PERIOD FROM (647 A.D. TO 1200 A.D.

)
The history of the Kingdom of Kannauj after the death of Harshavardhana can be said to
have been uncertain till the year 730AD, when Yashovarman is said to have ruled till
752AD. This was followed by the Ayudha dynasty which comprised three kings. The first
was Yajrayudha who is said to have (accee) ruled in about 770AD. He was defeated by
Jayapida Vinayaditya of Kashmir who ruled from (779 to 810AD). The next ruler was
Chakrayudha. The influence of the Rashtrakutas increased gradually in the north.
Kannauj was annexed by a new class of rulers called the Prathiharas.

THE PRATIHARAS

The Pratiharas were

one of the thirty six clans of the Rajputs. They are said to have come to India during the
invasion of the Huns and settled in the Punjab Rajputana region. They advanced to the
Aravalli region and advanced till Ujjain. Harichandra, a brahmin is said to have laid the
foundation of this dynasty in the 6th century AD near Jodhpur.

The Pratiharas were said to be from the Agnikula family. Harichandra had two wives one
of whom was a Brahmin and the other was a Kshatriyas. A branch of the Pratiharas who
ruled in the (Jodhpur) Gurjaratra was known as Gurjara.

Nagabhatta I was the first ruler of the Pratiharas who ruled from (730-756AD) over
Broach and Jodhpur, and extended his dominion till Gwalior. He is also well known for
repulsing the invasion of the Melcchas, Arabs of Sind to the east and checking their
expansion.

Nagabhatta I was succeeded by two weak successors. They were succeeded by Vatsraja
from (775-800AD). He was an ambitious ruler who desired to dominate the whole of
North India. His intention to control Kannauj brought him into conflict with the Pala ruler
Dharampala. When he waged a war with the Rashtrakuta ruler Dhurva and was defeated.
He died in 805AD.
Vatsraja was succeeded by Nagabhatta II who ruled from (805-833AD) with his able
military capability and administrator ship. The internal problems among the Rashtrakutas
helped his victory over rulers of Andhra, Sindhu, Vidharba and Kalinga. He also attacked
Kannauj and occupied it. He also checked the Muslim advancement in the west and
defeated the Matsayas in the north. He also defeated the Vatsas.

The Pala ruler Dharmapala who's father was defeated by Nagabhatta's father sought
revenge. Thus started an allied struggle against Dharmapala assisted by the ruler of
Jodhpur, Kalhiwar and Mewar. Dharmapala was defeated and his territories up to Bihar
were annexed. Nagabhatta had to fight Govinda III who was supported by the vanquished
Dharmapala and in 809AD Nagabhatta was defeated. He then diverted his attention away
from the Rashtrakuta authority. He was succeeded by an incapable successor Rambhadra.

Rambhadra was succeeded by Mihirbhoj who ruled from 840 to 890AD. His period of
rule was divided into two parts. In the first period of his reign he suffered losses and
defeats. The second period marks a period of his regaining of his lost prestige and
position. His expansionist policy in the east was checked by the ruler of Bengal
Devapala. Mihirbhojs idea of taking advantage of the internal conflict of the Rashtrakutas
in the south did not succeed . His defeat made him weak and some of his subordinates
declared independence.

After the death of Devapala , and because of the weak successors after him, Mihirbhoj
established himself in the east. With no resistance from the Rashtrakuta ruler he defeated
the Pala King Narayanapala and expanded his territory to the west. After defeating the
Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna II he expanded towards Malwa and Kathiawar. KrishnaII
avenged his defeat against Mihirbhoj near Ujjain. He thus carved out a large empire for
himself with many rulers accepting his supremacy.He was succeeded by his son
Mahendrapala I who ruled from (885AD to 910AD).

Mahendrapala I successfully maintained the territories he inherited besides adding to it

parts of North Bengal, Magadha, and western Assam. Mahendrapala was succeeded by
Bhoja II he was overthrown by Mahipala, who ruled from 912 to 914. This was the
period when the Rashtrakuta power was on the rise. The weak position of Mahipala was
taken as an opportunity by the Chandelas, the Chedis and the Paramaras who declared
themselves independent. After the attack by Indra II of the Rashtrakuta Kingdom, the
Kingdom of the Pratiharas were divided into various principalities. Gujarat was under the
Chalukyas, Gwalior was under the Kachhaghals, the Kalachuris ruler over central India.
The Chandelas ruled over Jajakabhukti and the Paramaras ruled over Malwa. The process
of the disintegration of the Pratihara empire continued , by the 10th Century AD the
empire shrunk into a small kingdom. In 1018AD when Mahmud Ghaznavi invaded
Kannauj the ruler Rajapala decided not to face him but fled the city. This caused
resentment in the Chandela ruler Gauda, who sent his son Vidydhar to invade Kannauj.
He defeated and killed Rajyapala but placed Trilochanpala Rajyapala's son on the throne.
The last ruler of the dynasty was Jasapala who ruled up to 1036 AD before Pratihara
dynasty came to an end. Contemporary to the Pratiharas were the Palas and Senas of
Bengal.
THE PALAS

Before the coming of the Palas to power in Bengal, and after the death of Sasanka Bengal
reflected a picture of disorder. The pala dynasty was founded by Gopala in about 750AD.
His ruler lasted for about 25 years. The dynasty remained in power for about 300 years
Gopala was succeeded by Dharma Pala in 775 and ruled till 810AD. He had inherited a
consolidated kingdom, but to keep his supremacy he had to fight both the Pratiharas and
the Rashtrakutas. Both these powers managed to suppress Dharmapala ,but owing to
differences among them Dharmapala took advantage of this. In a war with Nagabhatta II,
Dharamapala was defeated.

Dharmapala was a good administrator had contributed to change Bengal into a

prestigious and prosperous empire.

Devpala succeeded Dharamapala and ruled for about 40 years. After ascending the throne
he fought against the Pratiharas and spread his kingdom upto the Himalayan region in the
north the Vindhyas in the south.

The Pratiharas and Rastrakutas failed to check the advancement of Devapala. He was
known for his diplomatic skill which he pursued to maintain his over lordship in areas
which could not be conquered. The role of Bengal in the North Indian politics was very
significant during this period. Devapala was succeeded by Mahipala I. He ruled form 988
to 1033 AD. He is said to be the founder of the second Pala kingdom. The immediate
successors of Devapala were weak and incompetent. Thus for a period of forty years
there was chaos in Bengal. Mahipala I had to rebuilt their empire. Even their homeland
Bengal had to be recovered.

The Palas were in power for about 400 years. During this period their rulers proved their
capable administration, military skill, and capacity to protect North India from the
onslaught of the Pratiharas and Rastrakutas. The rulers also had shone religious toleration
towards Buddhist art, literature and learning. Bengali art, literature and paintings
flourished under the royal patronage of the rulers of the Pala dynasty.