List of rulers of Malwa

Following is a list of rulers of Malwa since the Vedic period to 1950:

Ancient Period (c. 1500 BCE – 100 BCE)

Malava dynasty (c. 1200 – 850 BCE)

• King Aswapati and his queen was Malavi (Malwa named after Malavi), their descendants dynasty first ruled Malwa.^[1][2][3]

Heheya Kingdom of Avanti (c. 1100 – 682 BCE)

Sahasrajit was the eldest son of Yadu whose descendant were Haihayas. After Kartavirya Arjuna, his grandsons Talajangha and his son, Vitihotra had occupied Ayodhya which was ruled by Rama's ancestor Sagara's father Bahuka who was also known as Asita. Talajangha, his son Vitihotra were killed by King Sagara. Their descendants (Madhu and Vrshni) exiled to Kroshtas, a division of Yadava Dynasty.

1. Sahasrajit
2. Satajit
3. Mahahaya, Renuhaya and Haihaya (the founder of Haihaya Kingdom). (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Mandhatri)
4. Dharma was the son of Haihaya.
5. Netra
6. Kunti
7. Sohanji
8. Mahishman was the founder of Mahishmati on the banks of River Narmada.
9. Bhadrasenaka (Bhadrasena) (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Trishanku)
10. Durmada (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Harischandra)
11. Durdama
12. Bhima
13. Samhata
14. Kanaka
15. Dhanaka
16. Krtavirya, Krtagni, Krtavarma and Krtauja. (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Rohitashva)
17. Sahasrabahu Kartavirya Arjuna was the son of Krtavirya who ruled 88 years and was finally killed by Lord Parashurama.
18. Jayadhwaja, Vrshabha, Madhu and Urujit were left by Parshurama and 995 others were killed by Lord Parashurama. Pajanya was adopted by Kroshta king Devamidha
19. Talajangha (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Asita)
20. Vithihotra (Contemporary to Suryavanshi king Sagara)
21. Madhu
22. Vrshni

• Later they were divided among different sub-castes which include Kansara, Kasera, Tamrakar, Thathera, Tambat and many more.^[4]
• A number of early medieval dynasties, which include the Kalachuri and Mushika Kingdom of Kerala, claimed their descent from the Haihayas.^[5]

Bhil's regin (c. 850 – 400 BCE)

Dhanna Bhil dynasty

Bhil King Dhanna and his descendants dynasty ruled Malwa before feudatories to Malavas until 400s BCE. The descendants of Raja Dhanna Bhil challenged the ruler of Delhi in 730 BC. The last ruler of the Bhil dynasty was Putra-raja.^[6][7]

Doshra Bhil's rule

Bhil queen Doshra was allegedly the ruler of Malwa state comprising a large portion of the present-day western and central Madhya Pradesh, and parts of south-eastern Rajasthan and northern Maharashtra, whose ansestors had ruled Malwa for 289 years.^[8]

Pradyota dynasty of Avanti (c. 682 – 544 BCE)

List of rulers-

List of Pradyota dynasty Rulers

Ruler	Reign (BCE)	Period
Pradyota Mahasena	682–659 BCE	23
Palaka	659–635 BCE	24
Visakhayupa	635–585 BCE	50
Ajaka	585–564 BCE	21
Varttivarddhana	564–544 BCE	20

• Varttivarddhana was last ruler of dynasty dethroned by Bimbisara in 544 BCE.

Magadha Empire (c. 413 – 73 BCE)

Shishunaga dynasty (c. 413 – 345 BCE)

Rulers-

List of Shishunga dynasty rulers

Ruler	Reign (BCE)
Shishunaga	413–395 BCE
Kalashoka	395–377 BCE
Kshemadharman	377–365 BCE
Kshatraujas	365–355 BCE
Nandivardhana	355–349 BCE
Mahanandin	349–345 BCE

Nanda Empire (c. 345 – 322 BCE)

Rulers-

List of Nanda dynasty rulers

Ruler	Reign (BCE)
Mahapadma Nanda	345–340 BCE
Pandukananda	340–339 BCE
Pandugatinanda	339–338 BCE
Bhutapalananda	338–337 BCE
Rashtrapalananada	337–336 BCE
Govishanakananda	336–335 BCE
Dashasiddhakananda	335–334 BCE
Kaivartananda	334–329 BCE
Dhana Nanda	329–322 BCE

