal, defeated his maternal grandfather and captured the kingdom of Chittor. This event is mentioned in the Rajprashasti Abhilekh, in the epic Mahakavya, in Canto 3.

As per yet another saying, the last king of Mori Dynasty of Chittor was Maan Singh Mori who fought against Arabs (mlechchhas) invasion north-western India around 725 CE. Muhammad bin Qasim who was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate, attacked Chittor via Mathura. Bappa Rawal, of Guhila dynasty, was a commander in Mori army. After defeating Bin Qasim, Bappa Rawal obtained Chittor in dowry from Maan Singh Mori in 734 A.D. Then onwards Chittor is ruled by Sisodia Rajputs. Still descendents of Chitrangada Mori are surviving in the Malwa region of India.