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Medieval History of India: The Palas

The document summarizes the history of medieval India, highlighting several important dynasties that ruled regions of the subcontinent between the 8th and 14th centuries CE. The Pala dynasty ruled eastern India in the 8th-10th centuries and founded universities. The Sena dynasty took over Bengal after the Palas declined. The Pratiharas, based in Kanauj, were a powerful empire until invaded by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018. The Rashtrakutas ruled a vast territory in the Deccan and patronized the arts. The Chola Empire emerged in southern India in the 9th century under powerful rulers like Rajaraja I and Rajendra I, but declined by the early

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Mithelesh Koul
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82 views2 pages

Medieval History of India: The Palas

The document summarizes the history of medieval India, highlighting several important dynasties that ruled regions of the subcontinent between the 8th and 14th centuries CE. The Pala dynasty ruled eastern India in the 8th-10th centuries and founded universities. The Sena dynasty took over Bengal after the Palas declined. The Pratiharas, based in Kanauj, were a powerful empire until invaded by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018. The Rashtrakutas ruled a vast territory in the Deccan and patronized the arts. The Chola Empire emerged in southern India in the 9th century under powerful rulers like Rajaraja I and Rajendra I, but declined by the early

Uploaded by

Mithelesh Koul
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Medieval History - Culture and Heritage - Know India: National Portal of...

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Medieval History of India


For a period that has come to be so strongly associated with the Islamic influence and rule in India, Medieval Indian history
went for almost three whole centuries under the so-called indigenous rulers, that included the Chalukyas, the Pallavas, the
Pandyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Muslims rulers and finally the Mughal Empire. The most important dynasty to emerge in the
middle of the 9th century was that of the Cholas.

The Palas
Between 8th and 10th centuries A.D., a number of powerful empires dominated the eastern and northern parts of India. The
Pala king Dharmpala, son of Gopala reigned from the late 8th century A.D. to early 9th century A.D. Nalanda University and
Vikramashila University were founded by Dharmpala.

The Senas
After the decline of the Palas, the Sena dynasty established its rule in Bengal. The founder of the dynasty was Samantasena.
The greatest ruler of the dynasty was Vijaysena. He conquered the whole of Bengal and was succeeded by his son
Ballalasena. He reigned peacefully but kept his dominions intact. He was a great scholar and wrote four works including one
on astronomy. The last ruler of this dynasty was Lakshamanasena under whose reign the Muslims invaded Bengal, and the
empire fell.

The Pratihara
The greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty was Mihir Bhoja. He recovered Kanauj (Kanyakubja) by 836, and it remained the
capital of the Pratiharas for almost a century. He built the city Bhojpal (Bhopal). Raja Bhoja and other valiant Gujara kings
faced and defeated many attacks of the Arabs from west.
Between 915-918 A.D, Kanauj was attacked by a Rashtrakuta king, who devastated the city leading to the weakening of the
Pratihara Empire. In 1018, Kannauj then ruled by Rajyapala Pratihara was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni. The empire broke
into independent Rajput states.

The Rashtrakutas
This dynasty, which ruled from Karnataka, is illustrious for several reasons. They ruled the territory vaster than that of any
other dynasty. They were great patrons of art and literature. The encouragement that several Rashtrakuta kings provided to
education and literature is unique, and the religious tolerance exercised by them was exemplary.

The Chola Empire of the South


It emerged in the middle of the 9th century A.D., covered a large part of Indian peninsula, as well as parts of Sri Lanka and
the Maldives Islands.
The first important ruler to emerge from the dynasty was Rajaraja Chola I and his son and successor Rajendra Chola.
Rajaraja carried forward the annexation policy of his father. He led armed expedition to distant lands of Bengal, Odisha and
Madhya Pradesh.
The successors of Rajendra I, Rajadhiraj and Rajendra II were brave rulers who fought fiercely against the later Chalukya
kings, but could not check the decline of Chola Empire. The later Chola kings were weak and incompetent rulers. The Chola
Empire thus lingered on for another century and a half, and finally came to an end with the invasion of Malik Kafur in the
early 14th century A.D.
Ancient History: Harshavardhana

The Rise of Islam in South-Asia

Source: National Portal Content Management Team


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Ancient History
Medieval History

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