Rai dynasty

The Rai Dynasty (c. 489–632 CE) was a kingdom during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Sindh, later part of Pakistan.Harsha and His Times: A Glimpse of Political History During the Seventh Century A.D. , Page 78 by Bireshwar Nath Srivastava (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 1976) The dynasty at its height ruled much of the Northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. The influence of the Rai's extended from Kashmir in the east, Makran and Debal port (modern Karachi) in the west, Surat port in the south, and the Kandahar, Sulaiman, Ferdan and Kikanan hills in the north. It ruled an area of over , and the dynasty reigned a period of 143 years.
The Battle of Rasil in 644 played a crucial role in their decline. The battle resulted in the Rashidun Caliphate annexing the Makran coast .Peter Crawford, The War of the Three Gods: Romans, Persians and the Rise of Islam, (Pen & Sword, 2013), 192.André Wink, Al-hind: The Making of the Indo-islamic World, Vol. I, (E.J. Brill, 1990), 133. The book Chach Nama chronicles the final demise of the Rai dynasty and the ascent of the Hindu Chach of Alor to the throne.
Rai emperors were patrons of Buddhism. They established a formidable temple of Shiva in present-day Sukkur, Pakistan, close to their capital in Aror. This is consistent with the historical accounts from the times of Ashoka and Harsha, as numerous monarchs from the subcontinent never sponsored a state religion and typically patronized all Dharmic religions.
==History==
B. D. Mirchandani stated, "Our knowledge of the Rai dynasty, which is not a great deal, is derived entirely from three Muslim chronicles of Sind."Mirchandani, B. D.; Glimpses of Ancient Sind The history of the Rai and Brahman dynasties is almost entirely derived from the Muslim chronicles, especially the Chachnama and Shahnama. C. V. Vaidya recognizes the dynasty as belonging to same Mori clan as the one which ruled at Chittor. The dynasty was launched by Adi Rai in the year 3044 of the Kaliyuga era, i.e., 58 B.C. He is said to have been contemporary of Vikramaditya of Dharanagari, Ujjain, to whom he professed allegiance. His son Dev Rai succeeded him after 48 years.A Short History of Jammu Raj: From Earliest Times to 1846 A.D.p.44.Ajaya Prakashan, 1985. Sukh Dev Singh Charak rose to power in the shifting political scene with the wane of the Sassanid influence in the wake of the Hepthalite (White Hun/Huna) invasions. Rulers issued silver coins bearing their likeness by the 7th century.
The Chachnama describes the Rai dynasty as a significant power of the time, as well as the extent of Rai Sahiras' domain:
===Demise===
According to the Chachnama, the last Rai emperor, Rai Sahasi II, died through illness without issue. By that time, Chach was in complete control of the affairs of the kingdom. When Rai Sahasi II was near death, Suhanadi explained to Chach that the kingdom would pass to other relatives of the dying king in the absence of any direct heir. Consequently, they hid the news of the king's death until claimants to the throne were killed through conspiracy. Following this, Chach declared himself a ruler and later married Suhandi. This ended the Rai Dynasty and began the dynasty of a Brahmin dynasty called Chach dynasty."Chach Nama - The queen falls in love with Chach who becomes the Ruler through her love", Packhum.org
Six months after death of Rai Sahasi his brother, Rana Maharath of Chittor, challenged Chach in combat, claiming to be rightful ruler of the Rai Dynasty. Chachnama states that Maharath was killed as the two engaged in a duel, in which it was forbidden to mount a horse or any other animal. During the duel Chach mounted a horse in order to kill his rival."Chach fights with Maha-rat and kills him by a strategem", Packhum.org
==Rulers==
Andre Wink reports on the possibility of the corruption of the Sanskrit names and renders them as related in parenthesis in the following chronology of the Rai rulers of Sindh:
*Rai Diwa ji (Devaditya), a powerful chief who forged alliance and extended his rule east of Makran and west of Kashmir, south to the port of Karachi and north to Kandahar
*Rai Sahiras (Shri Harsha)
*Rai Sahasi (Sinhasena)
*Rai Sahiras II, died battling the King of Nimroz
*Rai Sahasi II, the last of the line
==Notes==
Category:History of Sindh
Category:History of Balochistan
Category:Dynasties of Pakistan
Category:History of Pakistan
Category:Medieval India
Category:Dynasties of India
Category:Chach Nama
Category:History of Gujarat
Category:Rajput clans of Sindh