The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c13.s9: The Palas of North Bangal

c13.s9.1

In eastern India there were two well-known Rajput kingdoms. They were the Pala empire and the Sena kingdom. Once upon a time the Pala empire included the whole of Bangal and the whole of Bihar. But it was fast undergoing decay. In the twelfth century Ramapala, a king of this dynasty, was able to revive for a short period the imperial glory of his ancestors by a number of victories in Utkal, Kalinga and Kamarupa. After his death, however, the Pala dynasty relapsed into lethargy. The Brahmaputra Valley declared its independence. Similarly, southern Bangal cut itself off and everywhere petty governors not only raised their heads, but also behaved as independent chiefs. The later rulers of this dynasty, such as Kumarapala (1126-1130) and Madanapala (1130-1150), were weaklings and under them the once formidable Pala empire dwindled into a small kingdom confined to north Bangal. They lost most of Bihar. In Gaya and Hazaribagh district new dynasties came into existence.