Matta (chief)

Mahattah, or Matta, was the Rajput chief and later feudatory of Siwistan, in what is now Pakistan. He ruled from Sehwan Sharif, in the Sindh region, in the 7th century CE.

Life

Matta, a member of the Rai dynasty, was chief of Siwistan in what is today Pakistan. He succeeded his father as chief. When Chach of Alor began the expansion of his empire, he entered Siwistan. Matta and a large retinue met Chach's army, and a battle was fought between the opposing factions. Chach defeated Matta and he was forced to flee to his fort. Besieged, his garrison surrendered and, after one week, he sued for peace. Chach, however, appointed Matta as his governor in Siwistan leaving just one of his own officers to oversee the new governmental structure.

After his conquest of Siwistan, Chach called on Agham Lohana, ruler of Brahmanabad, to acknowledge his sovereignty. A short time later, Chach's soldiers seized a messenger bearing letters from Agham to Matta. The correspondence revealed that Matta had decided to defect from Chach's service and was to travel to Brahmanabad, where he would be granted asylum and given a residence. Matta, realizing that his plans had been discovered, fled Siwistan for the safety of Zābul. The tense situation between Alor and Brahmanabad later escalated into war, and Agham was killed in battle.