The Pratiharas And The Palas

The Pratiharas were an Indian dynasty that ruled a large kingdom in northern India from the 6th to the 11th centuries. However the political history of the Pratiharas was marked with their career of enormous warfare. The ascendancy of the Pratihara power began with Nagabhatta I, who ascended the throne in the middle of the 8th century. He extended his control in the east and south from Mandor, conquering Malwa as far as Gwalior and the port of Bhrauch in Gujarat. He established his capital at Ujjaini in Malwa.

The greatest achievement of Nagabhatta was his victory against the Arabs. The Arabs had snatched a portion of Malwa. Thus the strong foundation of the Pratihara kingdoms was threatened. He inflicted a violent defeat to the Arabs. Thus the Arabs remained confined in the region of Sind and could not penetrate into India.

Nagabhatta I (c.730-760 CE)

He was known for checking the invasion of the Arabs and offered most successful resistance to the Arabs.
He offered strong resistance to Arabs and defeated them under Junaid and Tamin during the Caliphate campaigns in India.
He exercised control over the areas of Malwa, Rajputana, and Gujarat.

Vatsaraja (c.780-800 CE)

He extended his kingdom to a large part of North India and made Kannauj (in western U.P) his capital.
Vatsaraja’s policy of expansion brought him into conflicts with Dharampala, the Pala King of Bengal and Bihar and also with Rashtrakuta king Dhruva. This conflict was famously known as the ‘tripartite struggle’.
Vatsaraja defeated Dharampala (Pala King) who eyed to capture the Kannauj.
He was defeated by Dhruva, the Rashtrakuta King.

Nagabhatta II (c.800-833 CE)

During tripartite struggle, Dharampala was again defeated by Nagabhatta II, but Nagabhatta was defeated by Rashtrakuta king Govind III.
Nagabhatta II was succeeded by his own Ramabhadra, who ruled briefly, and was succeeded by his son Mihir Bhoja.

Bhoja I/Mihir Bhoja (c.836-885 CE)

He was the grandson of Nagabhatta II, who had long reign of over 48 years and proved to be the most successful and popular ruler of Pratiharas.
In early years of his reign he was defeated by the Palas, Rashtrakutas and the Kalchuris, but he subsequently made a comeback.
With aid of feudatories such as the Chedis and the Guhilas, he won victories over the Palas and the Rashtrakutas.
According to Arab travelers, the Pratiharas rulers had the best calvary in India.
Expansion checked by Sankarvarman of Kashmir and rashtrakuta Krishna II and Devapala.
He was a devotee of Vishnu and adopted the title of “Adivarah”.
The Kalachuris, the Chandals and the Arabs of Sindh acknowledged his supremacy.

Mahendrapala (c.885-910 CE)

Under Bhoja and his successor Mahendrapala I, the Pratiharas empire reached its peak of prosperity and power.
At the time of Mahendrapala I, the Empire reached west to the border of Sindh, east to Bengal, north to the Himalayas, and south past the Narmada.
He fought a battle with the King of Kashmir but had to yield to him some of the territories in the Punjab won by Bhoja.
He took the title of “Maharajadhiraja” of Aryavarta (Great King of Kings of Northern India).
His court was adorned by Rajashekhar, who was an eminent Sanskrit poet, dramatist and critic who wrote:
Karpuramanjari: A famous play written in Sauraseni Prakrit to please his wife, Avantisundari, a woman of taste and accomplishment. He is perhaps the only ancient Indian poet to acknowledge a woman for her contribution to his literary career.
Kavya Mimansa (around c.880-920 CE): A practical guide for poets that explains the elements and composition of a good poem.
Vidhasalabhanjika
Balaramayana
Prapanch Pandav
Balabharata
Bhusan Kosh

Mahipala I (c.913-944 CE)

He was defeated by the Rashtrakuta King Indra III, who completely devasted the city of Kannauj.
Gujarat passed into hands of the Rashtrakutas in this period, in al likelihood, as Al Masudi in his accounts mention that Pratihara Empire had no access to the sea.

Rajyapala (c.960-1018 CE)

The Rashtrakuta king Krishna III invaded north India in about 963 CE defeated the Pratihara ruler.
Raid of Mahmud Ghazni on Kannauj; Rajyapala fled from battlefield.
He was murdered by Vindhyadhar Chandella.

