The Pala dynasty of
Kamarupa kingdom ruled from 900 CE. Like the
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was the empire ruled by the Pala dynasty, ("protector" in Sanskrit) a medieval Indian dynasty which ruled the kingdom of Gauda Kingdom, Gauda. The empire was founded with the election of Gopala, Gopāla by the chiefs of Kingdo ...
of
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
, the first ruler in this dynasty was elected, which probably explains the name of this dynasty "Pala". The Hindu orthodoxy drew their lineage from the earlier
Varman dynasty
The Varman dynasty (350–650) was the first historical dynasty of the Kamarupa kingdom. It was established by Pushyavarman, a contemporary of Samudragupta. The earlier Varmans were subordinates of the Gupta Empire, but as the power of the Gup ...
and thus ultimately from
Narakasura i.e.
Bhauma dynasty. The dynasty is unrelated to the previous Varman and
Mlecchna dynasties.
The Palas were the last dynasty to rule Kamarupa. After the collapse of the Pala rule, Kamarupa disintegrated, to be followed in due course by the
Ahom,
Chutia,
Kamata, and
Kachari kingdoms, and the confederate rule of the
Baro-Bhuyan
The ''Baro-Bhuyans'' (or ''Baro-Bhuyan Raj''; also ''Baro-Bhuians'' and ''Baro-Bhuiyans'') were confederacies of soldier-landowners in Assam and Bengal in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. The confederacies consisted of loosel ...
s.
History
The term "Kamarupa" rarely appeared in the records of the Pala rulers; instead they used
Pragjyotisha, the legendary kingdom of the epics, to
legitimise
Legitimation, legitimization ( US), or legitimisation ( UK) is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology
An ideology is a set of beliefs or values attributed ...
their authority. The Pala kings of Kamarupa assumed the title of paramadaivata paramabhattāraka mahārājādirāja (the imperial title of the
Guptas), sri-vārāha (the one who can trace his origin to
Varāha) and prāigjyotisādhipati (the ruler of Prāgjyotisa).
The Pala dynasty came to an end when Kamarupa was invaded by the
Gaur
The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ) is a large bovine native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable species, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 ...
king
Ramapala (c. 1072–1126). Timgyadeva was made the governor of Kamarupa who ruled between 1110 and 1126. Timgyadeva threw off the yoke of the Pala king and ruled independently for some years when he was attacked and replaced by Vaidyadeva under Ramapala's son
Kumarapala. Vaidyadeva, who ruled between 1126 and 1140, declared independence within four years of his rule after the death of Kumarapala. Both Timgyadeva and Vaidyadeva issued grants in the style of the Kamarupa kings (three copper plates attached to the seal of the Kamarupa kings by a ring). The work of the Pala dynasty of Kamarupa is reflected in the
Madan Kamdev sculpture.
Rulers
*
Brahma Pala (900-920)
*
Ratna Pala
Ratna Pala (reigned 920-960) was the son of Brahma Pala in Pala dynasty (Kamarupa), Pala Dynasty (900–1100) of Kamarupa Kingdom. He was succeeded by his grandson Indra Pala.
The Gachtal plates of Go Pala have thrown fresh light on the achieve ...
(920-960)
*
Indra Pala (960-990)
*
Go Pala, also Gopalavarman (990-1015)
*
Harsha Pala (1015-1035)
*
Dharma Pala (1035-1060)
*
Jaya Pala (1075-1100)
References
Bibliography
*
* Sircar, D. C. ''The Bhauma-Naraka or the Pala Dynasty of Brahmapala'', The Comprehensive History of Assam, ed H. K. Barpujari, Guwahati, 1990.
*
* *
{{Authority control
900 establishments
10th-century establishments in India
Dynasties of Kamarupa