The Yaduvansi:,Lunar Race Kshatriya's (Rajput ) Clans of Deccan --

The Yaduvansis : Lunar Race Kshatriya's (Rajput) Clans of Deccan ----

The Yadavas claimed to belong to the family to which the epic hero Krishna belonged , and literature and inscriptions contain elaborate account of their genealogy.Within historical times two of their ruling families , one in Seuna-desa , i.e .The country around Devagiri or Daulatabad , and the other , better known as Hoysalas , at Dorasamudra (modern Halebid )in Mysore.Both these families were feudatories to the Rashtrakutas and Western Chalukyas , and first came into prominence about 10th century A.D.The southern family became very powerful as the beginning of the 12th century A.D., and Vishnuvardhana even invaded the Chalukya territory with a view to establish his suzerainty in the Deccan.His attempts were ,however , foiled by the Chalukya kings as noted above .The northern family was equally ambitious and more successful .

Bhillama ( 1185-1193A.D.)--

Bhillama defeated of the Kalachuris and the Western Chalukayas,and made himself master of the greater part of the Chalukya empire in Deccan. He established his capital at Devagiri( Mordern Daulatabad ) and henceforth the family was known as The Yadavas of Devagiri.
The Hoysalas were not slow to take advantage of the situation and renewed the efforts for establishing a preponderant position  in southern politics. They easily defited the nominal Chalukya king, and then ensued a contest for supremecy between the two yadva family.
Bhillama was at first more successful and overran, the dominions of Hoysalas Vira-Ballala II as far as Shri Seringapatam  on the Kaveri. He even defeated the Chola king Kulottunga III. But later Ballala II defeated Bhillama c.1188 A.D. and force him to leave the Hoysalas country. Four year later Ballala II took the aggressive and conquered the Yadava dominions in the south as far as the Krishna river .
Bhillama, though checked in the south, carried his victorious arms in the north and defeated Vindhyavarman of Malava and Bhima II of Gujrat. He is also credited with victories over many other States, but was defeated by Chahamanas  of Naddula.

Jaitugi--

Bhillama’s son and successor Jaitrapala or Jaitugi (1193-1200.A.D) was also a great Conqueror. He successfully fought with the Kakatiyas, the Gangas, and the Cholas in the south and the Paramaras and Chalukayas in the north.

Singhana-

Jaitugi’s  son and successor Singhana was the greatest ruler of the family he defeated the Hoysalas, wristed back the territories aquired by them from his grandfather and established the undisputed supremecy of the family in the Daccan.He made extensive Conquests in the north. He successfully invaded Gujrat several times and Conquered Latta he also defited the king of Malva , a muhammadan ruler of the north and the Kultureies, or Chedies of Chattisgarh and Jubbulapur. The Silarahas of Kolhapura, the Kadambas of Goa and various other petty principalities in the daccan summitted to him. In commemoration of his victorious expandition against the Hoysalas. He erected a colum of victory on the bank of the Kaveri. Thus during reign of Singhana (1200-1247) , who assumed the full titles of a paramount sovereign, the Yadava of Devagiri ruled over an extensive empire which not only embraised near the whole of the Deccan, but also a part of Southern India beyond the Krishna river.

Krishna and Mahadeva--

Singhana was successeded by his two grand sons Krishna( 1247-1260.A.D.) and Mahadeva(1260-1261.A.D.). They mentained the empire intact and fought successfully with the powerfull neighbouring king in the south and the north, as well as with petty chiefs in the Deccan. Some territories beyond the Tunga bhadra were wrested from the Hoysalas,and Northern Kokan was annexed by Mahadeva. His minister was the famous Hemdari who credits his master with decisive victory against the Vaghelas of Gujarat , the Paramaras of Malava and the Kakatiyas of Telingana ( Warangal).

Ramachandra--

The next King Ramchandra,Son of Krishna made a final attempt to annex the Hoysala country. He sent a well equipped force which advanced upto the capital city Dvarasamudra,but was driven away its gate. He also met with the failure  in his invasion of Gujrat, but won some successes against a number of petty chiefs. He was the last independent king of the dynasty.
Alla-uddin Khilji, the nephew of the Muhammaddan ruler of the Delhi, invaded his dominions in 1296(or 1295) being defeated in the open field, the king shut himself in his fort,and concluded a piece on condition of an annual tribute, sassion of certain terroties, and an imideate payemt of “600 mounds of pearls, of jewels,1000 of silver,4000 pieces of silk and other precious things.” This shattered the power and prestige of the Yadavas , and the Hoysalas in the south and the  Kakatiyas in the east, far from making a common cause against the Muslims,aggrandised themselves at the expense of the Yadavas.Some years later Ramcharandra refused to pay tribute,but was defeated by the Muhammadan general Kafur in 1307 A.D. He was taken prisoner to Delhi,But was released and ruled his state as a vassal chief . Five years later his son Sankara( or Singhana II )  again asserted independence, but was again deafeated and killed by Kafur in 1313 A.D. After the death of Allauddin Khilji, Harpala,the son in law of Ramachandra, raised a revolt ,but was taken prisoner and flayed alive. Then th Deccan became a Muhammadan Province.

References --

1-Early History of the Dakkan.--by Shri Ramkrishna Gopal.
2-The Sevunas od Devagiri.By A.V.Narasimha Murthy .
3-The Seunas :The Yadavas of Devagiri.by Shrinivas Retti .1973.
4-The History and Culture of the Indian People .By R.C.Majumdar .
5-Glimpses of Dakkan History .By M.Rama Rao.
6-A History of Vijayanagar :The never to be forgotten Empire .By Bangalore Suryanarain Rao.
7-A Comprehensive History of India :A.D.985-1206 .By R.S.Sharma.
8-History of the Wadeyars of Mysore .by A.Satyanarayana .
9-History of Ancient India :Earliest Times to 1000A.D.by R.S.Chaurasiya.
10-A Forgotten Empire Vijayanagar. by Robert Sewell, Nunes .F ,and Paes.D.
11-The History and Culture of the Indian People :The Struggle for Empire .By Unwin .
12-Maharashtra State Gazetteers :Greater Bombay District .1986.
13-The Dynasties of the Kanarese district of Bombay Presidency .by John Faithful Fleet.
14-History of Modern Andhra.by P.Raghunadha Rao.

Author-  Dr .Dhirendra Singh Jadaun
Village- Larhota near Sasni
District- Hathras , Uttar Pradesh
Associate Professor in Agriculture
Shahid Captain Ripudman Singh Govt .College
Sawaimadhopur , Rajasthan ,322001.