Maurya Empire (c. 322 – 185 BCE)

Rulers-

Ruler		Reign	Notes
Chandragupta Maurya		322–297 BCE	Founder of first Indian united empire.
Bindusara		297–273 BCE	Known for his foreign diplomacy and crushed of Vidarbh revolt.
Ashoka		268–232 BCE	Greatest emperor of dynasty. His son Kunala was blinded and died before his father. Ashoka was succeeded by his grandson. Also known for Kalinga war victory.
Dasharatha Maurya		232–224 BCE	Grandson of Ashoka.
Samprati		224–215 BCE	Brother of Dasharatha.
Shalishuka		215–202 BCE
Devavarman		202–195 BCE
Shatadhanvan		195–187 BCE	The Mauryan Empire had shrunk by the time of his reign
Brihadratha		187–184 BCE	Assassinated by his Commander-in-chief Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE.

Shunga Empire (c. 185 – 73 BCE)

Rulers-

List of Shunga dynasty rulers

Ruler	Reign (BCE)
Pushyamitra Shunga	185–149 BCE
Agnimitra	149–141 BCE
Vasujyeshtha	141–131 BCE
Vasumitra	131–124 BCE
Bhadraka	124–122 BCE
Pulindaka	122–119 BCE
Ghosha	119–108 BCE
Vajramitra	108–94 BCE
Bhagabhadra	94–83 BCE
Devabhuti	83–73 BCE

Classical Period (c. 100 BCE – 600 CE)

Satavahana Empire (c. 100 BCE – 200 CE)

Himanshu Prabha Ray provides the following chronology, based on archaeological and numismatic evidence:^[9]

• Simuka (before 100 BCE)
• Kanha (100–70 BCE)
• Satakarni I (70–60 BCE)
• Satakarni II (50–25 BCE)
• Kshatrapa interregnum with vassal Satavahana kings like Hāla
  • Nahapana (54-100 CE)
• Gautamiputra Satakarni (86–110 CE)
• Pulumavi (110–138 CE)
• Vashishtiputra Satakarni (138–145 CE)
• Shiva Shri Pulumavi (145–152 CE)
• Shiva Skanda Satakarni (145–152 CE)
• Yajna Shri Satakarni (152–181 CE)
• Vijaya Satakarni (until 200s CE)

Kushan Empire (c. 1 – 375 CE)

Ruler		Reign	Notes
Heraios		1–30	King or clan chief of the Kushans. Founder of the dynasty.
Kujula Kadphises		30–80	United the Yuezhi confederation during the 1st century, and became the first Kushan emperor.
Vima Takto Soter Megas		80–90	Alias The Great Saviour. His empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court.
Vima Kadphises		90–127	The first great Kushan emperor. He introduced gold coinage, in addition to the existing copper and silver coinage. Most of the gold seems to have been obtained through trade with the Roman Empire.
Kanishka I the Great		127–144	Came to rule an empire in Bactria extending to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain. His conquests and patronage of Buddhism played an important role in the development of the Silk Road, and in the transmission of Mahayana Buddhism from Gandhara across the Karakoram range to China.
Huvishka		144–191	His rule was a period of retrenchment and consolidation for the Empire.
Vasudeva I		191–232	He was the last great Kushan emperor, and the end of his rule coincides with the invasion of the Sassanians as far as northwestern India, and the establishment of the Indo-Sassanians or Kushanshahs from around 240.
Kanishka II		232–245	It is likely he lost part of his empire to the Kushano-Sassanians.
Vashishka		245–250
Kanishka III		250–275
Vasudeva II		275–310
Chhu		310–325
Vasudeva III		c.300?	Kings whose existence is uncertain.
Vasudeva IV
Vasudeva V
Shaka Kushan/Shaka I		325–350
Kipunada		350–375	May have been a subject of Samudragupta from Gupta Empire.

