Prithviraj Chauhan

Prithvi Raj III, commonly known as Prithviraj Chauhan was a Hindu Rajput ruler who ruled the states of Delhi in North India in the late 12th century from 1149 to 1192 CE .

Statue of the great Rajput warrior Prithviraj Chauhan in Delhi

Prithviraj Chauhan was the last independent Hindu king to sit on the throne of Delhi before Hemu. He ascended the throne in 1169 AD at the age of 20 and ruled from the twin capitals of Ajmer and Delhi, which he inherited from his maternal grandfather Arkpal or Anangpal Ill of the Tomar/Tanwar Rajput dynasty in Delhi. He controlled most of present-day Rajasthan and Haryana and, to sit upon the throne of Delhi and unified the Rajputs against muslim invasions. Prithviraj Raso, composed by Chauhan's court poet and friend Chand Bardai tells us clearly about the caste of Prithviraj Chauhan as a Hindu Rajput (Kshatriya).

It is said that Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Mohammad Ghori in the battle of Tarain and in other small battles 16 times but left him alive each time but later in the 2nd Battle of Tarain Muhammad Ghori defeated and captured Prithviraj Chauhan.