Early Medieval India | History for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


Early Medieval India
RAJPUTS, PALAS, SENAS, GANGAS, MUSLIM INVASIONS
Page 2


Early Medieval India
RAJPUTS, PALAS, SENAS, GANGAS, MUSLIM INVASIONS
Political Scenario
Post-Gupta Scenario:  
• Big landlords or warrior chiefs emerged close to 7th century
• Political structure becoming increasingly feudal - King : Subordinate :: Lord : Vassal 
• Feudatories – Granted land along with certain rights. Later, given the right to sub-infeudation. Kings 
acknowledged them as Samanthas, and received gift from them
• They provided military support to the King when needed.
• Later, they assumed criminal and judicial functions and administered territories.
• And declared themselves as Mahasamanta, Mahamandaleshwara etc.
• E.g. the Rashtrakutas in Deccan were initially they were subordinates of Chalukyas of Karnataka. In mid-8th century they gained 
control over the land.
• Carving out of independent principalities by the various vassals in different parts of the country
• Growth of decentralized regional powers
Page 3


Early Medieval India
RAJPUTS, PALAS, SENAS, GANGAS, MUSLIM INVASIONS
Political Scenario
Post-Gupta Scenario:  
• Big landlords or warrior chiefs emerged close to 7th century
• Political structure becoming increasingly feudal - King : Subordinate :: Lord : Vassal 
• Feudatories – Granted land along with certain rights. Later, given the right to sub-infeudation. Kings 
acknowledged them as Samanthas, and received gift from them
• They provided military support to the King when needed.
• Later, they assumed criminal and judicial functions and administered territories.
• And declared themselves as Mahasamanta, Mahamandaleshwara etc.
• E.g. the Rashtrakutas in Deccan were initially they were subordinates of Chalukyas of Karnataka. In mid-8th century they gained 
control over the land.
• Carving out of independent principalities by the various vassals in different parts of the country
• Growth of decentralized regional powers
Political Scenario
750 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
I. 750 C.E. – 1000 C.E. - ‘Tripartite struggle’ over control over Kannauj
? Gurjara Pratiharas (mid-8th century C.E. – 1036 C.E.) in north India
? Palas (8th century C.E. – 12th century C.E.) in eastern India
? Rashtrakutas (753 C.E. – 982 C.E.) in South India
II. 1000 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
? Break-up of the above 3 powers 
? Gurjara-Pratiharas -> Rajput states under the control of different Rajput dynasties such as the 
Chahmanas (Chauhans), Chandellas, Paramaras, Ghadavalas, Kalachuris, Chalukyas, Tomars etc.
? Senas and Gangas succeed Palas
? Chalukyas succeed Rashtrakutas
Page 4


Early Medieval India
RAJPUTS, PALAS, SENAS, GANGAS, MUSLIM INVASIONS
Political Scenario
Post-Gupta Scenario:  
• Big landlords or warrior chiefs emerged close to 7th century
• Political structure becoming increasingly feudal - King : Subordinate :: Lord : Vassal 
• Feudatories – Granted land along with certain rights. Later, given the right to sub-infeudation. Kings 
acknowledged them as Samanthas, and received gift from them
• They provided military support to the King when needed.
• Later, they assumed criminal and judicial functions and administered territories.
• And declared themselves as Mahasamanta, Mahamandaleshwara etc.
• E.g. the Rashtrakutas in Deccan were initially they were subordinates of Chalukyas of Karnataka. In mid-8th century they gained 
control over the land.
• Carving out of independent principalities by the various vassals in different parts of the country
• Growth of decentralized regional powers
Political Scenario
750 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
I. 750 C.E. – 1000 C.E. - ‘Tripartite struggle’ over control over Kannauj
? Gurjara Pratiharas (mid-8th century C.E. – 1036 C.E.) in north India
? Palas (8th century C.E. – 12th century C.E.) in eastern India
? Rashtrakutas (753 C.E. – 982 C.E.) in South India
II. 1000 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
? Break-up of the above 3 powers 
? Gurjara-Pratiharas -> Rajput states under the control of different Rajput dynasties such as the 
Chahmanas (Chauhans), Chandellas, Paramaras, Ghadavalas, Kalachuris, Chalukyas, Tomars etc.
? Senas and Gangas succeed Palas
? Chalukyas succeed Rashtrakutas
The Tri-partite Struggle
• Nagabhatta I defeated Dharmapala, the Pala ruler of Bengal but 
himself suffered a defeat at the hands of the Rashtrakuta king 
Dhruva.
• Govinda III of the Rashtrakutas defeated his successor Nagabhatta II 
and occupied Malwa.
• Nagabhatta II overran Kannauj, deposed Chakrayudha, Dharmapala’s 
protege and made Kannauj the seat of Pratiharas. He also defeated 
his contemporary, Dharmapala.
• Pratihara glory reached its zenith under Mihir Bhoja or Bhoja (836-85 
C.E.), Bhoja tried to extend his sway in the east, but he was defeated 
and checkmated by the Pala ruler, Devapala.
• After the death of the powerful Pala ruler Devapala, Bhoja defeated 
the weak Pala king Narayanapala and secured considerable part of his 
western dominions.
• In the reign of Mahipala, the Rashtrakuta ruler Indra III completely 
devasted the city of Kannauj.
• One of the last Pratihara rulers was Rajyapala, during whose reign 
Mahmud of Gazni invaded Kannauj.
• In 1018 C.E. Rajypala instead of opposing the invader deserted 
Kannauj and retired to a safe place.
Page 5


