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Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)
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Pala Empire
Empire
Level 2
★ Major power
c. 750 CE – c. 1161
Buddhist empire of Bengal and Bihar; patrons of Nalanda and Vikramashila.
- Capital
- Gauda / Pataliputra / Monghyr
- Region
- East
- Duration
- 411 years
- Main period
- Tripartite Struggle
Changing extent
Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).
At a glance
Move along the chart to read any year; click a ruler or event to open the map there.
Rulers
- Gopala Kingc. 750 CE – c. 770 CEElected to end matsyanyaya.
- Dharmapala Kingc. 770 CE – c. 810 CEFounded Vikramashila.
- Devapala Kingc. 810 CE – c. 850 CE
- Mahipala I Kingc. 988 CE – c. 1038Pala revival.
- Ramapala Kingc. 1077 – c. 1130Ramacharita of Sandhyakara Nandi.
Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.
Key events
| Year | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| c. 750 CE | Gopala elected king in Bengal Foundation of the Pala dynasty. |
Bengal |
| c. 800 CE | Vikramashila university founded | Vikramashila |
| c. 1161 | End of the Pala dynasty The Senas became the leading power in Bengal. |
Bengal |
Sites & monuments
Somapura Mahavihara, Paharpur
Religious monument · c. 780 CE
Personalities
📚 Recommended reading on the Pala Empire
Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Textbook
An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.
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History of Medieval India
The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.
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Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Pala Empire for a significant part of its history. The bar shows when, within its own span.
Anuradhapura Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 437 BCE – c. 1017
Overlap: 267 years
Pallava Dynasty ★
South · c. 275 CE – c. 897 CE
Overlap: 147 years
Chahamanas (Chauhans) of Shakambhari ★
West · c. 650 CE – c. 1194
Overlap: 411 years
Gurjara-Pratihara Empire ★
North · c. 730 CE – c. 1036
Overlap: 286 years
Rashtrakuta Empire ★
Deccan · c. 753 CE – c. 982 CE
Overlap: 229 years
Chola Empire ★
South · c. 848 CE – 1279
Overlap: 313 years
Ghaznavid Empire ★
Northwest · c. 977 CE – c. 1186
Overlap: 184 years
Polonnaruwa Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1070 – 1232
Overlap: 91 years
Western Ganga Dynasty
South · c. 350 CE – c. 1000
Overlap: 250 years
Kamarupa
Northeast · c. 350 CE – c. 1140
Overlap: 390 years
Maitraka Dynasty
West · c. 475 CE – c. 776 CE
Overlap: 26 years
Pandya Kingdom (First Empire)
South · c. 590 CE – c. 920 CE
Overlap: 170 years
Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi
Deccan · c. 624 CE – c. 1075
Overlap: 325 years
Karkota Dynasty of Kashmir
North · c. 625 CE – c. 855 CE
Overlap: 105 years
Turk Shahis
Northwest · c. 665 CE – c. 822 CE
Overlap: 72 years
Kalachuris of Tripuri
Central · c. 675 CE – 1212
Overlap: 411 years
Guhilas of Medapata
West · c. 728 CE – 1303
Overlap: 411 years
Tomaras of Delhi
North · c. 736 CE – c. 1152
Overlap: 402 years
Abbasid Caliphate — Sindh province
Northwest · c. 750 CE – c. 854 CE
Overlap: 104 years
Thakuri Kingdom of Nepal
Himalaya · c. 750 CE – 1200
Overlap: 411 years
Chera Perumals of Makotai
South · c. 800 CE – c. 1124
Overlap: 324 years
Paramara Dynasty
Central · c. 800 CE – 1305
Overlap: 361 years
Hindu Shahis
Northwest · c. 822 CE – c. 1026
Overlap: 204 years
Chandela Dynasty
Central · c. 831 CE – 1315
Overlap: 330 years
Habbarid Emirate
Northwest · c. 854 CE – c. 1011
Overlap: 157 years
Utpala Dynasty of Kashmir
North · c. 855 CE – c. 1003
Overlap: 148 years
Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat
West · c. 940 CE – 1244
Overlap: 221 years
Western Chalukyas of Kalyani
Deccan · c. 973 CE – c. 1189
Overlap: 188 years
Lohara Dynasty of Kashmir
North · c. 1003 – c. 1171
Overlap: 158 years
Hoysala Empire
South · c. 1026 – 1343
Overlap: 135 years
Soomra Dynasty
Northwest · c. 1026 – 1351
Overlap: 135 years
Sena Dynasty
East · c. 1070 – 1230
Overlap: 91 years
Eastern Ganga Dynasty
East · c. 1078 – 1434
Overlap: 83 years
Gahadavala Dynasty
Gangetic Plain · c. 1089 – c. 1197
Overlap: 72 years
Khasa Malla Kingdom
Himalaya · c. 1100 – c. 1400
Overlap: 61 years
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Overlap: 37 years
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Overlap: 33 years