The Kamata Kingdom | The History of Assam: In the middle of the 13th century, Sandhya, a king of Kamarupanagara, moved his capital to Kamatapur, and thus established the Kamata kingdom. On account of attacks by the Turks of Bengal, the last of the Kamata kings, the Khens, were removed by Alauddin Hussain Shah in 1498. But Hussein Shah and subsequent rulers could not consolidate their rule in the Kamata kingdom, mainly due to the revolt by the Bhuyan chieftains, a relic of the Kamarupa administration, and other local groups. Soon after in the beginning of the 16th century Vishwa Singha of the Koch tribe established the Koch dynasty in the Kamata kingdom. The Koch dynasty reached its peak under his sons, Nara Narayan and Chilarai.
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The Kamata Kingdom
During that time, rulers of small principalities like the Chutias, the Morans, the Borahis (in the Eastern part of Assam) and the Bhuyans (in the middle part) were ruling over their areas. In lower Assam, a kingdom named Kamata was established. The Kamata kingdom was established in 13th century. In due course of time, Chutias, Morans and Barahis kingdom were occupied by the Ahom rulers and in the 16th century the Bhuyan kingdom went to the hands of the Ahoms and the Koch Kamatas. Naranarayan’s and Durlabhnarayan were the powerful kings of the Koch kingdom.
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In the eastern part of present Assam, the Kachari (south bank of river Brahmaputra, central Assam) and the Chutiya (north bank of river Brahmaputra, eastern Assam) kingdoms arose, with some Bhuyan chiefs controlling the region just west of the Chutiya kingdom. In the tract between the Kachari and the Chutiya kingdoms, a Shan group, led by Sukapha, established the Ahom kingdom.
The 16th century is crucial in the history of medieval period because of the consolidation of the Ahoms (who annexed the Chutiya kingdom and pushed the Kachari kingdom away from central Assam) in the east, the Koch in the west and the growth of Ekasarana Dharma of Srimanta Sankardev. After the death of Nara Narayan of the Koch dynasty in the late 16th century, the Kamata kingdom broke into Koch Bihar in the west and Koch Hajo in the east. The rivalry between the two kingdoms resulted in the former allying with the Mughals and the latter with the Ahoms.
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Practice MCQs
1. When was the Kamata Kingdom founded?
(a) 13th century AD
(b) 14th century AD
(c) 15th century AD
(d) 16th century AD
Answer: (b)
2. The Kamata Kingdom was located in which indian state?
(a) Assam, India
(b) West Bengal, India
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Nepal
Answer: (a)
Question 4: The Kamata Kingdom was a major center of which one?
(a) Hinduism
(b) Buddhism
(c) Jainism
(d) All of the above
Answer: (d)