Nagabhata I

Nagabhata I (r. c. 730 – 760 CE) was the founder of the imperial Gurjara Pratihara dynasty in northern India. He ruled the Avanti (or Malava) region in present-day Madhya Pradesh, from his capital at Ujjain. He may have extended his control over Gurjaradesa, which includes parts of present-day Gujarat and Rajasthan. He repulsed an Arab invasion from Sindh, probably led by Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri or Al Hakam ibn Awana.

Quotes

• Nag Bhat I, king of the Gurjar Pratihar Empire, was chosen as the leader of the Indian alliance comprising of Rashtrakuta, Guhil, Chalukya, and Gurjar armies to face the enemy. This alliance was between North Indian and South Indian rulers. Vikramaditya II was then the king of the Chalukya dynasty and Bappa Rawal of the Guhils.
  • Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.

• Nag Bhat I led an army of 30,000-40,000 men mostly consisting of cavalry and infantry. He was a great military commander and organised his army by dividing his cavalry in parts on the flanks. The battle hardened infantry was positioned in the center with reserve cavalry and possibly war elephants in the back as a rearguard.
  • Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.