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{{Short description|Medieval dynasty that ruled the Mithila region (1097–1324)}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name = Karnata dynasty
| conventional_long_name = Karnatas of Mithila
| common_name = Karnat dynasty
| image_coat = Shatkona Seal at Simraungadh.jpg
| coa_size = 280px
| symbol_type = [[Shatkona]] seal from the Karnat capital of [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]]
| image_map = {{South Asia in 1250|center||{{Annotation|183|91|[[File:Long Fine Rectangle (plain).png|40px]]}}||none}}
| map_caption = {{center|Approximate location of the Karnata dynasty, with contemporary polities circa 1250.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chandra |first1=Satish |title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One |date=2004 |publisher=Har-Anand Publications |isbn=978-81-241-1064-5 |pages=19–20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5eFzeyjBTQC&pg=PA19 |language=en|author-link=Satish Chandra (historian)}}</ref>{{sfn|Schwartzberg|1978|p=32, 146}}}}
| Heterogenous group =
| religion = {{plainlist|
* [[Hinduism]]
* [[Buddhism]]
}}
| common_languages = {{plainlist|
* [[Sanskrit]]
* [[Maithili language|Maithili]]
* [[Abahatta]]
}}
| era = [[Medieval India]]
| status =
| government_type = Monarchy
| life_span =
| year_start = 1097
| year_end = 1324
| event_start =
| date_start = 10 July
| event1 =
| date_event1 =
| event2 =
| date_event2 =
| event_end =
| date_end =
| capital = {{plainlist|
*[[Nanpur|Nanapura]] (pre-1097 CE)
*[[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]] (post-1097 CE)
*[[Darbhanga]] (Second capital) }}
| leader1 = Nanyadev
| leader2 = Gangadeva
| year_leader1 =
| year_leader2 =
| title_leader =
| p1 = Pala Empire
| s1 = Delhi Sultanate
| s2 = Oiniwar dynasty
}}
The '''Karnats of Mithila'''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Choudhary |first1=Radha Krishna |title=THE KARṆĀTS OF MITHILĀ, (C. 1097-1355 A. D.) |journal=Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute |date=1954 |volume=35 |issue=1/4 |pages=91–121 |jstor=41784923 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41784923}}</ref> or '''Karnata dynasty''' ({{IAST|Karṇāṭa}}) was a dynasty established in 1097 CE by [[Nanyadeva]]. The dynasty controlled the areas we today know as [[Tirhut]] or [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] in [[Bihar]], [[India]] and adjoining parts of South Eastern [[Nepal]].<ref name=Jha1997>{{cite book |author=Jha, M. |year=1997 |chapter=Hindu Kingdoms at contextual level |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA27 |pages=27–42 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd |location=New Delhi|isbn=9788175330344 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Mishra, V. |year=1979 |publisher=Mithila Prakasana |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8FBuAAAAMAAJ&q=area+of+mithila |title=Cultural Heritage of Mithila |pages=13}}</ref> The main power centre of the Karnats was the citadel of [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]] which was situated on the India - Nepal border.<ref name="Investigation">{{cite journal |last1=Vidale |first1=M |last2=Lugli |first2=F |title=Archaeological Investigation at Simraongarh |journal=Ancient Nepal |date=1992 |page=2 |url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_126-127_01.pdf |accessdate=6 August 2020}}</ref>
The city of [[Darbhanga]] also became the second capital during the reign of [[Gangadeva]].<ref name=Sinha1974>{{cite journal | title=A Critical Evaluation of sources for identification of Gangeyadeva of Tirabhukti | author= CPN Sinha | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 35| year=1974 | pages=39–42 |jstor = 44138754}}</ref>

