History of Ancient Bengal

The word Bengal, often known as Bangla, has no known precise origin. Vanga, who established
the Vanga Kingdom, was one of King Vali's adopted sons, according to the Mahabharata, Purana,
and Harivamsha. The Nesari plates (805 AD) of the South Indian king Rashtrakuta Govinda III,
who conquered Northern India in the ninth century, include the oldest known mention of
"Vangala." These plates allude to Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. Govindachandra is referred
to as the ruler of Vangaladesa in the annals of Rajendra Chola I of the Chola Dynasty, who
conquered Bengal in the 11th century. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah assumed the title "Shah-e-
Bangalah" and, for the first time, brought the entire territory under a single rule.
The Eastern region of the Indian Subcontinent, which included parts of West Bengal, India, and
modern-day Bangladesh, was home to the Vanga Kingdom, often referred to as Banga. In ancient
Bangladesh, the two most powerful tribes were the Vanga and the Pundra.
“Janapada” means human settlement. Janapadas were mainly territories where a group of men,
women, including artisans, merchantsand others formed a colony and lived together. They often
fought with other Janapadas forland, or other materialistic needs. The state as undivided Bengal
was not born at a time. It flourished through Janapadas. From different inscriptions and literary
works, we came to know about sixteen Janapadas of Bengal. However, the borders of the Janapadas
never remained the same. Sometimes, the area of some Janapadas extended as well as declined.
It is accurate to say that their bounds were not constant during all of time. The distance between
them fluctuated in size from time to time. Below are descriptions of a few of the janapadas:

Gaur:
In the sixth century, Gaur was located in the northern region of East Bengal.Sasanka ruled the Ga
ur kingdom in the seventh century.At the period, the capital was located in Murshidabad's moder
n district, in a place called Karnasuborna. Before the Muslim conquest, Lakhnauti in theMaldah d
istrict was occasionally referred as Gaur. Even during the time of the Muslim, this area was
referred to as Gaur.
Banga:
This area of Bangladesh was located in the east and southeast, and its name was derived from t
he Banga people.We learn about two regions of Banga from the ancient stone inscription: "Vikra
mpura," which is now Munshiganj, and "Navya," which includes the lowlying territories of Farid
pur,Bakerganj,and Patuakhali. It was a powerful region; it has been learnt that the reputed “Banga
Raj” and the Banga soldiers took part in many formidable battles.

Pundra:
One of the significant janapadas included the modern districts of Bogra, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and
Dinajpur. Pundra Janapada's "Pundranagar," afterwards known as "Pundra Vardhana, severed as
its capital. These round stone fragments had inscriptions etched on them that are thought to date
back to Asoka’s reign in the third century B.C., making them the oldest stone carving ever
discovered in Bangladesh.
Barendra: Other names for it include Barendri and Barendrabhumi.Additionally, it was a janapa
da in North Bengal.It is assumed that it was a component of Pundra.The Barendra janapada cover
ed a sizable area in the districts of Bogra and Rajshahi.

Samatata: In the East and SouthEast of Bengal, Samatata was a neighboring janapada of Banga.I
n the middle of the seventh century, the Chinese explorer Hiuen Sung visited Samatata and
recorded his experiences in a book. The Samatata encompassed the region from
the estuary of theMeghna to the East of the Ganga-Bhagirathi. Many people think that this
janapada included Bara Kamta from the Comilla area.

Harikela: The modern city of Sylhet is thought to have been the Harikela janapada.
Although some believe Harikela was part of Banga janapada rather than being a separate janapad
a.
A well-known pre-Aryan kingdom of this region was Gangariddi or Gangaridai, located
somewhere on the bank of the river Ganges. It was a powerful kingdom in the time when Alexander
the Great invaded the North-Western part of India. Besides, the most ancient Dynasty of
Bangladesh “Maurya Dynasty” was established before the advent of the Aryans

❖ The Maurya Dynasty(324/322BC-185BC)

