Naikidevi: The Queen who Defeated Muhammad Ghori

It is well known that Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan at the 2nd Battle of Tarain in 1192 and laid the foundation of the Sultanate of Delhi. What is not so well known however, is the fact that 14 years before he won this battle, he was defeated by a Goa born Queen of Gujarat –Naikidevi! While little is known about Naikidevi , we don’t even have an image of what she looked like – here is what we do know.

Naikidevi was the widow of a Solanki king ( the dynasty is also referred to as the Chalukyas of Gujarat) King Ajayapala who ruled for a short span of 4 years starting 1171. She was the daughter of the Kadamba ruler Mahamandalesvara Permadi of Goa and after the death of her husband, Naikidevi served as a Queen Regent as her son Mularaja II was just a child.