THE PALA DYNASTY OF BENGAL 750-1159
The empire was founded with the election of Gopala as the emperor of Gauda in 750 CE.[4] The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and Bihar, which included the major cities of Vikrampura, Pataliputra, Gauda, Monghyr, Somapura, Ramvati (Varendra), Tamralipta and Jaggadala.The resurgent Hindu Sena dynasty dethroned the Pala Empire in the 12th century,The Pala period is considered one of the golden eras of Bengali history.
Expansion under Dharmapala and Devapala
Gopala's empire was greatly expanded by his son Dharmapala and his grandson Devapala. Dharmapala was initially defeated by the Pratihara ruler Vatsaraja. Later, the Rashtrakuta king Dhruva defeated both Dharmapala and Vatsaraja. After Dhruva left for the Deccan region, Dharmapala built a mighty empire in the northern India.
He defeated Indrayudha of Kannauj, and installed his own nominee Chakrayudha on the throne of Kannauj.
Nagabhata II, who conquered Kannauj and drove away Chakrayudha
Dharmapala was forced to surrender and to seek alliance with the Rashtrakuta emperor Govinda III, who then intervened by invading northern India and defeating
Nagabhata II
First period of decline
Following the death of Devapala, the Pala empire gradually started disintegrating. Vigrahapala, who was Devapala's nephew, abdicated the throne after a brief rule, and became an ascetic. Vigrahapala's son and successor Narayanapala proved to be a weak ruler. During his reign, the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha defeated the Palas. Encouraged by the Pala decline,
Revival under Mahipala I
Mahipala I recovered northern and eastern Bengal within three years of ascending the throne in 988 CE. He also recovered the northern part of the present-day Burdwan division. During his reign, Rajendra Chola I of the Chola Empire frequently invaded Bengal from 1021 to 1023 CE. ] Rajendra Chola I also defeated Mahipala, and obtained from the Pala king "elephants of rare strength, women and treasure"
Revival under Ramapala
After gaining control of Varendra, Ramapala tried to revive the Pala empire with limited success. He ruled from a new capital at Ramavati, which remained the Pala capital until the dynasty's end
Final decline
Ramapala was the last strong Pala ruler. After his death, a rebellion broke out in Kamarupa during his son Kumarapala's reign. The rebellion was crushed by Vaidyadeva, but after Kumarapala's death, Vaidyadeva practically created a separate kingdom.
List of Pala rulers[edit]
RC Majumdar (1971)[43] | AM Chowdhury (1967)[44] | BP Sinha (1977)[45] | DC Sircar (1975–76)[46] | D. K. Ganguly (1994)[41] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gopala I | 750–770 | 756–781 | 755–783 | 750–775 | 750–774 |
Dharmapala | 770–810 | 781–821 | 783–820 | 775–812 | 774–806 |
Devapala | 810–c. 850 | 821–861 | 820–860 | 812–850 | 806–845 |
Mahendrapala | NA (Mahendrapala's existence was conclusively established through a copper-plate charter discovered later.) | 845–860 | |||
Shurapala I | 850–853 | 861–866 | 860–865 | 850–858 | 860–872 |
Vigrahapala I | 858–60 | 872–873 | |||
Narayanapala | 854–908 | 866–920 | 865–920 | 860–917 | 873–927 |
Rajyapala | 908–940 | 920–952 | 920–952 | 917–952 | 927–959 |
Gopala II | 940–957 | 952–969 | 952–967 | 952–972 | 959–976 |
Vigrahapala II | 960–c. 986 | 969–995 | 967–980 | 972–977 | 976–977 |
Mahipala I | 988–c. 1036 | 995–1043 | 980–1035 | 977–1027 | 977–1027 |
Nayapala | 1038–1053 | 1043–1058 | 1035–1050 | 1027–1043 | 1027–1043 |
Vigrahapala III | 1054–1072 | 1058–1075 | 1050–1076 | 1043–1070 | 1043–1070 |
Mahipala II | 1072–1075 | 1075–1080 | 1076–1078/9 | 1070–1071 | 1070–1071 |
Shurapala | 1075–1077 | 1080–1082 | 1071–1072 | 1071–1072 | |
Ramapala | 1077–1130 | 1082–1124 | 1078/9–1132 | 1072–1126 | 1072–1126 |
Kumarapala | 1130–1125 | 1124–1129 | 1132–1136 | 1126–1128 | 1126–1128 |
Gopala III | 1140–1144 | 1129–1143 | 1136–1144 | 1128–1143 | 1128–1143 |
Madanapala | 1144–1162 | 1143–1162 | 1144–1161/62 | 1143–1161 | 1143–1161 |
Govindapala | 1155–1159 | NA | 1162–1176 or 1158–1162 | 1161–1165 | 1161–1165 |
Palapala | NA | NA | NA | 1165–1199 | 1165–1200 |
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