• Rise of the Maurya Dynasty
In 322 BC, Chandragupta Maurya established the Maurya Dynasty.At Pataliputra,
the empire's capital was located (modern Patna). A number of traditions claim that Chanakya visi
ted the huge, militarily potent, and feared by its neighboring kingdom of Magadha. However, the
Nanda Dynasty's Dhana Nanda, the nation's king, insulted Chanakya. Chanakya made the decisio
n to avenge himself by destroying the Nanda empire. Young Chandragupta Maurya and his troop
s were encouraged by Chanakya to seize control of Magadha. Chandragupta recruited a large
number of young man from all over Madagha and other provinces who were dissatisfied with king
Dhana’s oppressive and corrupt rule, as well as the supplies his army would need to fight a
protracted series of battles, using his intelligence network. In the end, Chandragupta Maurya
attacked and was victorious.
Maurya Dynasty – Rulers
Chandragupta Maurya (324/322- 298 B.C.)
Bindusara (298 – 273 B.C.)
Asoka (273 – 232 B.C)

Chandragupta Maurya
The founder of Maurya Dynasty, he lived from 340-298 BC.
• Kautilya provided the strategy and Chandragupta executed it. They had raised a mercenary army
of their own. • Then, they moved eastward into Magadha. • In a series of battles, he defeated Dhana
Nanda and laid the foundations of the Maurya Empire in about 322 BC. • Chandragupta defeated
the invasion led by Seleucus I, a Macedonian general from Alexander's army, and gained additional
territory west of the Indus River. • In its time, the Maurya dynasty was one of the largest empires
of the world. • Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador at Chandragupta‟s court.
• Chandragupta Maurya was called the first all Indian-emperor
In its time, the Maurya Empire was one of the largest empires of the world. At its greatest extent,
the empire stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the Himalayas, to the east into
Assam, to the west into Balochistan (southwest Pakistan and southeast Iran) and into the Hindu
Kush mountains of what is now Afghanistan. He not only established political unity, but also made
india free from the influence of foreign affairs. That’s why he was called the first all indian
emperor.
Chanakya
• Teacher of Chandragupta Maurya, who was also his Chief Minister. • He was a teacher and
scholar. Other names are Vishnugupta and Kautilya. • He was also a minister in the court of
Bindusara. • He is credited to be the master strategist behind the fall of the Nanda throne and the
rise of the Mauryan Empire through his student, Chandragupta. • He wrote Arthashastra which is
a treatise on statecraft, economics, and military strategy. Arthashastra was rediscovered by R
Shamasastry in 1905 after it had disappeared in the 12th century.The work contains 15 books and
180 chapters. The main theme is divided into: i. King, Council of Ministers and Departments of
the Government ii. Civil and criminal law iii. Diplomacy of war • It also contains information on
trade and markets, a method to screen ministers, duties of a king, ethics, social welfare, agriculture,
mining, medicine, forests, etc. • Chanakya is also called „Indian Machiavelli”.

