Indian history · Kings and empires · Rajput kingdoms

Prithviraj Chauhan (Prithviraj III, c. 1178–1192): Chahamanas of Ajmer, the Two Battles of Tarain, and History versus Legend

Prithviraj Chauhan is one of the most celebrated kings in Indian memory, the hero of ballads and films. Historically, he was the Chahamana ruler of Ajmer and Delhi who defeated Muhammad Ghori at Tarain in 1191 but lost to him a year later, opening the way for the Delhi Sultanate. This guide separates the facts from the later legends and lists what exams usually ask.

By PunjabExams Editorial Team · Updated 29 October 2026 · 5 min read · How we prepare guides

Prithviraj Chauhan at a glance

The Chahamanas before Prithviraj

The Chahamanas rose in the 7th century around Shakambhari (Sambhar Lake) in Rajasthan. Ajayaraja founded Ajmer (Ajayameru) in the early 12th century. Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) captured Delhi from the Tomaras and fought the Ghaznavids; he also built a Sanskrit college at Ajmer, later converted into the Adhai Din ka Jhonpra mosque.

Early reign

Prithviraj became king as a boy after his father Someshvara died, with his mother acting as regent. As he grew up he fought neighbouring kingdoms:

• he defeated the Chandela ruler Paramardi of Jejakabhukti (Bundelkhand) around 1182–83 — the Chandela generals Alha and Udal are heroes of the folk ballad Alha-khand;
• he clashed with the Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat;
• relations with the Gahadavalas of Kannauj, under Jayachandra (Jaichand), were hostile.

The Sanyogita legend

According to the Prithviraj Raso, Jaichand held a swayamvara for his daughter Sanyogita (Samyukta) and, to insult Prithviraj, placed his statue at the door as a gatekeeper. Sanyogita garlanded the statue, and Prithviraj carried her away. Historians regard this story as a later literary addition; it does not appear in contemporary sources. What is clear is that the Gahadavalas did not join Prithviraj against Ghori.

Muhammad Ghori

Shihab-ud-din Muhammad of Ghor had conquered Ghazni and then turned to India, taking Multan (1175), failing against the Chaulukyas of Gujarat at Kayadara (1178), and capturing Lahore from the last Ghaznavid in 1186. Prithviraj's kingdom now lay directly in his path.

The First Battle of Tarain (1191)

Ghori captured Bathinda (Tabarhindah), a fort on the Chahamana frontier. Prithviraj marched against him with a large army that included his feudatory Govindaraja (Gobind Rai) of Delhi.

• The battle was fought at Tarain (modern Taraori, near Karnal, Haryana).
• The Rajput army won decisively. Ghori was wounded, according to some accounts by Govindaraja, and carried from the field.
• Prithviraj then besieged Bathinda, which surrendered after many months.

The Second Battle of Tarain (1192)

Ghori returned the next year with a reorganised army of about 120,000 horsemen (the figure comes from later chroniclers).

• He used mounted archers, feigned retreats and attacks in waves to wear down the larger Rajput army, which relied on elephants and massed infantry.
• The Rajputs were defeated. Prithviraj was captured while fleeing and later executed. Govindaraja was killed in battle.
• Accounts differ: the Persian historian Hasan Nizami says Prithviraj was allowed to rule Ajmer for a time as a vassal before being executed for treason; coins bearing both Prithviraj's name and Ghori's support this.

The Raso version

The Prithviraj Raso says Prithviraj was blinded and taken to Ghazni, where, guided by Chand Bardai's verses, he shot Ghori dead with an arrow. This is a heroic legend with no support in historical records — Ghori actually died in 1206, killed near the Jhelum, many years after Tarain.

Consequences

1. Ghori's general Qutb-ud-din Aibak captured Delhi and Ajmer and became governor.
2. In 1194, Ghori defeated Jaichand at the Battle of Chandawar near Etawah.
3. After Ghori's death in 1206, Aibak founded the Delhi Sultanate (Mamluk or Slave dynasty).
4. Turkish rule over the Gangetic plain lasted for more than three centuries until the Mughals.

Why did Prithviraj lose in 1192?

Historians point to:

• the mobile cavalry and mounted archery tactics of the Ghurid army;
• divisions among Rajput rulers, many of whom did not join him;
• over-confidence after the 1191 victory;
• Ghori's ability to bring fresh forces from Afghanistan.

Exam traps

• Tarain = Taraori in Karnal, Haryana — not in Rajasthan or Punjab.
• First Tarain 1191: Prithviraj won; Second Tarain 1192: Ghori won.
• Chandawar (1194): Ghori defeated Jaichand, not Prithviraj.
• Prithviraja Vijaya (Jayanaka) is contemporary; Prithviraj Raso is a later work.

Key points to remember

• Chahamana (Chauhan) king of Ajmer; reign c. 1178–1192.
• Defeated Chandela Paramardi; Alha-Udal ballads.
• Tarain I (1191) victory; Tarain II (1192) defeat and death.
• Successor in power: Qutb-ud-din Aibak → Delhi Sultanate (1206).
• Sources: Prithviraja Vijaya, Prithviraj Raso (Chand Bardai), Taj-ul-Maasir (Hasan Nizami).

Practice questions

1. Q1. The First Battle of Tarain (1191) was won by:

   • (a) Muhammad Ghori
   • (b) Prithviraj Chauhan
   • (c) Jaichand
   • (d) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Prithviraj Chauhan — Prithviraj defeated Ghori in 1191; Ghori won the second battle in 1192.

2. Q2. Tarain, the site of two famous battles, is in present-day:

   • (a) Rajasthan
   • (b) Punjab
   • (c) Haryana
   • (d) Uttar Pradesh
   Show answer

   Answer: (c) Haryana — Tarain is identified with Taraori in Karnal district, Haryana.

3. Q3. Prithviraj Raso is attributed to:

   • (a) Jayanaka
   • (b) Chand Bardai
   • (c) Hasan Nizami
   • (d) Amir Khusrau
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Chand Bardai — The Prithviraj Raso is attributed to the court poet Chand Bardai.

4. Q4. Muhammad Ghori defeated Jaichand of Kannauj at the Battle of:

   • (a) Tarain
   • (b) Chandawar
   • (c) Kayadara
   • (d) Panipat
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Chandawar — The Battle of Chandawar was fought in 1194.

5. Q5. Which Chandela ruler was defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan?

   • (a) Yashovarman
   • (b) Paramardi
   • (c) Dhanga
   • (d) Vidyadhara
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Paramardi — Prithviraj defeated Paramardi around 1182–83.

6. Q6. The fort captured by Ghori that led to the First Battle of Tarain was:

   • (a) Ajmer
   • (b) Bathinda
   • (c) Hansi
   • (d) Multan
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Bathinda — Ghori's capture of Bathinda (Tabarhindah) prompted Prithviraj's campaign.

Frequently asked questions

Did Prithviraj Chauhan kill Muhammad Ghori?

No. That story comes from the later Prithviraj Raso. Ghori was killed in 1206, long after Prithviraj's death in 1192.

Who was Govindaraja?

Prithviraj's feudatory ruler of Delhi, who fought at both battles of Tarain and was killed in the second.

What happened to Delhi after 1192?

Qutb-ud-din Aibak captured it, and in 1206 it became the capital of the Delhi Sultanate.

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