According to French [[Oriental studies|orientalist]] and [[indologist]] [[Sylvain Lévi]], [[Nanyadeva]] established his supremacy over Simraungadh probably with the help of the Chalukya king [[Vikramaditya VI]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2012/10/19/sylvain-l%C3%A9vis-le-n%C3%A9pal/ |title=Sylvain Lévi's Le Népal |last=Magazine |first=New Spolight |website=SpotlightNepal |language=en |access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.97375 |title=The Struggle For Empire |last=Majumdar |first=Ramesh Chandra |date=1957 |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1957 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.97375/page/n107 47]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oUdIrgEACAAJ |title=Le Népal: Étude Historique D'Un Royaume Hindou - Scholar's Choice Edition |last=Levi |first=Sylvain |date=2015-02-18 |publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC |isbn=9781297173240 |language=en}}</ref> After the reign of Vikramaditya VI in 1076 CE, he led a successful military campaign against the [[Pala Empire]] and the [[Sena dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gYO25eaDrqUC&dq=B.P.+Sinha+in+George+E.+Somers&pg=PA253 |title=Dynastic History Of Magadha |last=Somers |first=George E. |date=1977 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=9788170170594 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=addWCgAAQBAJ&dq=Majumdar,+R.+C.+(1952),+p.320&pg=PA293 |title=Rise and Fall East India |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Ramkrishna |last2=Mukherjee |first2=Roopali |date=1974 |publisher=NYU Press |isbn=9780853453154 |language=en}}</ref> During the reign of [[Harisimhadeva]], the Karnats also carried out raids into [[Nepal]] with the Karnat army under the leadership of the general and minister, [[Caṇḍeśvara Ṭhakkura]].<ref name =Choudhary1970>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/HistoryOfMuslimRuleInTirhut/page/n61/mode/2up |title=History of Muslim rule in Tirhut, 1206-1765, A.D. |last=Choudhary |first=Radhakrishna |date=1970 |publisher=Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office |page=61 |language=en}}</ref>

Under the Karnats, Mithila enjoyed almost full sovereignty from 1097 until 1324.<ref name="Jha2018">{{cite book|author=Pankaj Jha|title=A Political History of Literature: Vidyapati and the Fifteenth Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8xl9DwAAQBAJ|date=20 November 2018|publisher=OUP India|isbn=978-0-19-909535-3}}</ref> The Karnat kings referred to themselves with the title of ''Mithileśwara''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Saṅgīt |first1=Mahābhāratī |title=Nanyadeva |journal=The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India |date=2011 |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195650983.001.0001/acref-9780195650983-e-3462?rskey=VVhta9&result=20}}</ref> and the first recorded piece of [[Maithili language|Maithili]] literature, the ''[[Varna Ratnakara]]'' was also composed during their rule.<ref name="Intro">{{Cite book |last=Jyotiśvara. |title=Varṇa-ratnākara of Jyotiriśvara of Kaviśekharācārya |date=1998 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=81-260-0439-8 |location=New Delhi |pages=ix |oclc=40268712}}</ref>

==History==

===Origins===
[[File:Pillar at Simroungarh.jpg|thumb|Pillar at Simraungadh]]
The origins of [[Nanyadeva]], the founder of the Karnat dynasty, likely lie within [[South India]]. [[Sena dynasty]] inscriptions refer to [[Nanyadeva]] as ''Karnata-Kulabhusana'' indicating that he had his origins in the South and likely arrived in the North through the [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukya]] invasions. His ancestors were petty chieftains and adventurers in Eastern India who arrived in the territory of the [[Pala Empire]] to work as officials and later carved out their own principalities while also asserting their independence.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sinha |first1=CPN |title=Origin of the Karnatas of Mithila - A Fresh Appraisal |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1969 |volume=31 |pages=66–72 |jstor=44138330 }}</ref>
Nanyadeva was possibly one of a number of Karnata-origin officers who worked for the [[Pala Empire]]. In the wake of the [[Varendra rebellion]], the Palas grip on the region was substantially weakened and this provided an opportunity for Nanyadeva to assert his independence.<ref name=CompHist>{{cite book |last1=Prasad Sinha |first1=Bindeshwari |title=Comprehensive History Of Bihar, Volume 1, Part 2 |date=1974 |publisher=KP Jayaswal Research Institute |page=301-322 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.534083/page/n345/mode/1up}}</ref>

When Nanyadeva first arrived in the region in 1093 A.D., he originally established his stronghold in [[Nanpur|Nanapura]] in [[West Champaran district|Champaran]] and referred to himself as ''Mahashamantadhipati'' as confirmed by the local traditions of Mithila. The title suggests that he was likely originally a commander in the Chalukaya army. He later shifted his capital to [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shrestha |first1=Shiv Raj |title=Nanyadeva, his ancestors and their Abhijana (Original Homeland) |url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ancientnepal/pdf/ancient_nepal_159_01.pdf |journal=Ancient Nepal |language=en}}</ref>