• Second Ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty Bindusara

• Son of Chandragupta Maurya.
• He ruled from 298 BC to 273 BC.
• Also called Amitraghata
• He had appointed his son, Ashoka as the governor of Ujjain.
• Bindusara extended the Mauryan dynasty to Mysore as well.
Ashoka the Great
Bindusara died in 272 BCE, and was succeeded by his son, Ashoka the Great (304-232 BC). As a
young prince, Ashoka (r. 273-232 BC) was a brilliant commander who crushed revolts in Ujjain.
As monarch, he was ambitious and aggressive, reasserting the Empire's superiority in southern and
western India. But it was his conquest of Kalinga (262-261 BC) that proved to be the pivotal event
of his life. Although Ashoka's army succeeded in overwhelming Kalinga forces of royal soldiers
and civilian units, an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the furious warfare,
including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own men. Hundreds of thousands of people were adversely
affected by the destruction and fallout of war. When he personally witnessed the devastation,
Ashoka began feeling remorse. Although the annexation of Kalinga was completed, Ashoka
embraced the teachings of Buddhism, and renounced war and violence. He sent out missionaries
to travel around Asia and to spread Buddhism in other countries.
Decline of the Maurya Dynasty  It declined for about 50 years after Ashoka's rule ended in 185
BC with the foundation of the Shunga Dynasty in Magadha.  The enormity of the empire and its
administrative weakness, the evils of non-violence, the lack of a competent ruler after Ashoka, etc.
accelerated the decline of Maurya Dynasty.  Another reason was Cost of Kalinga war and the
post-war campaign for the propagation of Buddhism creates a vast of economic crisis. As a result,
this economic weakness accelerated the downfall of the Mauryan Dynasty.
Administration: The Mauryan Empire was divided into four provinces, with the imperial capital
at Pataliputra, near the Ganges River in the modern state of Bihar in India. The Edicts of Ashoka,
a collection of inscriptions made during Ashoka’s reign from 269-232 BC, give the names of the
Maurya Empire’s four provincial capitals: Tosali in the east,Ujjain in the west,Suvarnagiri in the
south, and in North Taxila. The organizational structure began at the imperial level with the
emperor and his Mantriparishad, or Council of Ministers. The head of the provincial administration
was the Kumara, or royal prince, who governed the provinces as the king's representative, with the
assistance of Mahamatyas, who were essentially regional prime ministers. Through this
sophisticated system of bureaucracy, the empire governed all aspects of government at every level,
from municipal hygiene to international trade. The Maurya Empire provided political stability.
The Gupta Empire (275-551) AD  Rise of the Gupta Empire: Sri Gupta was the founder of the
Gupta Empire. Famous historian Vincent Smith mentions that his reign was (275-300) AD.
Chandragupta I was called the real founder of the Gupta Empire.
Gupta Empires – Rulers
➢ Sri Gupta (275-300) AD
➢ Ghatotkacha Gupta (300-320) AD
➢ Chandragupta I (320-340) AD
➢ Samudragupta (340-380) AD
➢ Chandragupta II ( 380-413) AD
➢ Kumara Gupta (415-455) AD
➢ Skanda Gupta (455-467) AD
The Reason behind the origin of the Gupta Empire:
Famous historian R.C Majumder,in his book “Ancient India” says that the reaction of slach
invasion and civilization in seen in the Gupta empire. Economically the Ganges-Jamuna valley
was a very fertile region. So the influence of agriculture and trade was more in this region which
helped the rise of Gupta empire.
Samudragupta (340-380) :
After the death of Chandragupta I, his worthy son Samudragupta ascended the throne. He was the
best king of the Gupta dynasty. Historian Vincent A. Smith calls Samudragupta as the Napoleon
of ancient India. Because he established political unity in India like Chandragupta Maurya. He
extended the empire to the Himalayas and Kashmir in the north, the Narmada river in the south,
the Brahmaputra river in the east, the eastern Punjab and Rajputana in the west. Because of his
military powers, Vincent Smith referred to Samudragupta as Indian Napoleon. Chandragupta II
After the death of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II ascended the throne of Magadha in about 380
AD. He was a patron of science and put an end to the shock rule in western India.
The Golden Age of India: The prosperity of the Gupta Empire produced a golden age of cultural
and scientific advancements. A period at the height of the Gupta Empire, marked by extensive
inventions and discoveries that contributed to Hindu culture, in subjects such as science,
technology, art, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy. 
Formation of All India Empire
After the fall of the Maurya Empire, a dark age began in India at Shunga and Kushan dynasty. The
almost extinct Hindu Empire was revived in the Gupta period and was able to survive in India for
about 200 years.
Mathematics
One of the important developments was the decimal system notation. During the Gupta period,
there was no symbol for denoting ‘zero’. The mathematician Aryabhatta discovered the theory of
‘zero’. Another important concept developed during this time was Trigonometry. Concepts like
‘sine’ were also known to the Gupta. New techniques also developed during this period to solve
problems based on Aryabhatta Algorithm, Algebra and Geometry.
Astronomy
The greatest scientists of the Gupta period were Aryabhatta and Brahmihir. During this period
Aryabhatta discovered the diurnal and annual motions and Brahmihir wrote an astrology called
Brihatsanghita.
Medicine
During the Gupta period there was usage of mercury and iron in medicine. The use of these
materials indicates the fact that the people belonging to the Gupta era had the knowledge of
chemistry and they even practiced it. Doctors during that time were aware of operations and also
knew how to conduct one when required.
Literature
Literature reached its pinnacle during the Gupta period. The primary themes of literature were
poetry and romantic comedies. The literature work of the Gupta period related to human behavior
more than the religious ideas. Sanskrit literature was very popular and was sponsored by many
Gupta empire rulers. Chandragupta II had nine poets in his court. The supreme poet among these
nine was Kalidasa.
Education
Education played an important role in the Gupta period. Primary and higher education both are
exists in this period. Women could obtain education, unlike in other parts of the world. There were
many educational institutions and universities set up in major cities. Nalanda University was
established by Kumaragupta I in the 5th century. The university was an important learning center
and was one of the first universities which provided hostels for the students. The Takshila
University was one of the first centers in the world which offered higher education.
Administrative System
The Empire was classified into separate administrative divisions like Rajya, Rashtra, Desha,
Mandala, etc. Thus, importance was given to decentralization of power. The administrative
division helped the rulers to systematically control their territories. The provinces were divided
into numerous districts and a Vishayapati was appointed to control it. They were assisted in this
work by his council of representatives.
Judicial System
The Gupta Empire had a separate judicial system. At the lowest level of the judicial system was
the village assembly or trade guild. These were the councils appointed to settle the disputes
between the parties that appear before them. The King presided over the highest court of appeal.
In discharging his duty, the King was assisted by judges, ministers, priests, etc. The decision or the
judgement of the court was based on the legal texts, the social customs prevailing during those
times, or upon the decision of the King. It is believed that the punishments awarded to the guilty
persons were mild.
Art, Sculpture & Architecture
Significant progress was made in architecture, sculpture and painting during the Gupta period.
Mathura, Varanasi and Pataliputra were centers of art during this period. During the Gupta period,
Buddha statues, Shiva statues were made and Ajanta cave painting developed.

