1.3 Pala Dynasty (c. 750–1161 CE) — Bengal & Bihar

1.3 Pala Dynasty (c. 750–1161 CE) — Bengal & Bihar

• Founder: Gopala (c. 750 CE) — elected by regional chiefs to end anarchy ("matsyanyaya" = law of the fish, i.e., anarchy) in Bengal; founded Odantapuri Monastery.
• Greatest ruler: Dharmapala (c. 770–810 CE)
  • Founded the great Vikramashila University (a major centre of Buddhist learning, alongside Nalanda).
  • Revived Nalanda University's patronage.
  • Extended control over Kannauj briefly during the tripartite struggle.
• Devapala (successor) — further expanded Pala power; patronised Buddhism.
• Palas were the last great patrons of Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism in India; sent missions to Tibet, Sumatra (Srivijaya king Balaputradeva built a monastery at Nalanda with Pala permission).
• Art: Pala school of art/sculpture famous for bronze images and illustrated Buddhist manuscripts; influenced Nepalese and Tibetan art.
• Decline: replaced by the Sena dynasty in Bengal (12th century), Hindu revivalist rulers (Vijayasena, Lakshmanasena).

Key Facts / Quick Revision Points

• Gopala — founder, ended "matsyanyaya" in Bengal.
• Dharmapala — founded Vikramashila University.
• Palas = last major royal patrons of Buddhism in India.
• Succeeded by the Sena dynasty (Vijayasena, Lakshmanasena — Lakshmanasena's capital Nabadwip fell to Bakhtiyar Khalji c. 1204 CE).