Khasa-Malla kingdom, popularly known as Khasa Kingdom, was a kingdom from the Indian subcontinent, established around the 11th century in the far-western region of present-day Nepal. It was ruled by kings who bore the family name "Malla". The Khasa Malla kings ruled western parts of Nepal during 11th-14th century. The 954 ADKhajuraho Inscription of Dhaṇga states Khasa Kingdom equivalent to Gauda of Bengal and Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty.
History
An ancient tribe named Khasa is mentioned in several ancient legendary Indian texts, including the Mahabharata. The historical Khasa kingdom is different from the territory of this legendary tribe, although there have been some speculations about a connection between the two. The historical Khasas are mentioned in several Indian inscriptions dated between 8th and 13th centuries CE. The Khasa Malla kingdom was feudatory and the principalities were independent in nature. Most of its territory was over the Karnali River basin. The kingdom had conquered over the half of the Greater Nepal over two hundred years. In the 12th century, King Nāgarāja conquered the principal Jumla Kingdom of the central Himalayas and overran lands up to Bheri River in the east, Satluj River in the west and Mayum pass of Tibet in the north. King Nāgarāja also referred as Jāveśvara, came from Khāripradeśa and set up his capital at Semjā. The Khas dynasties were originated at 11th century or earlier period. There were two dynasties of Khas one at Guge and other at Jumla. The widely regarded most renowned King of Khasa Malla Kingdom was Prithvi Malla. Prithvi Malla had firmly established the Kingdom around 1413 A.D. The limits of the reign of King Pṛthvīmalla reached the greatest height of the Khas Empire which included Guge, Purang and Nepalese territories up to Dullu in the southwest and Kaskikot in the east. The inscription of Prithvi Malla on Shitushka in Jumla is quoted as: Giuseppe Tucci contends that The Tibetan chronicles show Pṛthvīmalla as the last king of this empire. This kingdom disintegrated after the death of Abhaya Malla and formed the Baise rajya confederacy.
Most of the initial Khas kings before Pṛthvīmalla were Buddhist. Hinduisation of the kingdom began when King Ripumalla commenced the southward expansion of the kingdom and contacts to India slowly increased. King Pṛthvīmalla always used Buddhist syllables in his inscription though he had a strong preference for Hinduism. The Prashasti of Dullu inscription by Pṛthvīmalla shows Buddhist syllables, mantra, and invocations, however, the latter Kanakapatra of Shitushka was fundamentally Hindu. These two inscriptions of King Pṛthvīmalla showed the transition of the state from Buddhism to Hinduism. The reign of King Punya Malla and Prithvi Malla had strict traditional Hindu ritual and customs.
Titles, ranks and suffixes
The successors of King Nāgarāja adhered to some suffix as -illa and -challa like King Chapilla, King Krachalla. Challa and Malla were titles of kings and princes. Rāulā was the title of a high-ranking official. Personalities like Malayavarma, Medinivarma, Samsarivarma, Balirāja, etc. had title of Rāulā. Mandalesvara or Mandalik was a title conferred on powerful persons of the Kingdom. Royal princes, senior officials and defeated Kings were appointed to the post of Mandalesvara.
Rulers
The list of Khas kings mentioned by Giuseppe Tucci is in the following succession up to Prithvi Malla:
Nāgarāja ; also known as Jāveśvara or Nagadeva by Tibetan chronicles including a Chronicle of Fifth Dalai Lama
Chaap/Cāpa ; son of Nāgarāja
Chapilla/Cāpilla, son of Cāpa
Krashichalla, son of Cāpilla
Kradhichalla, son of Krāśicalla
Krachalla, son of Krādhicalla
Ashoka Challa, son of Krācalla
Jitari Malla, first son of Aśokacalla
Ananda Malla, second son of Aśokacalla
Ripu Malla , son of Ānandamalla
Sangrama Malla, son of Ripumalla
Aditya Malla, son of Jitārimalla
Kalyana Malla, son of either Ādityamalla or Saṃgrāmamalla
Surya Malla Son of Ripu Malla, Nāgarāja clan back to rule
Abhaya Malla
Tibetoloical list
The list of rulers of Khasa Kingdom established by the Tibetologists Luciano Petech, Roberto Vitali and Giuseppe Tucci are:
Naga lde
bTsan phyug lde
bKra shis lde
Grags btsan lde
Grags pa lde
A sog lde son
'Ji dar sMal son
A nan sMal brother
Ri'u sMal son
San gha sMal son
A jid smal son of Jitari Malla
Ka lan smal
Par t'ab smal
Pu ni sMal/Puṇya rMal/bSod nams of Purang royalty
sPri ti sMal/Pra ti rmal son
Decline
After the Siege of Chittorgarh in 1303, large immigration of Rajputs occurred into Nepal. Before it, few small groups of Rajputs had been entering into the region from Muslim invasion of India. These immigrants were quickly absorbed into the Khas community due to larger similarities. Historian and Jesuit Ludwig Stiller considers the Rajput interference to the politics of Khas Kingdom of Jumla was responsible for its fragmentation and he explains: Francis Tucker also further states that "the Rajputs was so often guilty of base ingratitude and treachery to gratify his ambition. They were fierce, ruthless people who would stop at nothing." After the late 13th century the Khas empire collapsed and divided into Baise Rajya in Karnali-Bheri region and Chaubise rajya in Gandaki region. These Baise and Chaubise kingdoms were ruled by Rajputs and several decentralized tribal polities. The 22 principalities were