Why did the Gupta empire fall?

The Huna People, also known as Huns, invaded Gupta territory and caused significant damage to
the empire. The Gupta Empire ended in 551 AD, when it disintegrated into regional kingdoms after
a series of weak rulers and invasions from the east, west, and north.
 Who ruled during the Golden Age of India?
The Gupta Empire, which ruled the Indian subcontinent from 275 to 551 AD, ruled in a golden age
of Indian civilization.

❖ The Gauda Kingdom (606-637) A.D

Rise of the Gauda Kingdom:

During the 7th century, the Gauda Kingdom was founded by King Sashanka, whose reign
corresponds with the beginning of the Bengali calendar. Gauda became known as Lakhnauti during
the gauda dynasty. Taking advantage of the fall of the Gupta Empire, the Maukhari dynasty of
Kanauj tried to occupy Gauda or North Bengal. But their efforts was not successful and the kings
of the later Gupta dynasty retained the kingdom of Gauda. Guptaraja Mahasengupta resisted the
attack of the king of Kamrup and defended his power in Gauda,but later Mahasengupta was
defeated by the Kalchuri force. As a result, the next Gupta dynasty in Gauda were weakened. In
this situation Sashanka established the independent Gauda state in 606 AD.The independent state
of Gauda was made up of North Bengal and West Bengal. Gauda kingdom – Ruler Sasanka :
Sashanka was the first independent and sovereign king of Bengal. Sashanka's title was
Mahasamanta and his capital was Karnasuvarna. Shashanka established the independent kingdom
of Gauda in the early 7th century, around 606 AD.

Sashanka's achievements:
1. He established the independent Gauda state. 2. He implantation efficient governance. 3. He
maintain state unity and expansion of empire. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, the Pala
kings established a vast empire following the policy introduced by Sashanka by conquering his
kingdom.

Decline of Gauda Kingdom : Sasanka , the king of Bengal or Gauda ,was the contemporary of
king Harshabardhan. It's considered that King Sashanka was defeated in a battle with
Harshavardhana in 637 AD and fall of the independent kingdom of Gauda.
Matsyanyayam

Matsyanyayam the condition of Bengal in the century following the death of sHasanka and before
the rise of the Palas (c 750-850 AD) has been described as matsyanyayam (matsyanyayam). In a near
contemporary inscription, the Khalimpur copperplate of the 32nd year of the second Pala ruler
dharmapala, and the 12th century ramacharitam kavya of Sandhyakaranandi the anarchical condition
of Bengal preceding the rise of the Pala dynasty is found mentioned as matsyanyayam.
The Sanskrit term matsyanyayam, used in ancient texts, bears special significance. The Kautilya
Arthaxastra (1.4.13-14) defines the term as follows: When the law of punishment is kept in
abeyance, it gives rise to such disorder as is implied in the proverb of fishes, ie, the larger fish
swallows a smaller one, for in the absence of a magistrate, the strong will swallow the weak.