===Nanyadeva's reign===
[[File:Image of a horseman from 12th century land grant of Nanyadeva.jpg|thumb|Image of a horseman from 12th century land grant of [[Nanyadeva]]]]

The reign of Nanyadeva can be precisely dated by an inscribed stone pillar at Simraungadh which says, translated into English, "In the [[Shaka era|Śaka year]] 1019, on Saturday, the 7th of ''[[Shravana (month)|śrāvaṇa]]'', in the ''[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/स्वाति#Sanskrit śvāti] [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/नक्षत्र#Sanskrit nakṣatra]'', king Nānyadeva took the land."<ref name="Thakur 1956">{{cite book |last1=Thakur |first1=Upendra |title=History of Mithila (Circa 3000 BC - 1556 AD) |date=1956 |publisher=Mithila Institute |location=Darbhanga |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.505783/mode/2up |access-date=30 August 2023}}</ref>{{rp|234}} This corresponds to a date of 10 July 1097 CE.<ref name="Sinha 1979"/>{{rp|35}}{{refn|group=note|A slightly different date – 18 July 1097 – is given in the Nepalese ''Muditakuvalayāśva'', which was written by Jagjyotiramala in 1628.<ref name="Sinha 1979"/>{{rp|35}}}}

Parts of the Mithila region had formerly belonged to the [[Kalachuris of Tripuri]]. At some point (probably {{circa}} 1122), the Kalachuri king [[Yashahkarna]] appears to have invaded in an attempt to recapture the territory. Based on the [[Berighati inscription]], it seems that Yashahkarna's invasion caused significant devastation to the region but was ultimately unsuccessful, and after his retreat in 1124 or 1125, the Kalachuris made no more attempts to reconquer the region.<ref name="Thakur 1956"/>{{rp|240–1}}

Another event that happened during Nanyadeva's reign was a clash of some sort with the [[Sena dynasty|Sena]] ruler [[Vijaya Sena|Vijayasena]], possibly because both of them were trying to win territory in the east. The [[Deopara inscription]], authored by the poet [[Umapatidhara]] under Vijayasena's direction, describes Nanyadeva as a "defeated hero" who Vijayasena took as a prisoner. It says nothing about Vijayasena ''conquering'' Mithila, though, so while he may have inflicted a major defeat on Nanyadeva, Nanyadeva remained an independent ruler. Whatever the exact nature of this event, it seems to have left Nanyadeva a "negligible factor in North Indian politics" compared to the Senas and [[Gahadavala dynasty|Gahadavalas]].<ref name="Thakur 1956"/>{{rp|243–51}}

At some point, possibly after the tussle with Vijayasena, Nanyadeva got involved in the Nepal region. According to Upendra Thakur, Nanyadeva may have championed Śivadeva, a prince of the [[Thakuri dynasty]] (which had been dethroned by another branch by around 1080), in his bid for the throne. By doing so, he expanded his own influence in Nepal.<ref name="Thakur 1956"/>{{rp|251}} According to Sinha, the relationship between Nanyadeva and Śivadeva (who ruled between {{circa}} 1118 and 1123) is more uncertain – Nanyadeva may have supported Śivadeva, but they may have also been rivals.<ref name="Sinha 1979"/>{{rp|49}} The nature of Nanyadeva's authority in Nepal is also unclear. According to Thakur, Nanyadeva probably had "a loose sort of hegemony over the princes of Nepal", with the local princes recognising his nominal suzerainty but otherwise remaining mostly independent.<ref name="Thakur 1956"/>{{rp|252–3}}

According to local tradition, Nanyadeva's original capital was at Nānyapura in the present-day Champaran districts of Bihar, where ruins are still visible. Nepalese tradition, on the other hand, says Nanyadeva had his capital at Simraungadh. Whenever the shift happened, Simraungadh went on to serve as the main capital for the later Karnat rulers, while Nānyapura ended up becoming abandoned, and no later traditions or documents mention it.<ref name="Thakur 1956"/>{{rp|241, 51–2}}

