Page 11 - SST Class 07

New Kings and

Kingdoms (AD 700 – AD 1200) 2

q The Palas q The Gurjara-Pratiharas
q The Rashtrakutas q Tripartite struggle
q The Rajputs q Life and society under the Rajputs.
q The Cholas q Turkish invasions
q Causes for defeat of the Rajputs

Introduction (Gujarat and Rajasthan). The Pratiharas came into
prominence when their king Nagabhata I
The history of India was marked by confusion and
disorder after the death of Harshavardhana in AD defended western India from the Arab invaders.
Mihira Bhoja was the greatest ruler of this dynasty.
648. In the absence of a strong imperial power,
He had conquered Kannauj. His son
India was divided into number of small Mahendrapala was also a competent ruler. His
independent kingdoms. The period between 700
successors were however weak and in 1018 AD,
AD and 1200 AD was characterised by the
Mahmud of Ghazni defeated the Gurjara-Pratihara
emergence of three regional states across the ruler.
subcontinent. The Palas in eastern India, the
Gurjara-Pratiharas in western India and the
Info Bits
Gangetic Plains and the Rashtrakutas in the Deccan Info Bits
and southern India. They fought a series of battle
with one another to become the strongest political The Arabs used different names to refer to the
force in the Indian subcontinent. Pratiharas, the Palas and the Rashtrakutas. They
called the Pratiharas Al-Jurz, the Palas Rhumi and

THE PALAS the Rashtrakutas Balhara.
The Palas ruled over regions covering present-day THE RASHTRAKUTAS
Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. Their kingdom
was founded by Gopala and expanded by his son The Rashtrakutas were subordinates of the
Dharmapala . Dharmapala also expanded trade Chalukyas of Karnataka. They rose to prominence
with South-East Asia. There was great prosperity as in the 8th century AD under Dantidurga , who
the famous university of Vikramashila and managed to overthrow the Chalukyas and set up a
Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya were built powerful kingdom in Deccan around modern
during their rule. Buddhism was the most Maharashtra, with Malkhed as their capital.
prevalent religion. The Palas were always Krishna I further consolidated the empire. The
involved in a struggle with Gurjara-Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas fought against the Gurjara-Pratiharas
Rashtrakutas which weakened their empire. and Palas in the north and against Pallavas ,
Pandyas and Cholas in the South. As they were
THE GURJARA-PRATIHARAS great patrons of art and architecture, Kailash
Temple of Ellora and rock-cut caves at Elephanta
The Gurjara-Pratiharas were local officials who were carved out during their rule.
gradually carved out a kingdom in western India
New Kings and Kingdoms (AD 700 – AD 1200)
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