Chamba

Princely States

Founded no later than 600 AD, Chamba is one of the oldest attested kingdoms not just in India but in the whole world. The original capital was at Brahmapura which was later shifted to Chamba or Champa around 930 during the reign of Sahilavarman. The kingdom is founded by Maru, a Suryavamsi ascetic who married afterwards and had three sons. He gave his ancestral kingdom to his eldest son, to the second, he gave lands near the mountains in Kashmir and took the third, Jaistambh with him and settled in Brahmapura which he founded after conquering the area from the local chieftains. Soon after, he abdicated and left the kingdom for penance again. Going by the fact that Adityavarman played a role in appointing a king in Kulu after the successionless death of Brahmo Pal, it is assumed that Chamba was considered to be a local power accepted by the neighbours at least by that time.

Meruvarman is the first king who is known to be an aggressive ruler who conquered territories - Kulu chronicle mentions that the Raja of Kulu is killed in a war with Chamba. Amarapala of Kulu was killed with all his sons except one who is already an exile and it is assumed that Kulu was under the rule of Chamba for some time. He is also a great builder and temples from his era are still known. Ajayavarman abdicated the throne and became a religious recluse. During Lakshmivarman's reign, taking advantage of an epidemic, people bearing the name Kira raided Chamba, killed the king and became the masters of the area. They penetrated at least till Baijnath in Kangra. Taking advantage of this, Kulu rebelled and regained independence from Chamba.