The doctrine of matsyanyaya, which contends that in times of disorder when there is no ruler, the
strong devour the weak, just as in times of drought big fish eat little fish, was a common political
philosophy of the Mauryan empire. Consequently, it was believed that a ruler was absolutely
necessary.
❖ The Pala Dynasty (750-1161) AD
Pala empire was founded in 8th century and they controlled Bengal and Bihar for nearly 400 years.
In the Indian subcontinent, this empire was one of the most powerful Buddhist imperial powers. The
Palas were best known for their political stability, development of art & architecture and their
ongoing tripartite struggle with Pratiharas and Rashtrakuta.

Gopala was the founder of the Pala dynasty. The kings of Pala dynasty ruled this country for 400
years at a stretch. No other dynasty ruled this country so long as Pala Dynasty.
Pala Dynasty – Background
• After Harshvardhana's death, many kingdoms rose to dominance in Northern and Eastern
India in the 7th century.
• The ruler of Gauda Kingdom i.e. Shashanka was the contemporary of King Harshavardhana
and between 590 and 625 CE, he controlled the Bengal area.
• Soon after the death of Gauda King Shashanka, lawlessness erupted in the country's
northern and eastern parts, allowing the Palas to seize control and establish the Pala Empire.
• The Pala Empire began its authority in the states of Bihar and Bengal, but the borders of
the Pala dynasty's ruled provinces changed frequently due to the kingdom's various
collapses and revivals.
• The Bengal region was in a state of revolt after the fall of the Shashanka's empire, and there
was no central authority to rule the state, so Gopala ascended the throne as the first emperor.
• He established the Pala Empire in the eighth century.
• For nearly four centuries, the Palas dynasty ruled over Bihar, Bengal, and parts of Orissa
and Assam, with numerous ups and downs.