Western Saka dynasty (c. 119 – 395 CE)

• Nahapana (119–124)
• Chastana (124)
• Jayadaman (124–130)
• Rudradaman I (130–170)
• Damajadasri I (170–175)
• Jivadaman (175–199)
• Rudrasimha I (175–188)

Abhira interregnum-

• Isvaradatta (188–191)

Restored Satraps-

• Rudrasimha I (restored) (191–197)
• Jivadaman (197–199)
• Rudrasena I (200–222)
• Samghadaman (222–223)
• Damasena (223–232)
• Damajadasri II (232–239)
• Viradaman (234–238)
• Yasodaman I (239)
• Vijayasena (239–250)
• Damajadasri III (251–255)
• Rudrasena II (255–277)
• Visvasimha (277–282)
• Bhratadarman (282–295)
• Visvasena (293–304)
• Rudrasimha II (304–317)
• Yasodaman II (317–332)
• Rudradaman II (332–348)
• Rudrasena III (348–380)
• Simhasena (380–382)
• Rudrasena IV (382–388)
• Rudrasimha III (388–395)

Bharshiva dynasty (Nagas of Padmavati) (c. 175 – 325 CE)

• Vrisha-naga

(Possibly ruled at Vidisha in the late 2nd Century).

• Vrishabha or Vrisha-bhava

(May also be the name of a distinct king who succeeded Vrisha-naga).

• Bhima-naga (210–230 CE)

(Probably the first king to rule from Padmavati)

• Skanda-naga
• Vasu-naga
• Brihaspati-naga
• Vibhu-naga
• Ravi-naga
• Bhava-naga
• Prabhakara-naga
• Deva-naga
• Vyaghra-naga
• Ganapati-naga

Gupta Empire (c. 335 – 550 CE)

List of complete Gupt rulers-

Ruler		Reign	Notes
Sri-Gupta I		240–290	Founder of the dynasty.
Ghatotkacha		290–319
Chandra-Gupta I		319–335	His title Maharajadhiraja ("king of great kings") suggests that he was the first emperor of the dynasty. It is not certain how he turned his small ancestral kingdom into an empire, although a widely accepted theory among modern historians is that his marriage to the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi helped him extend his political power.
Samudra-Gupta		335–375	Defeated several kings of northern India, and annexed their territories to his empire. He also marched along the south-eastern coast of India, advancing as far as the Pallava kingdom. In addition, he subjugated several frontier kingdoms and tribal oligarchies. His empire extended from Ravi River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east, and from the Himalayan foothills in the north to central India in the south-west; several rulers along the south-eastern coast were his tributaries.
Kacha		4th-century	Rival brother/king, possibly an usurper, there are coins who attest him as ruler; possibly identical with Samudra-Gupta.
Rama-Gupta		375–380
Chandra-Gupta II Vikramaditya		380–415	Continued the expansionist policy of his father Samudragupta: historical evidence suggests that he defeated the Western Kshatrapas, and extended the Gupta empire from the Indus River in the west to the Bengal region in the east, and from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the Narmada River in the south.
Kumara-Gupta I		415–455	He seems to have maintained control of his inherited territory, which extended from Gujarat in the west to Bengal region in the east.
Skanda-Gupta		455–467	It is stated that he restored the fallen fortunes of the Gupta family, which has led to suggestions that during his predecessor's last years, the Empire may have suffered reverses, possibly against the Pushyamitras or the Hunas. He is generally considered the last of the great Gupta Emperors.
Puru-Gupta		467–472
Kumara-Gupta II Kramaditya		472–479
Buddha-Gupta		479–496	He had close ties with the rulers of Kannauj and together they sought to run the Alchon Huns (Hunas) out of the fertile plains of Northern India.
Narasimha-Gupta Baladitya		496–530
Kumara-Gupta III		530–540
Vishnu-Gupta Candraditya		540–550
Bhanu-Gupta		?	A lesser-known king with uncertain position in the list.

Aulikara Empire of Dashapura (c. 300 – 560 CE)

Rulers of First Aulikara dynasty-

• Jayavarma
• Simhavarma
• Naravarma
• Vishvavarma
• Bandhuvarma

Rulers of Second Aulikara dynasty-

• Drumavardhana
• Jayavardhana
• Ajitavardhana
• Vibhishanavardhana
• Rajyavardhana
• Prakashadharma
• Yashodharman (c. 515–545 CE)

Early Medieval Period (c. 600 – 1300 CE)

Harsha Empire (c. 606–647 CE)

• Harshavardhana (606–647), unified Northern India and ruled it for over 40 years, he was the last non-Muslim emperor to rule a unified Northern India.

