List of Pala emperors
Gaudeshwar of Pala Empire | |
---|---|
Imperial | |
Details | |
Style | His Imperial Majesty |
First monarch | Gopala I |
Last monarch | Govindapala |
Formation | 750 CE |
Abolition | 1999 CE or 1200 CE |
Residence | Varendra (8th century) |
Appointer | Hereditary |
The imperial Pāla Empire, which ruled the Indian subcontinent during the medieval era, was established in the 8th century CE in the region of Bengal. It was named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers had names ending with the suffix 'Pāla' which means 'protector' in Prakrit. The Pala Empire was founded with the election of Gopala as its emperor in late 8th century CE.
List[edit]
Most of the Pala inscriptions mention only the regnal year as the date of issue. This lack of a well-known calendar era makes it difficult to determine the chronology of Pala kings.[1]
There's no universal consensus on how to interpret the various inscriptions and historical records for the Pala kings. Different historians have come up with different conclusions based on their readings. Here are some of the different estimates:[2]
RC Majumdar (1971)[3] | AM Chowdhury (1967)[4] | BP Sinha (1977)[5] | DC Sircar (1975–76)[6] | D. K. Ganguly (1994)[1] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gopala I | 750–770 | 756–781 | 755–783 | 750–775 | 750–774 |
Dharmapala | 770–810 | 781–821 | 783–820 | 775–812 | 774–806 |
Devapala | 810–c. 850 | 821–861 | 820–860 | 812–850 | 806–845 |
Mahendrapala | NA (Mahendrapala's existence was conclusively established through a copper-plate charter discovered later.) | 845–860 | |||
Shurapala I | Deemed to be alternate name of Vigrahapala I | 850–858 | 860–872 | ||
Gopala II | NA (copper-plate charter discovered in 1995. Text of inscription published in 2009.) | ||||
Vigrahapala I | 850–853 | 861–866 | 860–865 | 858–60 | 872–873 |
Narayanapala | 854–908 | 866–920 | 865–920 | 860–917 | 873–927 |
Rajyapala | 908–940 | 920–952 | 920–952 | 917–952 | 927–959 |
Gopala III | 940–957 | 952–969 | 952–967 | 952–972 | 959–976 |
Vigrahapala II | 960–c. 986 | 969–995 | 967–980 | 972–977 | 976–977 |
Mahipala I | 988–c. 1036 | 995–1043 | 980–1035 | 977–1027 | 977–1027 |
Nayapala | 1038–1053 | 1043–1058 | 1035–1050 | 1027–1043 | 1027–1043 |
Vigrahapala III | 1054–1072 | 1058–1075 | 1050–1076 | 1043–1070 | 1043–1070 |
Mahipala II | 1072–1075 | 1075–1080 | 1076–1078/9 | 1070–1071 | 1070–1071 |
Shurapala II | 1075–1077 | 1080–1082 | 1071–1072 | 1071–1072 | |
Ramapala | 1077–1130 | 1082–1124 | 1078/9–1132 | 1072–1126 | 1072–1126 |
Kumarapala | 1130–1140 | 1124–1129 | 1132–1136 | 1126–1128 | 1126–1128 |
Gopala IV | 1140–1144 | 1129–1143 | 1136–1144 | 1128–1143 | 1128–1143 |
Madanapala | 1144–1162 | 1143–1162 | 1144–1161/62 | 1143–1161 | 1143–1161 |
Govindapala | 1158–1162 | NA | 1162–1176 or 1158–1162 | 1161–1165 | 1161–1165 |
Palapala | NA | NA | NA | 1165–1199 | 1165–1200 |
Family tree[edit]
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Note:[2][edit]
- Earlier historians believed that Vigrahapala I and Shurapala I were the two names of the same person. Now, it is known that these two were cousins; they either ruled simultaneously (perhaps over different territories) or in rapid succession.
- AM Chowdhury rejects Govindapala and his successor Palapala as the members of the imperial Pala dynasty.
- According to BP Sinha, the Gaya inscription can be read as either the "14th year of Govindapala's reign" or "14th year after Govindapala's reign". Thus, two sets of dates are possible.
- D.K. Ganguly mentions another ruler named Indradumnyapala, who is solely known from local tradition. There is no source of his existence yet.[7]
- A king, Bhimapala also finds a mention in the Sabdapradipa. Rajat Sanyal argues that if Govindapala and Palapala are indeed accepted as Pala kings, Bhimapala also should be, provided that he was chronologically close to Ramapala according to the wording of the text. However, both need more historical evidence.[8]
- A king named Gomindrapala finds mention in a manuscript, dated his fourth regnal year. R.C. Majumdar identifies him with Govindapala, while S.K. Saraswati suggests he is a later Pala king.[7]
See also[edit]
Pala Empire
History of Bengal
History of India
References[edit]
- ^ a b Dilip Kumar Ganguly (1994). Ancient India, History and Archaeology. Abhinav. pp. 33–41. ISBN 978-81-7017-304-5.
- ^ a b Susan L. Huntington (1984). The "Påala-Sena" Schools of Sculpture. Brill Archive. pp. 32–39. ISBN 90-04-06856-2.
- ^ R. C. Majumdar (1971). History of Ancient Bengal. G. Bharadwaj. p. 161–162.
- ^ Abdul Momin Chowdhury (1967). Dynastic history of Bengal, c. 750–1200 CE. Asiatic Society of Pakistan. pp. 272–273.
- ^ Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha (1977). Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450–1200 A.D. Abhinav Publications. pp. 253–. ISBN 978-81-7017-059-4.
- ^ Dineshchandra Sircar (1975–1976). "Indological Notes - R.C. Majumdar's Chronology of the Pala Kings". Journal of Ancient Indian History. IX: 209–10.
- ^ a b Ganguly, Dilip Kumar (1994). Ancient India, History and Archaeology. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170173045.
- ^ Sanyal, Rajat (2014-01-01). "The Pala-Sena and Others". History of Ancient India Vol 5 POLITICAL HISTORY AND ADMINISTRATION (c. AD 750–1300) (Regional Powers and Their Interactions).