Career
At his time, the kingdom stretched from Benaras to Gaya and Patna, in the fertile area between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. He belonged to the Gahadvala (Gaharwar) dynasty, from which descent of the Rathores of Rajasthan is sometimes traced. He was the father of Sanyogita, Prithviraj Chauhan"s wife.
He was defeated and killed by Muhammad Ghori at the Battle of Chandawar in 1193-1194.
The most popular account of Jaichand"s life occurs in Prithviraj Raso and its several recensions, but the historicity of this legend is disputed by many historians. According to this legend, after becoming one of the most powerful rulers in North India, Jaichand decided to conduct a symbolic sacrifice (Ashvamedha yajna) to declare his supremacy.
Prithviraj, a rival king, did not accept his suzerainty. So Jaichand insulted Prithviraj by erecting a statue that depicted him as a doorkeeper of his palace.
Thus, Prithviraj and Jaichand became sworn enemies.
When Muhammad Ghori (also known as Sultan Shahabuddin) invaded India, Jaichand allied with Ghori, and helped defeat Prithviraj. However, Ghori later deceived Jaichand and defeated him at the Battle of Chandawar. Another version that is accepted is that Jaichand did not aid his forces against the invader along with Prithviraj Chauhan and was confronted later by Ghori and defeated.
According to one account, Jaichand was killed in the Battle of Chandawar.
According to another account, he was taken as a prisoner to Ghazni, where he was killed after attempting to assassinate Muhammad Ghori with an arrow. Another version is that Jaichand survived the battle and escaped into the Kurnaon Hills with his entourage, where his descendants established a new kingdom.
Because according to Prithviraj Raso, Jaichand helped a foreign invader defeat the Indian king Prithviraj, Jaichand became a symbol of treachery in the modern Indian folklore. He also took keen interest in worship of Krishna.
