Lesson 1/34 min
The age of anarchy & the Palas
After Shashanka's death Bengal had no capable ruler for a long time, and local chiefs fought with weapons, each hoping to be king. The Pala copperplates call this lawless age ‘Matsyanyaya’. It ended at about 750 with Gopala.
The Palas at a glance
- ‘Matsyanyaya’ = a lawless, anarchic state of affairs (7th–8th century)
- Founder and first king: Gopala; time: about 750 CE
- Bengal's first hereditary dynasty; it ruled for about four hundred years
- The Palas were Buddhists; ‘pala’ means protector
- The Charyapada, the oldest specimen of the Bangla language, was composed in the Pala period
The main Pala kings
| King | Time (about) | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Gopala | about 750 | first Pala king; ended the anarchy |
| Dharmapala | about 770–810 (books: 781–821) | greatest Pala king; Somapura Vihara; Vikramshila Vihara |
| Devapala | after Dharmapala, early 9th century | the Pala empire at the peak of its power |
| Mahipala I | about 995–1043 | won back lost lands; the dynasty's ‘second founder’ |
| Mahipala II | late 11th century (books: 1075–1080) | killed in the Kaibarta revolt; leader Divya (Divyok) |
| Ramapala | about 1082–1124 | recovered Varendra; new capital Ramavati; hero of the ‘Ramacharita’ |
| Madanapala | about 1143–1162 | last Pala king; lost north Bengal to the Senas |
Monuments and books
- Somapura Vihara: built by Dharmapala; it stands at Paharpur in Naogaon
- Vikramshila Vihara: Dharmapala's work, near Bhagalpur (in Bihar)
- ‘Ramacharita’: a Sanskrit poem by Sandhyakar Nandi; it tells us about Ramapala
Watch out: Pala dates differ between sources: the books print both 750 and 756, and Dharmapala is dated 781–821 in some and about 770–810 in others. Remember them as ‘about’ and read the options.
Did you know?: Madanapala is the last Pala king. One book advises: if he is not among the options, pick Ramapala, the last successful Pala ruler.
Memory trick: Dharmapala → Somapura Vihara (Naogaon); Ramapala → Ramacharita and Ramavati.
Check yourself
Who was the greatest king of the Pala dynasty?
At a glance
- 1
The lawless 7th–8th century age is called Matsyanyaya; Gopala founded the Pala dynasty at about 750.
- 2
The Palas were Bengal's first hereditary dynasty; they ruled for about four hundred years and were Buddhists.
- 3
Dharmapala was the greatest Pala king; he built Somapura Vihara at Paharpur in Naogaon.
- 4
Mahipala II was killed in the Kaibarta revolt; Ramapala recovered Varendra.
- 5
Sandhyakar Nandi's ‘Ramacharita’ tells of Ramapala; the last Pala king was Madanapala.
- 6
The Charyapada was composed in the Pala period.