Nanyadeva also apparently wrote a commentary on the ''[[Natya Shastra|Nāṭyaśāstra]]''.<ref name="Sinha 1979">{{cite book |last1=Sinha |first1=C. P. N. |title=Mithila Under the Karnatas (C. 1097-1325 A.D.) |date=1979 |url=https://archive.org/details/72754/mode/2up |access-date=30 August 2023}}</ref>{{rp|50}}

===Gangadeva and Malladeva===
Nanyadeva was succeeded by his two sons, [[Gangadeva]] and [[Malladeva]]. It is likely that [[Gangadeva]] continued rule in Mithila while Malladeva maintained dominion over the territories in northeast Mithila and [[Nepal]]. Malladeva kept his stronghold in the village of Bheeth Bhagwanpur in what is now [[Madhubani district]]. The 15th-century poet, Vidyapati asserted in his writings that Malladeva was a "valiant warrior" and he spent time in the kingdoms of the neighbouring [[Gahadavala dynasty]] and the [[Pithipatis of Bodh Gaya]]. It was during this period that the [[Thakuri dynasty]] of [[Nepal]] asserted their independence leading to the loss of much of the Karnata territory in Nepal.<ref name=CompHist />

The [[Ramacharitam]] attests to the invasion of the [[Gauḍa (city)|Gauda]] region by Gangadeva during his rule in Mithila at some point after 1147 CE which during this period was held by [[Madanapala (Pala dynasty)|Madanapala]]. After Madanapala's death, the [[Sena dynasty]] came into power in [[Bengal]] and there is uncertainty as to whether Gangadeva fought with [[Vijaya Sena]] and his successors. On the whole, Gangadeva's reign over Mithila can be characterised as peaceful as the Sena dynasty was occupied with [[Sena-Gahadavala Conflicts|war with the Gahadavalas]]. This allowed Gangadeva to introduce internal reforms including the introduction of the [[Pargana]] system for revenue collection. The ''Mulla Taqia'' also details that Gangadeva shifted the capital to the city of [[Darbhanga]].<ref name=CompHist />

===Narsimhadeva's reign===
[[Narsimhadeva]] succeeded his father to the throne of Mithila in 1188 CE. His reign has been characterised as one of turbulence. One of the main sources of information regarding Narsimhadeva is the ''Puruṣaparīkṣā'' of [[Vidyapati]] which was written in the 13th/14th century. This source tells us that a "Narasimhadeva of the Karnata race" along with a "''Cacikadeva Cauhāna''", assisted the [[Delhi Sultanate|Sultan of Delhi]]. This Sultan has been identified with [[Muhammad of Ghor]] who conquered Delhi in 1193 CE. There is, however, no evidence that the Karnatas were subservient to the Sultan of Delhi and this campaign may have just been a gesture of goodwill.<ref name=CompHist />

To the east, the power of the Sena dynasty was growing under [[Lakshmana Sena]] and this likely led to a loss of territory of the Karnatas and this has been speculated to have included parts of modern-day [[Purnea district]].
In [[Nepal]], the situation was no better as the [[Malla dynasty (Nepal)|Malla dynasty]] under [[Arimalla]] likely broke off from Karnatas suzerainty.<ref name=CompHist />

