In the absence of any written account of the rulers of this dynasty, the history is based on its copper plates, inscriptions and coins hitherto discovered.

Sanskrit, Arabic and English' works, which throw some light on the history of this dynasty, however meager, have also been referred to. Though the- material thus gathered is not much, yet what is known is sufficient to prove that some of the kings of this dynasty were most powerful rulers of their time.

Further, some of them, besides being the patrons of art and literature, were themselves good scholars. The artistic and literary works of their time are held in high esteem even to this day.

The extent of their power is sufficiently vouchsafed by the writings of the early Arab travelers and the levying of "Turushkadanda" a tax like "Jazia" on the Mohammedans, by Govindachandra.

Nor was their generosity less defined. Out of numerous copper grants recovered, no less than 42 trace their source of munificence to a single donor, Govindachandra. Another magnificent example of their generosity is brought to light by a couple from the copper grant' of Dantivarman (Dantidurga) II, dated Shaka Samvat 675 (Dantivarman's ) mother by granting lands in charity in almost all the 400,000 villages of his kingdom proved his reverence for her.

Many. historians hesitate to believe the Gahadavalas of Kanauj to be a branch of Rashtrakutas. But in view of the reasons given to meet the various objections regarding this theory, which has been discussed in the first few chapters of this volume, it is evident that in "fact the Gahadavalas belonged to a branch of the Rashtrakutas and came to be so called because of their conquest of Gadhipur (Kanauj).

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