Home > Indian History > History of India > Ahom Dynasty
Ahom Dynasty
Ahom dynasty ruled over the Ahom kingdom of Assam for about 600 years. The kings of the dynasty were known as ‘Swargadeo’ who succeeded the throne from their fathers on the concurrence of a council of ministers in the kingdom.

Share this Article:

Ahom DynastyAhom dynasty comprised the rulers of Ahom kingdom of Assam. Sukaphaa had established this dynasty which lasted for about 600 years. Sukaphaa was a Shan prince of Mong Mao who travelled for a long period of time, crossed Patkai mountains and finally reached Assam. The rule of Ahom dynasty came to an end with the invasion of Burmese in Assam and later in 1826 owing to the `Treaty of Yandabo` which led to the annexation of the region by British East India Company. `Asam Raja` was the name given to the kings belonging to Ahom dynasty in medieval chronicles. The people of the kingdom used to call them `Chaopha` or `Swargadeo`.

Swargadeo of Ahom Dynasty
The first king of Ahom dynasty was Sukaphaa. He ruled over the Ahom kingdom from 1228 to 1268 AD. Succession of throne was determined by agnatic primogeniture in the kingdom. Only the descendents of Sukaphaa were eligible to become the kings but were not eligible to hold ministerial positions. This division of power was constant throughout the rule of Ahom dynasty. Once Atan Burhagohain was asked to be the king for Swargadeo, by the nobles, but the idea was strongly opposed by the Tai priests.

Previously kings of Ahom kingdom were usually appointed with the agreement of the Council of Ministers also known as `Patra Matris` which comprised the Borgohain, Borbarua, Burhagohain, Borpatrogohain and Borphukan. In 14th century, during three periods, the kingdom was devoid of any King owing to unavailability of deserving candidates for Kingship. The ministers also had the power to remove the unworthy kings from the throne by executing them. A great struggle for power arose in 17th century when the number of claimants to the throne increased which resulted in quick successions and execution of the former kings. To stop this brutal war of succession, a new rule was formulated during the reign of Sulikphaa Lora Roja according to whom the king had to be unblemished physically. To counteract this rule, new tricks were devised which involved slitting the ear of the next probable king. When Sukhrungphaa, also known as Rudra Sinha, visualized his brother Lechai as a threat, he mutilated his brother and sent him to some far off place. To solve further problem of succession, Rudra Sinha in his deathbed ordered all his sons to become the king. However, one of his sons known as Mohanmala was superseded by the others and consequently Mohanmala revolted against them with a group in the Moamoria rebellion. The unblemished rule was followed by the later kings and officials. Legends of Ahom kingdom say that Sukaphaa was the descendant of God Khunlung and thus the kings were believed to be of divine origin.

Ahom DynastyCoronation in Ahom Dynasty
Coronation of Ahom kings or Swargadeo was done in a special ceremony known as Singarigharutha. The ceremony was first performed by Sudangphaa. On this occasion, the first coins bearing the name of the new king were minted. Coronations of Kamaleswar Singha (1795 to 1811 AD) and Chandrakanta Singha (1811 to 1818 AD) were skipped on account of financial constraints caused due to Moamoria rebellion. This was suggested by the Prime Minister, Purnananda Burhagohain. After the demise of the kings, they were buried at Charaideo in vaults, also known as Moidam. In 17th century many of the Moidams were robbed by Mir Jumla. In the later period, some of the kings including Rajeswar Singha (1751 to 1769 AD) were cremated and their ashes were buried in the Moidams.

Queens of Ahom Dynasty
Ahom Queens had significant positions in state affairs. They were given gradation of positions which determined their official designations as Bor Kuwori, Raidangia Kuwori, Parvatia Kuwori, Tamuli Kuwori and many more who were the daughters of officials and nobles of the kingdom. Chamua kunworis was the name given to the lesser wives of Ahom kings. Separate estates were assigned to some queens and care was bestowed on them by state officials also known as Baruas and Phukans. Most of the times, the Queens also maintained the office after the removal or death of kings.

Customs of Ahom Dynasty
As per Ahom traditions, the king had to adopt an Ahom name. The name would be suggested by the priests of the kingdom. The names usually ended with "Pha". Kings of the later period however also adopted Hindu names that ended with Singha. Chomdeo was considered as the deity of kingdom during the reign of Swargadeo Sukaphaa. The king also had several classes of priests known as Bailung, and Deodhai etc. Religion and customs had great impact on the Ahom kingdom.

Ahom DynastyRoyal Houses in Ahom Dynasty
In Ahom dynasty, Subinphaa (1281 to 1293AD) had delineated seven houses. Out of these, the first lineage comprised of the kings, next two were of Borgohain and Burhagohain and the rest four were priestly lineages. The position of `Charing Raja` was established by Sukhramphaa (1332 to 1364 AD) for the heir apparent. This position was firstly occupied by Chao Pulai, Sukhramphaa`s half brother, but he could not finally acquire the position of the king. Descendants of the earlier kings were settled by Suhungmung Dihingia Raja (1497 to 1539 AD) and he assigned them seven royal houses viz. Tipamiya, Saringiya, Samuguriya, Dihingiya, Parvatiya, Tungkhungiya and Namrupiya. The distinct periods of Ahom dynasty later was recognized by these names. The kings of the kingdom were guarded by six thousand soldiers under a Bhitarual Phukan. Sukhamphaa Khora Raja had also created a unit of musketeers which comprised of the relatives of the king. They were the protectors of the palace, the capital and environs.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India


History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.