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire (c. 725 – 1036 CE)

• Nagabhata I (725–756), last ruler
• Kakustha (756–765)
• Devaraja (765–778)
• Vatsaraja (778–805)
• Nagabhata II (800–833)
• Ramabhadra (833–836)
• Mihira Bhoja (836–890), greatest ruler
• Mahendrapala I (890–910)
• Bhoja II (910–913)
• Mahipala I (913–944)
• Mahendrapala II (944–948)
• Devpala (948–954)
• Vinaykpala (954–955)
• Mahipala II (955–956)
• Vijaypala II (956–960)
• Rajapala (960–1018)
• Trilochanpala (1018–1027)
• Jasapala (Yashpala) (1024–1036), last ruler

Paramara dynasty of Malwa (c. 800 – 1305 CE)

According to historical Kailash Chand Jain, "Knowledge of the early Paramara rulers from Upendra to Vairisimha is scanty; there are no records, and they are known only from later sources."^[10]

The Paramara rulers mentioned in the various inscriptions and literary sources include:

• Paramara (early ruler)
• Upendra Krishnraja (late 8 to early 9th century CE)
• Vairisimha (I) (early 9th century CE)
• Siyaka (I) (mid of 9th century CE)
• Vakpati (I) (late 9th or early 10th century CE)
• Vairisimha (II) (middle 10th century CE)
• Siyaka (II) (940–972 CE)
• Vakpati (II) alias Munja (972–990 CE)
• Sindhuraja (990–1010 CE)
• Bhoja (1010–1055 CE), greatest ruler of dynasty
• Jayasimha I (1055–1070 CE)
• Udayaditya (1070–1086 CE)
• Lakshmadeva (1086–1094 CE)
• Naravarman (1094–1130 CE)
• Yashovarman (1133–1142 CE)
• Jayavarman I (1142–1143 CE)
• Interregnum from (1143 to 1175 CE) under an usurper named 'Ballala' and later the Solanki king Kumarapala
• Vindhyavarman (1175–1194 CE)
• Subhatavarman (1194–1209 CE)
• Arjunavarman I (1210–1215 CE)
• Devapala (1218–1239 CE)
• Jaitugideva (1239–1255 CE)
• Jayavarman II (1255–1274 CE)
• Arjunavarman II (1274–1285 CE)
• Bhoja II (1285–1303 CE)
• Mahalakadeva (1303–1305 CE), (after his death dynasty was ended in Malwa region)

Late Medieval Period (c. 1300 – 1700 CE)

Delhi Sultanate (c. 1305 – 1401 CE)

Malwa Sultanate (c. 1401 – 1562 CE)

The Ghurid/Ghorid dynasty (c. 1401–1436 CE)

1. Dilawar Khan (1401–1406)
2. Husam-ud-Din Hoshang Shah (1406–1435)
3. Taj-ud-Din Muhammad Shah I (1435–1436)

The Khalji dynasty (c. 1436–1531 CE)

1. Ala-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I (1436–1469)
2. Ghiyas-ud-Din Shah (1469–1500)
3. Nasir-ud-Din Shah (1500–1510)
4. Shihab-ud-Din Mahmud Shah II (1510–1531)

Interregnum period

1. Bahadur Shah (the sultan of Gujarat) (1531–1537)
2. Humayun (Mughal emperor) (1535–1540)

Later rulers

1. Qadir Shah (1540–1542)
2. Shuja'at Khan (the governor of Sher Shah Suri) (1542–1555)
3. Baz Bahadur (1555–1562)

Mughal Empire (c. 1562–1720 CE)

• Mughals ruled Malwa from (1562–1720 CE)

Modern Period (c. 1700 – 1947 CE)

Maratha Empire and Maratha States (c. 1713 – 1948 CE)

Territory under Maratha control in 1760 (yellow)

Peshwas region (c. 1713 – 1858 CE)

Technically they were not monarchs, but hereditary prime ministers, though in fact they ruled instead of the Chhatrapati (Maratha emperor) after death of Chattrapati Shahu, and were hegemon of the Maratha confederation.

