# Yadava–Abhira wars

The Yadava–Abhira wars were a series of military campaigns in the 13th century between the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty and the Abhira kingdom, primarily over territories in present-day Gujarat, Konkan, and Khandesh. The conflicts began under the rule of Yadava king Simhana II, whose general, Kholeśvara, defeated the Abhiras in 1228 CE. Subsequent Yadava rulers, including Krishna, Mahadeva, and Ramachandra, continued campaigns against the Abhiras, achieving varying degrees of success.

## Yadava wars with Abhiras
### Simhana's expedition of Gujarat

During the 13th century, the Yadavas fought an extended battle against the Abhiras. Based on the Amba inscription, in 1228 CE, the Yadava general Kholeśvara effectively defeated the Abhiras. Kholeśvara was a Deshastha Brahmana and was the commander-in-chief of King Simhana. He is described by the inscription as being responsible for defeating the rest of the Abhira rulers during Simhana's Gujarat campaign. But it seems that the Abhiras were not completely subdued, since another inscription subsequently mentions a fresh expedition against them.

### Simhana's conquest of Bambhagiri

The Amba Inscription No. 2 documents that Simhana, a Yadava dynasty ruler, defeated the Abhira king, who is named as Lakshmideva, the lord of Bhambhagiri. The inscription calls Simhana a fire that burned down the family of Lakshmideva (bhambhā girivarābhira simharajalakshmideva kula vana dahana dāvānala).
The Purushottampuri Plates of Ramchandra, issued in 1232 Saka era, represent Simhana as an ancestor of Ramchandra Yadava and attest to his triumph over the lord of Bhambhagiri. The 13th-century scholar Hemadri records that this ruler was called Lakshmidhara. Historian G. H. Khare equates Bhambhagiri with Bhambhari in the Ahmednagar district, close to Raja chi Bham in Yeotmal, Berar. But Dr. V. V. Mirashi disagrees with this identification, contending that there is no fort in the region, even though there is the name Bhambhagiri which implies a stronghold.
Dr. Mirashi suggests that, as Lakshmideva was of the Abhira dynasty, he must have ruled near Khandesh, which has been historically associated with the Ahirs (Abhira dynasty). The town of Bhamer lies at the foot of a great fortified hill having many ruined gates, towers and some old caves locally known as Raja's house. This shows that Simhana exterminated the Abhiras totally

### Krishna campaign against Abhiras

In A.D. 1255, the Abhiras were defeated again by the Yadava king Kanhadeva, who is mentioned as the Lord of Dvaravatipura (Dväravatipura-varādhiśvara). Kanhadeva or Sri Khanhadeva or Krishna has been mentioned as a wildfire burning the Abhiras, implying that he followed the adopted policy of driving them out. But though struck repeatedly by the army, the Abhiras were not utterly subjugated or wiped out and went on fighting and trying to survive.

### Krishna's expedition of Konkan

The Tasgaon plates show that the Yadava king Krishna won a victory over the Abhiras, who are mentioned in the inscription as Gopalas. The Abhira chiefs were Konkan rulers who were feudatories of the Yadava king. Historian V. V. Mirashi states that the inscription seems to bring out Krishna's victory over the Abhira Konkan rulers Kamapāla, Gōpākāplāka and Hēndāri Rāyā.

### Mahadeva's campaign against Abhiras

Mahadeva Yadava, known from an inscription dated 1280 A.D., led a successful military campaign against the Abhiras, forcing them to retreat into the forests.

### Ramadeva's campaign against Abhiras

An unfinished inscription, which may have been during the reign of Yadava king Ramachandra in 1276 CE, calls him "the single great fire which consumes the forest of trees and bamboo thickets" and "the great Abhirar plunderer, named Gambhira" (Gambhirābhira prachandapendara nikhila kula kāntāra vamšāvalīdahana).

## Aftermath

In spite of the Yadava wars and triumphs, the Abhiras remained independent. It is possible that this may have encouraged the Hoysala king Vira Ballala III to try to conquer them. There is a copper plate inscription dating from 1292 CE found in the Phalahara Matha that speaks of him as the king of the land of the Gaulas. The Abhiras could not resist the Hoysalas and were later made vassals of the Hoysalas.