Mokhadaji Gohil
Encyclopedia
Mokhadaji Gohil was a Rajput
ruler of Ghogha
, near Bhavnagar
in Gujarat during the mid 14th century. He was a descendant of Sejakaji Gohil of Khergadh who migrated to Saurashtra during early 13th century. Mokhadaji Gohil was contemporary of Muhammad Bin Tughluq
(1325–1351) of Tughluq dynasty in Delhi
.
He was born to Gohil Rajput ruler Ranji Gohil of Ranpur, a small jagir near Dhandhuka in present day of Ahmedabad district. Ranji Gohil was son of Sejakaji Gohil of Khergadh in Rajasthan. Ranji Gohil was contemporary of last Hindu ruler Karan Vaghela of Patan.
Allauddin Khalji had sent the army in 1297 under the generalship of Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan to attack on Patan and Somanath in Gujarat. They had defeated Karan Vaghela of Patan and sacked Somanath temple and broke the Shiva lingam that had been worshipped there. They were carrying the broken pieces back to Delhi. On their way, Ranji Gohil of Ranpur attacked Alauddin Khalji’s army after hearing that Allauddin’s army had captured queen of Karan Vaghela from Patan. Ranji Gohil died in the battle but could not release the Vaghela queen.
Meanwhile, 16 wives of Ranji Gohil were waiting for their husbands return to Ranpur Fort but all of them committed jauhar in a well inside the fort after hearing about his death. New born Mokhadaji Gohil was carried away safely to Dholera after his father’s death. He was brought up by Dhanmer Thakor who had a strong naval influence in Gulf of Khambhat
during that time.
in Delhi. Khusro Khan encouraged him to fight against the Turks to save his motherland. He returned from Delhi and strengthened his navy to fight with the Delhi Sultanate
. Meanwhile, Khusro Khan died in battle fighting against Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq who founded the Tughluq dynasty in 1320 in Delhi.
Preparing to fight against Delhi sultanate
He captured Ghogha and founded his new capital in Piram Island near Ghogha
. When he got information about moving of treasure by Delhi Sultanate through Khambhat port, his navy looted all wealth and captured the Khambhat port. At that time, Muhammad Bin Tughluq
ruled in Delhi after his father’s death in 1325. Mokhadaji used all looted wealth to strengthen his navy
. Soon after he captured Talaja from Jethava Rajput
and married his daughter. He also married a princess of Rajpipala.
Now all of the sea territories of Saurashtra region from Khambhat
to Somnath
came under his rule. Some of the local rulers had supported him to strengthen his navy which was based at Piram and Chach Island near present Pipavav Port. Therefore all who rebelled against Delhi Sultanate under leadership of Mokhadaji Gohil were recognized as Chachiya, a word came after their presence in Chach island. Presently,the word Chachiya in Gujarati means sea pirates.
Thereafter, Muhammad bin Tughluq himself came to Gujarat to fight with Mokhadaji Gohil. He kept his base at Ghogha and decided not to move until Mokhadaji was killed. In the first few months, he didn’t succeed in his attempts to capture Piram Bet. If Mokhadaji came on shore to fight, he would have a chance to win the battle due to his larger army. Therefore he sent a rich vaishnav trader of Khambhat who was promised a trade benefit. The trader went to Piram and emotionally told Mokhadaji that local people are very harassed and uncomfortable with the presence of Sultan’s army which was trying to capture Piram and they will not move until they fight with you. Soon after, Mokhadaji decided to fight with Sultan on land. He ordered his army to fight on shore. Mokhadaji was wounded in the battle but continued to fight with sultan’s army. He was beheaded near Ghogha and he collapsed near Khadarpar Village. This happened in 1347. Muhammad bin Tughluq was so upset on seeing Mokhadaji horribly beheaded in the battle that he didn’t sleep for many nights. He died on his way to Thatta (Sindh) in 1351.
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
ruler of Ghogha
Ghogha
Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India.informational about ghoghaGhogha is located at . It has an average elevation of around sea level....
, near Bhavnagar
Bhavnagar
-Topography:Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres . It occupies area of 53.30 km². General slope dips in the northeasterly direction at the apex of Gulf of Khambhat...
in Gujarat during the mid 14th century. He was a descendant of Sejakaji Gohil of Khergadh who migrated to Saurashtra during early 13th century. Mokhadaji Gohil was contemporary of Muhammad Bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
(1325–1351) of Tughluq dynasty in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
Background and birth
He was born to Gohil Rajput ruler Ranji Gohil of Ranpur, a small jagir near Dhandhuka in present day of Ahmedabad district. Ranji Gohil was son of Sejakaji Gohil of Khergadh in Rajasthan. Ranji Gohil was contemporary of last Hindu ruler Karan Vaghela of Patan.