Yashpala (c.1024-1036 CE)

Last ruler of this dynasty.
By 1090 CE, the Gadhavalas conquered Kannauj.

The Palas Dynasty

The Pala Dynasty, which originated in the region of Bengal as an imperial power during the Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent. The dynasty was named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers bore names ending with the suffix of Palau, which meant “protector”. They were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. They were insightful diplomats and military conquerors. Their army was equipped with war elephant cavalry.

Gopala (around c.750 CE)

According to the Khalimpur copper plate inscription of Dharampala, Gopala in order to rescue the people from matsya-nyaya (a period of anarchy), founded the Pala dynasty when he was elected the king by notable men of the realm.
He displaced the later Guptas of Magadha and Khadga dynasty of eastern Bengal.
Gopala was an ardent Buddhist and according to Buddhist scholar Taranatha, Gopala built the famous monastery at

Dharmapala (c.770-810 CE)

Though he initially suffered defeats at the hands of the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas, but later he conquered large parts of northern India and raised the Pala Empire to great heights.
He was real founder of Pala Dynasty because he greatly expanded the boundaries of the empire, and made the Palas a dominant power in the northern and eastern India.
He was a great patron of Buddism.
He revived the Nalanda University and founded the Vikramshila University.
He built the great Vihara at Somapuri in Verendri and the Vihara in Paharpur.

Devapala (c.810-850 CE)

He was staunch Buddhist and constructed many temples and monasteries in Magadha.
He patronized the Vikramashila University and the Nalanda University.
Famous poet Vajradatta, who was author of Lokesvarashataka, was one of the gems of his court.
He expanded the realm of the authority of Pala Empire by conquering present day Assam and Orissa.

Mahendrapala (c.850-851 CE)

Jagjivanpur copper plate states that he was son of Devapala and younger brother of Shurapala I.

Shurapala I (c.852 CE)

As per Jagjivanpur inscription, He was younger brother and royal envoy of Mahendrapala.

Vigrahapala I (c.853 CE)

He ruled for very short period and after that became ascetic.

Narayanapala (c.854–908 CE)

Badal pillar inscription of his minister Bhatta Guravamishra provide information about his reign.

Rajyapala (c.908–940 CE)

He was seventh ruler of the Pala dynasty and was succeeded by his son Gopala II.

Gopala II (c.940–960 CE)

He was eighth ruler of the Pala dynasty who ruled for 20 years and was succeeded by Vigrhapala.

Vigrahapala II (c.960– 986 CE)

He was ninth ruler of Pala dynasty and was succeeded by Mahipala.

Mahipala I (c.988–1036 CE)

He was one of the mighty rulers of Pala dynasty who expanded his boundaries as far as Varanasi.

Nayapala (c.1038–1053 CE)

He was eleventh ruler of Pala dynasty.
He defeated the Kalachuri king Karna.

Vigrahapala III (c.1054–1072 CE)

He was twelfth ruler of the Pala dynasty and ruled for 15 years.
He was succeeded by Mahipala II.

Mahipala II (c.1072–1075 CE)

He was thirteenth ruler of the Pala dynasty and ruled for 5 years.
He was succeeded by Shurapala II.

Shurapala (c.1075–1077 CE)

He was fourteenth ruler of the Pala who ruled for two years.
He was succeeded by Ramapala.

Ramapala (c.1077–1130 CE)

He was fifteenth ruler of the Pala dynasty.
Sandhyakar Nandi was his court poet who wrote a Sanskrit two meaning base poem-like novel Ramacharitam.

Kumarapala (c.1130–1140 CE)

He was sixteenth ruler of the Pala line reigning for 10 years.
He was succeeded by Gopala III.

Gopala III (c.1140–1144 CE)

He was seventeenth ruler of the Pala dynasty and ruled for 4 years.
He was succeeded by Madanapala.

Madanapala (c.1144–1155 CE)

He was eighteenth ruler of Pala lineage and ruled for 18 years.

Govindapala (c.1155–1159 CE)

He was last ruler of Pala dynasty but his lineage is questionable.