Origins of the Pala dynasty 

The region of Bengal had been at a crossroads ever since the death of king Shashank in 637 CE. The chaos was followed by the people of Bengal installing a ruler of their choice, Gopala on the throne in c. 750. It was no mean feat for such a central control to have been established at a time of chaos, and reflects how people, ‘subordinating private interests to public welfare’.[ref]

Gopala’s reign marked the beginning of the Pala dynasty. He was a Buddhist, and is said to have founded a monastery in Nalanda. He fortified the territories of the Palas, laying the foundation for his son’s splendorous reign.

Accession of Dharmapala (770-810)

Dharmapala ascended to the throne in c. 770. Upon accession, he was faced with a lot of political troubles. The Rashtrakutas of Deccan were at the peak of their powers and so were the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Dharmapala was humbled in his first battle against Pratihara king Vatsaraja, but the latter didn’t get to celebrate his victory. He was almost immediately defeated by the Rashtrakuta king Dhruva. Dharmapala very deftly used this political opening to expand his empire towards the north. The Rashtrakutas, rather mysteriously, returned to the Deccan after winning the war, and a huge chunk of North India was primed to come under the sway of Dharmapala.

Durbar at Kannauj

Dharmapala held a famous durbar at Kannauj, where he also installed Chakrayudha as the ruler. This was done after he defeated his enemy Indrayuda. A number of vassal chiefs attended the durbar, including the rulers of Bhoja, Yadu, Kuru, Avanti and Gandhara. In many poetic records, Dharmapala is referred as uttarapathaswamin (Lord of North India). This reflects the degree to which he had extended his power over vast territory, based out of modern-day Bihar and Bengal.

Nagabhatta II, son of Vatsaraja, mounted a serious challenge to Dharmapala’s reign in North India. He annexed Kannauj from Chakrayudha, and Dharmapala was forced to retreat. A pitched battle was fought between the Pratihara and Pala armies, with Dharmapala’s forces being routed. However, the Rashtrakutas under Govinda III intervened again and this time it was Nagabhatta II who faced defeat. Rashtrakuta records claim that Dharmapala and Chakrayudha submitted of their own accord to Govinda III, but this submission was only for a short duration. Once Govinda III returned to handle affairs in Deccan, Dharmapala was left free to pursue his imperial ambitions.  

Dharmapala married Kannadevi, daughter of a Rashtrakuta king. This tacit alliance between the Rashtrakutas and Palas can be further construed through the marital alliance between the two kingdoms.

Vikramshila University

In the course of his extensive campaigns, Dharmapala also visited holy sites like Kedarnath and Gokarna. Tibetan records describe Dharmapala as having founded the educational centre and Buddhist monastery of Vikramashila. He also founded a monastery at Somapuri in Varendra. Many records claim that he founded the Odantapuri monastery (in Bihar), although there are conflicting claims of this being founded by Devapala or Gopala.[ref]

Legacy

Dharmapala ruled for almost four decades, and ushered an era of great prosperity in Bengal and adjoining regions. He was succeeded by his son Devapala, who upheld his legacy by expanding the Pala empire to cover almost the whole of north India. Inscriptions claim that he led campaigns as far as Kamboja in the west and Vindhyas in the South.