===Downfall===
{{Main|Alauddin Khalji's invasion of Mithila}}
[[File:Shah Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq arrives in Tirhut. Depicted by eyewitness Muhammad Sadr Ala-i in his BasaUn al-uns, ca.1410. Istanbul, Topkapi Palace Museum Library, Ms. R.1032.jpg|thumb|Drawing depicting [[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq]] capturing [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]] from [[Harisimhadeva]] in 1324 CE]]
[[Harisimhadeva]] (r. 1295 to 1324 CE), the sixth descendant of Nanyadeva was the last Karnat sovereign of Tirhut. During the later years of his reign, the [[Tughlaq dynasty]] came to power and ruled the [[Delhi sultanate|Delhi Sultanate]] and most of Northern India from 1320 to 1413 CE. In 1324 CE, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty and Sultan of Delhi, [[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq|Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq]], turned his attention towards Bengal.<ref name="Jackson2003">{{cite book|author=Peter Jackson|title=The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt2tqOpVRKgC&pg=PA199|date=16 October 2003|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-54329-3|pages=199–200}}</ref><ref name=Choudhary1970 /> The Tughlaq army invaded Bengal. On his way back to Delhi, the Sultan heard about Simraungarh, which was flourishing inside the jungle.<ref>{{cite book |last=Thapa |first=Netra Bahadur |year=1981 |publisher=Ratna Pustak Bhandar |title=A Short History of Nepal |pages=38–39 |url=https://pahar.in/mountains/Books%20and%20Articles/Nepal/1981%20A%20Short%20History%20of%20Nepal%20by%20Thapa%20s.pdf |access-date=2019-09-25 |archive-date=2019-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304094320/http://pahar.in/mountains/Books%20and%20Articles/Nepal/1981%20A%20Short%20History%20of%20Nepal%20by%20Thapa%20s.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Harisimhadeva turned out to be the last king of the Karnata dynasty as he didn't show his strength and left the fort when he heard the news of an army of the Tughlaq Sultan approaching Simraungarh.<ref>{{Cite book |last='Abdoosi Akhsatan Dehlavi |first=Muhammad Bin Sadr Taj |url=http://archive.org/details/BasateenUl-Uns-MuhammadBinSadrTajAbdoosiAkhsitanDehlaviFarsi |title=Basateen ul-Uns |publisher=[[Public diplomacy of Iran#Islamic Culture & Relations Organizations|Islamic Culture & Relations Organizations]], Iran |year=1301–1335 |pages=21 |language=fa}}</ref> The Sultan and his troop stayed there for 3 days and cleared the dense forest. Finally on day 3, the army attacked and entered the huge fort whose walls were tall and surrounded by 7 big [[ditch]]es.<ref>{{Cite book |last=[[Abdul Malik Isami]] |url=http://archive.org/details/FutuhUs-SalatinFarsi |title=Futuh us-Salatin |publisher=[[University of Madras]] |year=1948 |series=Madras University Islamic Series No. 9 |location=[[Madras]] |pages=38–39 |language=fa}}</ref>

The remains are still scattered all over the Simraungadh region. The king Harisimhadeva fled northwards into what is now Nepal. The son of Harisimhadeva, Jagatsinghadeva, married the widowed princess of [[Bhaktapur]], Nayak Devi.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://simroungarh.wix.com/home | title=Simroungarh | Nepal | Heritage & Archaeological Site }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
[[File:12th century Stone Inscription from Simroungarh in Tirhuta script.jpg|thumb|12th century Stone Inscription in the [[Tirhuta]] script made during the reign of [[Narsimhadeva]]]]

==Architecture==
[[File:Statue of Brahma from Simroungarh at National Museum Kathmandu.jpg|thumb|Statue of Brahma recovered from Simraungadh]]
Inscriptions and artefacts related to the Karnat dynasty have been found throughout the Mithila region including in both Simraungadh and Darbhanga. From Simraungadh, [[stele]]s have been recovered that resemble Pala-Sena art. This was likely due to the close contact the kingdoms had with each other due to being neighbours, which allowed for cultural exchange. Many of these steles depict various Hindu goddesses known as bhagwati locally and are typical of Mithila's artistic output in the second half of the 12th century, especially in relation to the ornaments.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cimino |first1=Rosa Maria |title=Simraongarh: The Forgotten City and its art |journal=Contributions to Nepalese Studies |date=1986 |volume=13 |pages=277–288 |url=https://lib.icimod.org/record/9735 |access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref>

==Society==
Under the Karnatas, Mithila operated as a [[feudal]] state. The [[Land tenure|landowning class]] mostly the [[Maithil Brahmin]] held much of the power and the Kings held absolute authority.<ref name=Sinha71>{{cite journal |last1=Sinha |first1=CPN |title=Some Aspects of Social and Economic Life of Mithila ( c. A.D. 1097 to 1325) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1971 |volume=33 |pages=118–125 |jstor=44145321 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44145321}}</ref> The writings of poet, ''Sridhara'' contain poems detailing the depressed conditions of the peasantry who were subject to coercion from the landlord class. [[Agriculture]] was the main profession practiced during this period as confirmed by the writings of [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]]. Crafts and trade guilds were also present.<ref name=Sinha71 />