Allauddin Khalji had sent the army in 1297 under the generalship of Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan to attack on Patan and Somanath in Gujarat. They had defeated Karan Vaghela of Patan and sacked Somanath temple and broke the Shiva lingam that had been worshipped there. They were carrying the broken pieces back to Delhi. On their way, Ranji Gohil of Ranpur attacked Alauddin Khalji’s army after hearing that Allauddin’s army had captured queen of Karan Vaghela from Patan. Ranji Gohil died in the battle but could not release the Vaghela queen.
Meanwhile, 16 wives of Ranji Gohil were waiting for their husbands return to Ranpur Fort but all of them committed jauhar in a well inside the fort after hearing about his death. New born Mokhadaji Gohil was carried away safely to Dholera after his father’s death. He was brought up by Dhanmer Thakor who had a strong naval influence in Gulf of Khambhat
Khambhat
Khambhat , formerly known as Cambay, is a city and a municipality in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was formerly an important trading center, although its harbour has gradually silted up, and the maritime trade has moved elsewhere...
during that time.
Reigns
Dhanmer Thakor of Dholera due to his old age had given the throne of Dholera to Mokhadaji Gohil and decided to spend the rest of his life in Himalayas. Dhanmer Thakor went to Himalayas and young Mokhadaji accompanied him around 1320 AD. On his return from Himalayas, Mokhadaji visited Delhi to find out about the situation because at that time, it was the political center for most of India. He met Khusro KhanKhusro Khan
Khusro Khan was a medieval Indian military leader, and ruler of Delhi, as Sultan Nasir-ud-din, for a short period of time. He was a native of the Bawariya region of Saurashtra in Gujarat.-Capture and enslavement:...
in Delhi. Khusro Khan encouraged him to fight against the Turks to save his motherland. He returned from Delhi and strengthened his navy to fight with the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
. Meanwhile, Khusro Khan died in battle fighting against Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq who founded the Tughluq dynasty in 1320 in Delhi.
Preparing to fight against Delhi sultanateDelhi SultanateThe Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
He captured Ghogha and founded his new capital in Piram Island near GhoghaGhogha
Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India.informational about ghoghaGhogha is located at . It has an average elevation of around sea level....
. When he got information about moving of treasure by Delhi Sultanate through Khambhat port, his navy looted all wealth and captured the Khambhat port. At that time, Muhammad Bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
ruled in Delhi after his father’s death in 1325. Mokhadaji used all looted wealth to strengthen his navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
. Soon after he captured Talaja from Jethava Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
and married his daughter. He also married a princess of Rajpipala.
Now all of the sea territories of Saurashtra region from Khambhat
Khambhat
Khambhat , formerly known as Cambay, is a city and a municipality in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was formerly an important trading center, although its harbour has gradually silted up, and the maritime trade has moved elsewhere...
to Somnath
Somnath
The Somnath Temple located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India, is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of the God Shiva. Somnath means "The Protector of Moon God". The Somnath Temple is known as "the Shrine Eternal", having been destroyed...
came under his rule. Some of the local rulers had supported him to strengthen his navy which was based at Piram and Chach Island near present Pipavav Port. Therefore all who rebelled against Delhi Sultanate under leadership of Mokhadaji Gohil were recognized as Chachiya, a word came after their presence in Chach island. Presently,the word Chachiya in Gujarati means sea pirates.
War with Mohammad Bin Tughlaq
It became very difficult for the Delhi sultanate to carry out its overseas trade through Khambhat and Bharuch ports due to the presence of Mokhadaji in Piram Island. The sultan decided to conquer Piram Island to free his ports from Mokhadaji’s threat, and sent his army to defeat Mokhadaji Gohil. The sultanate army decided to cordon Piram Island through the sea route from Khambhat, Bharuch and Ghogha but they were less experienced in naval war and were easily defeated by Mokhadaji Gohil’s experienced navy. This was the first unsuccessful assault of the sultan on Piram Island.Thereafter, Muhammad bin Tughluq himself came to Gujarat to fight with Mokhadaji Gohil. He kept his base at Ghogha and decided not to move until Mokhadaji was killed. In the first few months, he didn’t succeed in his attempts to capture Piram Bet. If Mokhadaji came on shore to fight, he would have a chance to win the battle due to his larger army. Therefore he sent a rich vaishnav trader of Khambhat who was promised a trade benefit. The trader went to Piram and emotionally told Mokhadaji that local people are very harassed and uncomfortable with the presence of Sultan’s army which was trying to capture Piram and they will not move until they fight with you. Soon after, Mokhadaji decided to fight with Sultan on land. He ordered his army to fight on shore. Mokhadaji was wounded in the battle but continued to fight with sultan’s army. He was beheaded near Ghogha and he collapsed near Khadarpar Village. This happened in 1347. Muhammad bin Tughluq was so upset on seeing Mokhadaji horribly beheaded in the battle that he didn’t sleep for many nights. He died on his way to Thatta (Sindh) in 1351.