Administrative Features of Pala Empire

• The Pala dynasty created its administration model based on the Gupta empire's
administrative practices.
• The Pala Dynasty had a monarchical administrative structure. All power was concentrated
in the hands of the king or monarch.
• Parameshwar, Paramvattaraka, or Maharajadhiraja were offered to the Pala rulers.
• In the Pala dynasty, the throne was passed down through generations.
 • The King was aided by a group of ministers who were hereditary and nominated by the
King from prominent families.
• Some provinces in the Pala empire were under the direct rule of the King, while others were
under the control of Vassal chiefs.
Religious Features of Palas
• Buddhism and Hinduism were the dominant religions throughout the Pala Dynasty.
• They were largely Buddhists and practised Mahayana Buddhism.
• Though Shaivism and Vaishnavism were also patronized by them. The King made land
concessions to Brahmanas and priests.
• Despite the fact that the Pala monarchs were Buddhists, the majority of their subjects were
Hindus.
• Dharmapala has made religious tolerance the official policy of the state and his successors
continued to follow this policy.
Art & Architectural Features of Palas
• The Pala period was very crucial in terms of art & architecture. Many art forms were
developed during this age, including Mahavihar, Chaityas, Temples, Terracottas, Stupas
and paintings.
• The majority of the art was religious, with Buddhist art dominating the first two hundred
years and Hindu art dominating the following two hundred.
• In Mahaviharas, Nalanda, Vikramashila, Somapura and Odantpuri vihara are famous.
• Odantpuri Mahavihara (750-770) was so magnificent that it was used as a model for the
first Tibetan monastery.
• Although the Pala emperors were Buddhists, they built several Hindu temples.
• These temples were built in the Vanga style, which is a well-known temple style.
• Apart from Vihara, Chaitya and temple construction, they focused on paintings also.
• In painting, two forms were practised by them. One is Manuscripts/ Miniature painting and
the other is Wall Painting/ Mural painting.
• The Pala School of Painting is one of India's earliest examples of miniature painting.
• They are considered the founder of the Miniature form of painting in India.
• Astasahasrika-Prajnaparamita (The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand) and
'Panchraksh' are two important miniature paintings.
• Palas were not merely conquerors; they were also religious patrons who had made
significant investments in education.
• Dharmapala, the emperor, renovated the Nalanda university and built the Vikramasila
University and Somapura Mahavihara, all of which were Buddhist academic centres.
• Under their patronage, the 'Pala School of Sculptural Art' was established.
• And a new type of stone and bronze sculpture evolved and Palas were known for their
bronze casting.
Pala Dynasty –
Rulers
• Gopala (750-770) AD
• Dharmapala (770-810) AD - He was the most famous of all Pala kings.
• Devapala (810-850) AD
• Mahipala I (988-1038) AD
• Mahipala II (1072-1077 ) AD
• Rampala (1077-1130) AD – Last powerful king.
• Madanpala (1144-1161) AD (Last Empire)
•
Gopala (750 – 770 AD) • First Pala king and founder of the dynasty. • Was elected by a group of
people. • At the time of his death, Pala kingdom included Bengal and most of Bihar. • Considered
the first Buddhist king of Bengal.
Dharmapala (770 – 810 AD) • Son and successor of Gopala. • Founded the Vikramshila
University at Bhagalpur, Bihar. • He had frequent wars with the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas.
• The Palas became the most powerful kingdom in northern and eastern India during his rule.
Devapala (810 – 850 AD) • Son of Dharmapala. • Extended the kingdom to Assam, Odisha and
Kamarupa. • Was a staunch Buddhist and built many monasteries and temples in Magadha. •
Defeated the Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghavarsha.
Mahipala I • Ascended the throne in 988 AD. • Recovered northern and eastern Bengal.
Ramapala • The last strong Pala king. • The kingdom disintegrated during his son Kumarapala‟s
reign.
Madanapala (1144 – 1161 AD) • After him, the Sena dynasty replaced the Palas. • The 18th ruler
of Pala dynasty and general considered the last ruler but he was succeeded by Govindapala who
lineage of this name is questionable.

The importance of the Pala dynasty:

• The pala kings increased their contact with the outside world. • The incredible Buddhist complex
of Paharpur was created under the Pala dynasty in Bengal. • They built magnificent monasteries
and temples: Somapura Mahavihara (in Bangladesh), Odantapuri Monastery. • They also
patronised Buddhist centres of learning like Nalanda University and the Vikramshila University. •
During this time, the Bengali language developed. The first Bengali literary work Charyapada is
attributed to this period. • Sanskrit scholars were also patronised by the Pala kings. • The Pala art
influence is seen in the art of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma and Java.
Administration: The foundation of feudal system was very strong in Pala period. In the Pala
period, land revenue was one sixth of the total crop. There was no constitutional control over the
power of the king. In the Pala period, the ministers worked from generation to generation.
 The Palas ruled over the Bengal region for nearly 400 years and they brought peace and prosperity
to Bengal by putting an end to centuries of civil war between rival factions. They were Buddhist
followers and follow the policy of religious tolerance. This empire was known for its political,
religious and art & architectural progress i.e., this Empire is regarded as the 'Golden Age’ of
Bengal.