The culture of Mithila was also orthodox and conservative and this conservatism was reinforced by the institution of [[Kulinism]] which as per local tradition, was introduced by the final Karnat King, [[Harisimhadeva]].<ref name=Sinha71 /> This system provided an elite position to those belonging to certain communities and is also linked with the introduction of the [[Panjis|Panji Prabandh]] system which tracked the genealogy of certain castes and this system still survives today. The introduction of Panjis can be traced even further back and goes back to the reign of Nanyadeva.<ref name=Sinha71 />

==Religion==
[[File:Simroungarh Shiva statue probably.jpg|thumb|A statue of the Hindu deity, [[Shiva]] at the ruins of the Karnat capital of [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]]]]
As they belonged to warrior-class immigrants from the region of [[Karnataka]], the Karnats generally supported and patronised [[Hinduism]]. This is made clear from the inscriptions and images associated with the dynasty that have been reported so far.<ref name=Prasad2021>{{cite book |last1=Nath Prasad |first1=Birendra |title=Archaeology of Religion in South Asia: Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina Religious Centres in Bihar and Bengal, c. AD 600–1200 |date=2021 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781000416732 |pages=307–308 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QEkgEAAAQBAJ&q=Kar%E1%B9%87%C4%81%E1%B9%ADa}}</ref> An inscribed of [[Vishnu]] has been recovered from the village of [[Andhra Tharhi]] in [[Madhubani district]] and records that it was donated by a Karnat minister by the name of Śrīdharaṇadāsa during the rule of [[Nanyadeva]].<ref name=Prasad2021 />

Another inscription was located in the village of Bhithbhagwanpur, this time of [[Lakshmi Narayana]] and containing the writing, ''Om Sri Malladevasya'' which was left by the Karnat prince, [[Malladeva]] who kept his stronghold in the village. Brahmanical sculptures have continued to be found throughout Mithila during the Karnat period.<ref name=Prasad2021 />

[[Buddhism]] was also present during the Karnat period of Mithila with [[Tibetans|Tibetan]] Buddhist monk and traveller, [[Dharmasvamin]], being offered the role of chief priest by [[Ramasimhadeva]] and being gifted with [[gold]], [[rice]] and medicine despite the latter being a Hindu. Dharmasvamin politely declined the offer. The Naulagarh inscription also records the building of Buddhist monasteries within the Karnata territory.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Thakur |first1=Nisha |title=Situating Buddhism in the Mithila region: Presence of Absence |journal=Journal of the Asiatic Society |date=2018 |volume=LX |pages=39-63 |url=https://asiaticsocietykolkata.org/uploads/Journal%20Vol.%20LX.%20No.%204_2018.pdf}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Under the Karnatas, Mithila experienced a period of relative peace which allowed authors, poets and artists to receive royal patronage. The [[Maithili language]] grew strongly during this period as new literature and folk songs were created. The philosopher, [[Gangesha Upadhyaya|Gangeśa Upādhyāya]], introduced the [[Navya-Nyāya]] school of thought which remained active in India until the 18th century.
The general religious attitude of the people was conservative and the priestly & Intellectual leadership aristocracy of [[Maithil Brahmins]] dominated the society and the royal court.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sinha |first1=CPN |title=Some aspects of cultural life of Mithila under the Karnatas (c. 1097 to 1325 A.D.) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1973 |volume=34 |pages=170 |jstor=44138616 }}</ref>
The ''[[Varna Ratnakara]]'' of [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]] was also composed during the reign of [[Harisimhadeva]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sinha |first1=Chandreshwar Prasad Narayan |title=Mithila Under the Karnatas, C. 1097-1325 A.D |date=1979 |publisher=Janaki Prakashan |pages=82–85 |url=https://archive.org/details/72754/page/62/mode/1up}}</ref>

