The Pāla Empire was an imperial power during the post-classical period in the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal. It is named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers bore names ending with the suffix Pāla. The empire was founded with the election of Gopāla as the emperor of Gauda in late eighth century CE. The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and eastern Bihar, which included the major cities of Gauḍa, Vikramapura, Pāṭaliputra, Monghyr, Somapura, Ramavati (Varendra), Tāmralipta and Jagaddala.
The History of Bihar is one of the most varied in India. Bihar consists of three distinct regions, each has its own distinct history and culture. They are Magadha, Mithila and Bhojpur.Chirand, on the northern bank of the Ganga River, in Saran district, has an archaeological record dating from the Neolithic age. Regions of Bihar—such as Magadha, Mithila and Anga—are mentioned in religious texts and epics of ancient India. Mithila is believed to be the centre of Indian power in the Later Vedic period. Mithila first gained prominence after the establishment of the ancient Videha Kingdom. The kings of the Videha were called Janakas. A daughter of one of the Janaks of Mithila, Sita, is mentioned as consort of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana. The kingdom later became incorporated into the Vajjika League which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, which is also in Mithila.
The Kamboja-Pala dynasty ruled parts of Bengal in the 10th to 11th centuries CE, after invading the Palas during the reign of Gopala III. The last Kamboja ruler of the Kamboja-Pala Dynasty Dharmapala was defeated by the south Indian Emperor Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century.
Bikrampur was a historic region and a sub-division of Dhaka within the Bengal Presidency during the period of British India. Located along the banks of the Padma River, it was a significant cultural and political centre in Bengal. Today, the region is part of the Munshiganj District in Bangladesh.
Devapala was the emperor of the Pala Empire of Bengal. He was the third king in the line, and had succeeded his father Dharamapala. Devapala expanded the frontiers of the empire by conquering the present-day Assam and Orissa. The Pala inscriptions also credit him with several other victories.
Gopala was the founder of the Pala dynasty, which was based in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The last morpheme of his name Pala means "protector" and was used as an ending for the names of all the Pala monarchs. Pala does not suggest or indicate any ethnic or caste considerations of the Pala dynasty. He came to power in later half of eighth century AD in Gaur/Gaud after being elected by a group of regional chieftains.
Dharmapala was the second ruler of the Pala Empire of Bengal region in the Indian subcontinent. He was the son and successor of Gopala, the founder of the Pala Dynasty. Dharmapala was mentioned as the king of Vangala in the Nesari plates of Rashtrakuta dynasty. He greatly expanded the boundaries of the empire, and made the Palas a dominant power in the northern and eastern India.
Rajyapala or Kamboja-Vamsa-Tilaka was the founder of the Kamboja Pala dynasty of Bengal. This dynasty had ruled over northern and western Bengal. Four rulers of this dynasty are known who ruled, either over north-west Bengal or parts thereof, from second half of tenth century to the first quarter of the 11th century. The last known king of Kamboja Pala dynasty was Dharmapala, who was the ruler in Dandabhukti division, during the first quarter of the 11th century.
Dharmapala Kamboja was probably the last ruler of Kamboja Pala dynasty of Bengal. He ruled Dandabhukti-mandala in Vardhamana-bhukti in the first quarter of eleventh century and was contemporary of Rajendra Chola of Chola dynasty of Deccan.
Mahendrapala was the fourth king of the Pala dynasty of the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. He was the son of Devapala and his queen Mahata.
Vigrahapala was a 9th-century ruler of the Pala dynasty, in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. He was the sixth Pala emperor. He reigned for a brief period before becoming an ascetic. Vigrahapala was a grandson of Dharmapala's younger brother Vakapala and son of Jayapala. He was succeeded by his son, Narayanapala.
Rajyapala was the eighth emperor of the Pala dynasty. He succeeded his father Narayanapala. He reigned for 32 years. The Bharat Kala Bhaban is dated in his 2nd regnal year, while the Bargaon inscription is dated in his 24th regnal year. He was succeeded by his son Gopala III.
Gopala II was the successor to the Pala king Shurapala I in the Bengal-Bihar region of the Indian subcontinent, and the sixth ruler of the Pala line reigning for at least four years. The existence of this king came to light when, in 1995, historian Gouriswar Bhattacharya discovered two copper plate inscriptions of a previously unknown Pala king in Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where these had been sent for cleaning by a private collector. This king got designated as Gopala II; consequently, existing Gopala II and Gopala III were re-designated as Gopala III and Gopala IV, respectively. The text of these two inscriptions were subsequently edited by Ryosuke Furui in 2009.
Vigrahapala III was the successor to the Pala king Nayapala in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, and twelfth ruler of the Pala line reigning for 15 years. He was succeeded by Mahipala II.
Ramapala was the successor to the Pala king Shurapala II in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, and fifteenth ruler of the Pala line.
Gopala IV previously called Gopala III, was the successor and son to the Pala king Kumarapala in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, and nineteenth ruler of the Pala line reigning for at least 15 years, proved by a manuscript currently at British library.
Madanapala was the successor to the Pala king Gopala IV in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, and the eighteenth and final ruler of Pala lineage reigning for 18 years. He was succeeded by Govindapala, whose lineage of that name is questionable.
Ratna Pala was the son of Brahma Pala in Pala Dynasty (900–1100) of Kamarupa Kingdom. His queen's name was Durlabha. He was succeeded by Indra Pala.
Dharma Pala (1035–1060) was ruler of Pala dynasty of Kamarupa Kingdom. He was the son and the successor of Harsha Pala.
The Varman Dynasty was a Hindu Yadava dynasty of Indian subcontinent which ruled Bengal, and later East Bihar (Anga). The Varmans established their supremacy after replacing the Chandra Dynasty. Their capital was at Bikrampur in present-day Munshiganj District of Bangladesh.