❖
❖
❖ The Sena Dynasty (1098-1204) AD
The Bengal Sena Dynasty belonged to the Karnata Brahmana-Kshatriya clan in South India. Senas
succeeded the Palas as Bengal's ruler. The Sena Dynasty's distant ancestor was Virsena, whose
name appears in the Puranas. The Senas were known as the Brahma-Kshatriyas because they were
originally Brahmins but later became Kshatriyas. Samantasena was a well-known general who
distinguished himself in several South Indian wars. In his old age, he settled in Radha, Bengal, and
laid the groundwork for the family's future greatness. Samanta Sena founded the dynasty. Following
him was Hemanta Sena, who usurped power and declared himself king in 1095 AD.
Taking advantage of the weakness of the Pala kings, the Sena dynasty established in Bengal. Samanta
Sen was the ancestor of the Sena dynasty.
The Senas of Bengal - Background
✓ From the 11th to the 12th centuries AD, Bengal was ruled by the Sena Empire, a Hindu
dynasty. At its peak, the empire controlled a large portion of the Indian subcontinent's north-
eastern region.
✓ The Sena Dynasty traces its origins to the south Indian region of Karnataka.
✓ Hemanta Sen, the dynasty's founder, was a member of the Pala Dynasty until it began to
decline. In 1095 AD, Hemanta Sen usurped power and declared himself ruler.
✓ Vijaya Sena (ruled from 1095 AD to 1158 AD) helped establish the administration's
frameworks and had a surprisingly long reign of more than 60 years.
✓ Ballal Sena defeated Gaur in the Pala, became ruler of the Bengal Delta, and established
Nabadwip as the capital.
✓ Ballal Sena married Ramadevi, a Western princess of the Chalukya Empire, demonstrating
that the Sena rulers maintained close social contact with South India.
✓ Lakshman Sen succeeded Ballal Sena in 1179 AD and ruled Bengal for about 20 years,
expanding the Sena Empire to Assam, Odisha, Bihar, and possibly Varanasi.
✓ Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turkic general, attacked Nabadwip in 1203–1204 AD.
✓ Khilji defeated Lakshman Sen and took control of northwest Bengal; however, Sena retained
control of eastern Bengal.
Features of Senas:
✓ During the 11th and 12th centuries, Senas ruled from Bengal. The Sena Dynasty traces its
origins to the south Indian region of Karnataka.
✓ Vijayasena deposed Madanapala (the last ruler of the Pala dynasty) and established the Sena
dynasty. He was the genuine founder of the Sena kingdom.
✓ His son, Ballala Sena (1160-1178), instituted the social reforms known as Kulinism in Bengal.
✓ Lakshamanasena succeeded Ballal Sena. This dynasty's greatest ruler was Lakshmana Sena.
✓ He became weak near the end of his reign (Lakshmansena). Within his kingdom, there were
signs of disintegration. Muhammad Bhaktiyar Khalji dealt the Sena kingdom its final blow
(1204 AD).
✓ Sena rule in Bengal resulted in a significant revival of orthodox Hinduism.
✓ The caste system, which had become lax due to the Buddhist influence of the Palas, was
reestablished, and the Sena king Vallalasena is said to have founded the Bengali system of
hypergamy, or the socially upward marriage of women.
✓ Lakshmanasena (reigned c. 1178–c. 1207), the last Sena king, was a great patron of literature;
the poets Jayadeva and Dhoyi wrote at his court in Nadia.
✓ Lakshmanasena was expelled from Nadia by the Turkish chief Muammad Bakhtyar Khalji in
1202, and died about three years later.
✓ Sena kings continued to rule in eastern Bengal for several decades, but the Muslims gained
the majority of political power in Bengal.

Sena Dynasty– Rulers

• Samanta Sena (Ancestor)
• Hemanta Sena (Real Founder)
• Bijoy Sena (1098-1160) AD – (First Independent King)
• Ballal Sena (1160-1178) AD
• Lakhsmana Sena (1178-1205) AD (Last Independent King)
Importance of the Senas  The credit of safeguarding Bengal from anarchy after the fall of the
Pala Dynasty goes to the Senas.  Established political Unity.  The Senas believed in Hinduism.
They contributed towards the revival of Hinduism and Sanskrit literature in Bengal.  Ballal Sena
and Lakshmana Sena were great intellectuals and both patronized scholars and education. 
Jayadeva, the writer of Halayudha and Gita Govinda, was patronized by them.
Decline of Sena Dynasty: In 1204 AD, Turkish general Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar
Khalji invaded Bengal. At that time Lakshman Sen was the king of Sen dynasty. He could not
defend the capital Nadia from Turkish invasion. When Bakhtiyar Khalji attacked Nadia, Laxman
Sena and his family fled to East Bengal. After his death, his two sons, BishwarupSen and
Keshabsen ruled for some time, but finally the Sena dynasty collapsed in 1206/1207 due to Turkish
invasion and internal revolt.