The Palas (8th to 11th Century)
The Pala empire was referred to as Rhumi by the Arab trader Sulaiman, who travelled to India in the ninth century.
In 750 AD, Gopala established the Pala Empire. As a devout follower of Buddhism, Gopala is claimed to have erected the monastery at Odantapuri (in Bihar’s Sharif district).
Dharmapala, Gopala’s son, succeeded him and brought the Pala empire to unprecedented heights. Under his leadership, the kingdom grew to include all of Bengal and Bihar.
Dharmapala passed away after a 32-year reign, leaving his vast domains intact for his son Devapala to rule over.
For forty years, beginning in 810, Devapala ruled as king. Pragjyotishpur (Assam), a portion of Orissa, and a portion of modern-day Nepal came under his dominion.
He was a sponsor of Haribhadra, a renowned Buddhist scholar. The Buddhist poet and Lokesvarasataka author Vijrakatta ornamented Dev Apala’s court
Major Dynasties (750 – 1200 AD)
Three major dynasties dominated this historical period. The Upper Gangetic plains and western India were governed by the Gurjara-Pratihara until the middle of the tenth century. The Pala people had supremacy over eastern India until the mid-9th century.
The fight between the three aforementioned kingdoms is known as the “tripartite struggle” because they were constantly at odds with one another and attempted to dominate the Gangetic area of north India.
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