===Later Karnats===
After Harisimhadeva fled Mithila, evidence exists of Karnat Kings still ruling some parts of the region up to the 15th century during the same time when the [[Oiniwar dynasty]] controlled central Mithila. In Champaran, the ruler was Prithvisimhadeva and his successors including Madansimhadeva. Their territory extended up to [[Gorakhpur district]]. Prithvisimhadeva was considered to be a descendant of Harisimhadeva.
Other remnants of the Karnat dynasty were also found in [[Saharsa district|Saharsa]] and [[Madhepura district]]s, where inscriptions have been found that refer to a ruler called Sarvasimhadeva.<ref name=Sinha1970>{{cite journal | title=Decline of the Karnatas of Mithila | author= CPN Sinha | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 32| year=1970 | pages= 79–84|jstor = 44141053}}</ref>

===Descendants===
It is said that after his defeat, Harisimhadeva fled to [[Kathmandu]] where his descendants became the founders of the [[Malla (Kathmandu Valley)|Malla dynasty]] of Kathmandu. The Mallas were noted to be great patrons of the [[Maithili language]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brinkhaus |first1=Horst |title=The Descent of the Nepalese Malla Dynasty as Reflected by Local Chroniclers |journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society |date=1991 |volume=111 |issue=1 |pages=118–122 |doi=10.2307/603754 |jstor=603754 }}</ref>

It is also said that another branch of the Karnats remained in Mithila. Their descendants became the [[Gandhavariya]] [[Rajput]]s of North [[Bihar]] who held many chiefdoms in the region.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283324 | title=Origin of the Gandhavaria Rajputs of Mithila | author=P. Pathak | journal=The Journal of the Bihar Puravid Parisad | year=1983 | volume= Vii And Viii | pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283324/page/n568 406]–420}}</ref><ref name=CompHist />

==Rulers==
There is debate as to who succeeded Nanyadeva as ruler of the Karnat dynasty of Mithila as he had two sons, [[Gangadeva]] and [[Malladeva]]. Most scholars agree that Gangadeva was the ruler. However, it is generally accepted that Malladeva formed his stronghold in the village of Bheet-[[Bhagwanpur, Vaishali|Bhagwanpur]].<ref name=Sinha1974 /> The rulers of the Karnat dynasty are as follows:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! S.N. !! Name of the rulers !! Timeline !! Notes
|-
| 1 || [[Nanyadeva]]<ref name='Visit'>{{cite journal |last1=Hodgson |first1=B. H. |year=1835 |title=Account of a Visit to the Ruins of Simroun, once the capital of the Mithila province |journal=Journal of the Asiatic Society |volume=4 |pages=121−124 |url=https://archive.org/details/JournalOfTheAsiaticSocietyOfBengalVolIv1835}}</ref> || 1097 - 1147 CE<ref name='Mithila'>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JO4toCiJ2ecC |title=Mithilak Itihas |trans-title=मिथिलाक इतिहास|last=Chaudhary |first=Radhakrishna |publisher=Ram Vilas Sahu |isbn=9789380538280 |pages=70–112 |language=hi}}</ref> ||
|-
| 2 || [[Gangadeva]]<ref name='Visit'/> || 1147 - 1187 CE<ref name='Mithila'/> ||
|-
| 3 || [[Narsimhadeva]]<ref name='Visit'/> || 1187 - 1227 CE<ref name='Mithila'/> ||
|-
| 4 || [[Ramasimhadeva]]<ref name='Visit'/> || 1227 - 1285 CE<ref name='Mithila'/> ||
|-
| 5 || [[Shaktisimhadeva]]<ref name='Visit'/> || 1285 - 1304 CE<ref name='Mithila'/> ||
|-
| 6 || [[Harisimhadeva]]<ref name='Visit'/> || 1304 - 1324 CE<ref name='Mithila'/> ||
|}

==See also==
* [[Simraungadh (medieval city)|Simraungadh]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |year=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=183 |archive-date=2021-02-24 |access-date=2024-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224144259/https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=183 |url-status=dead }}
[[Category:Karnata dynasty| ]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Dynasties of Nepal]]
[[Category:Kingdoms of Bihar]]
[[Category:Medieval Indian monarchies]]
[[Category:Medieval history of Nepal]]
[[Category:11th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:14th-century disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:History of the Mithila region]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 1320s]]

Karnats of Mithila - Revision history

Nskschool at 15:09, 13 March 2026