alleged brother Manikyachandra (Manik Chand). These claims are of later origin, and their historical veracity is doubtful. A Muslim account claims that the Bundelas were descendants of Gaharwar Rajput (Gahadavala) men from Khangar concubines. The rulers of Bijaipur-Kantit feudal estate near Mirzapur also described themselves as Gahrwars, and claimed descent from the Gahadavalas. Administration The Gahadavalas controlled their territory through semi-independent feudatory chiefs, whose various titles included Rāṇaka, Mahānāyaka, Mahārāja and Rāja. The king's officials were known as amātyas. Their duties are described in Lakshmidhara's Kṛtya-Kalpataru. The most important court positions included: The yuvaraja (heir apparent) and other princes announced grants in their own name, while the grants made by the queens were announced by the king. The territory directly ruled by the Gahadavala monarch was sub-divided into several administrative divisions: viṣaya: provinces pathaka: sub-provinces pattalā: group of villages grāma: villages pāṭaka: outlying hamlets associated with some villages Cultural activities According to the Gahadavala inscriptions, Govindachandra appreciated and patronized different branches of learning (as indicated by his title Vividha-vidya-vichara-vachaspati). His courtier Lakshmidhara composed Kṛtya-Kalpataru at the king's request. Vijayachandra also patronized scholars and poets including Shriharsha, whose works include Naishadha Charita and the now-lost Shri-Vijaya-Prashasti. Jayachandra's court poet Bhatta Kedar wrote a eulogy titled Jaichand Prakash (c. 1168) on his life, but the work is now lost. Another lost eulogy on his life is the poet Madhukar's Jaya-Mayank-Jasha-Chandrika (c. 1183). Religion The Gahadavala kings worshipped Vishnu. For example, according to the 1167 CE Kamauli inscription, Jayachandra was initiated as a worshipper of Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) as a prince. The kings also offered homage to other Hindu gods, including Shiva and Surya. The Gahadvala inscriptions describe the kings as Parama-Maheshvara ("devotees of Shiva"). The Gahadavalas were also tolerant towards Buddhism. Two of Govindachandra's queens — Kumaradevi and Vasantadevi — were Buddhists. An inscription discovered at Bodh Gaya suggests that Jayachandra also showed interest in Buddhism. This inscription begins with an invocation to Gautam Buddha, the Bodhisattavas, and one Shrimitra (Śrimītra). Shrimitra is named as a perceptor (diksha-guru) of Kashisha Jayachchandra, identified with the king Jayachandra. The inscription records the construction of a guha (cave monastery) at Jayapura. Archaeologist Federica Barba theorizes that the Gahadavalas built large Hindu temples in traditional Buddhist cities such as Sarnath, and converted Buddhist shrines into Brahmanical ones. The Gahadavala inscriptions mention a tax called Turushka-danda ("Turkic punishment"). Scholars interpret it as a contribution towards