Early Medieval India
RAJPUTS, PALAS, SENAS, GANGAS, MUSLIM INVASIONS
Political Scenario
Post-Gupta Scenario:  
• Big landlords or warrior chiefs emerged close to 7th century
• Political structure becoming increasingly feudal - King : Subordinate :: Lord : Vassal 
• Feudatories – Granted land along with certain rights. Later, given the right to sub-infeudation. Kings 
acknowledged them as Samanthas, and received gift from them
• They provided military support to the King when needed.
• Later, they assumed criminal and judicial functions and administered territories.
• And declared themselves as Mahasamanta, Mahamandaleshwara etc.
• E.g. the Rashtrakutas in Deccan were initially they were subordinates of Chalukyas of Karnataka. In mid-8th century they gained 
control over the land.
• Carving out of independent principalities by the various vassals in different parts of the country
• Growth of decentralized regional powers
Political Scenario
750 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
I. 750 C.E. – 1000 C.E. - ‘Tripartite struggle’ over control over Kannauj
? Gurjara Pratiharas (mid-8th century C.E. – 1036 C.E.) in north India
? Palas (8th century C.E. – 12th century C.E.) in eastern India
? Rashtrakutas (753 C.E. – 982 C.E.) in South India
II. 1000 C.E. – 1200 C.E.
? Break-up of the above 3 powers 
? Gurjara-Pratiharas -> Rajput states under the control of different Rajput dynasties such as the 
Chahmanas (Chauhans), Chandellas, Paramaras, Ghadavalas, Kalachuris, Chalukyas, Tomars etc.
? Senas and Gangas succeed Palas
? Chalukyas succeed Rashtrakutas
The Tri-partite Struggle
• Nagabhatta I defeated Dharmapala, the Pala ruler of Bengal but 
himself suffered a defeat at the hands of the Rashtrakuta king 
Dhruva.
• Govinda III of the Rashtrakutas defeated his successor Nagabhatta II 
and occupied Malwa.
• Nagabhatta II overran Kannauj, deposed Chakrayudha, Dharmapala’s 
protege and made Kannauj the seat of Pratiharas. He also defeated 
his contemporary, Dharmapala.
• Pratihara glory reached its zenith under Mihir Bhoja or Bhoja (836-85 
C.E.), Bhoja tried to extend his sway in the east, but he was defeated 
and checkmated by the Pala ruler, Devapala.
• After the death of the powerful Pala ruler Devapala, Bhoja defeated 
the weak Pala king Narayanapala and secured considerable part of his 
western dominions.
• In the reign of Mahipala, the Rashtrakuta ruler Indra III completely 
devasted the city of Kannauj.
• One of the last Pratihara rulers was Rajyapala, during whose reign 
Mahmud of Gazni invaded Kannauj.
• In 1018 C.E. Rajypala instead of opposing the invader deserted 
Kannauj and retired to a safe place.
Gurjara-Pratiharas (Mid-8th century C.E. – 1036 C.E.)
? Originated from Gurjaratra or South-Western Rajasthan
? Earliest well-known king of this dynasty was Nagabhatta I. 
? He was the first great ruler of this dynasty. 
? He ruled from about 725 C.E. to 740 C.E. 
? He defeated the Arab Muslim rulers of Sind and prevented them from capturing the central India.
? Under Nagabhata II, the Gurjara-Pratiharas became the most powerful dynasty in northern India.
? He was succeeded by Devaraja, Vatsaraja and Nagabhata II. At its peak, the Gurjara-Pratihara empire 
included parts of eastern Punjab, awadh, Agra, gwalior, and Rajasthan.
? Mihir Bhoja ruled from 840-890 C.E., he took the empire to its peak glory by extending the boundaries 
of empire further. He made Kannauj an important centre in India. Mihir Bhoja maintained large army.
? Under Bhoja and his successor Mahendrapala I, the Pratihara Empire reached its peak of prosperity and 
power. 
? By the time of Mahendrapala, the extent of its territory rivalled that of the Gupta Empire stretching 
from the border of Sindh in the west to Bengal in the east and from the Himalayas in the north to areas 
past the Narmada in the south.