• Balaji Vishwanath (1713–2 April 1720) (b. 1660, died 2 April 1720)
• Peshwa Bajirao I (17 April 1720 – 28 April 1740) (b. 18 August 1700, died 28 April 1740)
• Balaji Bajirao (4 July 1740 – 23 June 1761) (b. 8 December 1721, d. 23 June 1761)
• Madhavrao Ballal (1761–18 November 1772) (b. 16 February 1745, d. 18 November 1772)
• Narayanrao Bajirao (13 Dec 1772–30 August 1773) (b. 10 August 1755, d. 30 August 1773)
• Raghunath Rao Bajirao (5 Dec 1773–1774) (b. 18 August 1734, d. 11 December 1783)
• Sawai Madhavrao (1774–27 October 1795) (b. 18 April 1774, d. 27 October 1795)
• Baji Rao II (6 Dec 1796–3 June 1818) (d. 28 January 1851)
• Nana Sahib (1 July 1857 – 1858) (b. 19 May 1825, d. 24 September 1859)

Dhar State (c. 1730 – 1947 CE)

Reign start	Reign end	Name	Birth-death
1728	1732	Udaji Raje I Pawar
1732	1736	Anand Raje I Pawar	(b. ... – died 1749)
1736	1761, 6 January	Yeshwant Raje I Pawar	(1724–1761)
1761, 6 January	1782	Khande Raje Pawar	(b. c.1758 – died 1782)
1782	1807, 10 June	Anand Raje II Pawar	(1782–1807)
1807, Dec	1810	Ramchandra Raje I Pawar	(1807–1810)
1807, Dec	1810	Maina Bai (f) (regent)
1810	1833, October	Ramchandra Raje II Pawar	(1805–1833)
1834, 21 April	1857, 23 May	Yeshwant Raje II Pawar	(1823–1857)
1857, 23 May	1858, 19 Jan	Anand Raje III Pawar (1st time)	(1844–1898)
1858, 19 Jan	1860, 1 May	state abolished
1860, 1 May	1898, 29 July	Anand Raje III Pawar (2nd time)	(1844–1898)
1898, 29 July	1926	Udaji Raje II Pawar "Baba Sahib"	(1886–1926)
1926	1931	Laxmibai Sahiba (f) (regent)
1926	1989	Anand Raje IV Pawar	(1920–1989)

Holkar rulers of Indore (c. 1731 – 1948 CE)

• Malharrao Holkar (I) (r. 2 November 1731 – 19 May 1766)
• Malharrao Khanderao Holkar (r. 23 August 1766 – 5 April 1767)
• Ahilyadevi Holkar (r. 5 April 1767 – 13 August 1795)
• Tukojirao Holkar (I) (r. 13 August 1795 – 29 January 1797)
• Kashirao Tukojirao Holkar (r. 29 January 1797 – 1798)
• Yashwantrao Holkar (I) (r. 1798–27 November 1811)
• Malharrao Yashwantrao Holkar II (r. November 1811–27 October 1833)
• Martandrao Malharrao Holkar (r. 17 January 1834 – 2 February 1834)
• Harirao Vitthojirao Holkar (r. 17 April 1834 – 24 October 1843)
• Khanderao Harirao Holkar II (r. 13 November 1843 – 17 February 1844)
• Tukojirao Gandharebhau Holkar II (r. 27 June 1844 – 17 June 1886)
• Shivajirao Tukojirao Holkar (r. 17 June 1886 – 31 January 1903)
• Tukojirao Shivajirao Holkar III (r. 31 January 1903 – 26 February 1926)
• Yashwantrao Holkar II (r. 26 February 1926 – 1961)

British Colonial rule (1854–1947 CE)

The Central India Agency was created in 1854, by amalgamating the Western Malwa Agency with other smaller political offices. Malwa became a part of the Central Provinces in 1861. Malwa Agency, a subdivision of the British Central India Agency, was created in 1895; it consisted of the princely states of Alirajpur, Barwani, Dhar, Jaora, Jhabua, Jobat, and Kathimau, and several petty states.

See also

• Malwa
• Ujjain
• Vikramaditya
• Malavas
• Malwa culture
• History of India
• List of Indian monarchs
• List of dynasties and rulers Rajasthan
• History of Madhya Pradesh

References