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Conquests of Devapala

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The Conquests of Devapala[1][2] was a series of campaigns led by Devapala of Pala Dynasty in the ninth century during his long reign, against the Pragjyotishas, Utkalas, Dravidas, Gurjaras (Pratihāras), Hunas and the Kambojas.[1][2][3] Devapala's own inscription and the inscription refering his reign credits Devapala with the subjugation of Gurjaras (Pratihāras), Dravidas, Hunas, Utkalas, Kambojas and Pragjyotishas.[4]

Conquests of Devapāla
Date9th CE
Location
South Asia, Tibet
Result Pala empire victory
Territorial
changes
  • Pratihāras, Hūnas, Dravidas, Prāgjyotiṣa and Utkalā subjugated by Devapāla
Belligerents
Pala Empire
Commanders and leaders
Devapala Trisong Detsen
Ralpacan
Nagabhatta
Ramabhadra
Mihir Bhoja
Sri Mara Sri Vallabha
Harjara
Pralambha
Shubhakara I
Shivakara II
Strength
unknown unknown

Expedition to Prāgjyotiṣa

The Bhagalpur Copper plate states that when Jayapala (the cousin of Devapāla) led an expedition to conquer Pragjyotisa (Kāmarupa kingdom), the Pragjyotisa king lived in happiness by accepting the order of the prince (Jayapala). Hence it is evident that the King of Kāmarupa accepted Devapāla's suzerainty and was left unmolested. The king of Kāmarupa reffered here was Harjara or Pralambha the father of Harjara.[2]

Conquest of Utkalā and Kāliṅga

Pala-Rastrakuta Invasions of Utkala (Bhauma Kara Dynasty)

Between 790 and 829, during the reigns of Bhauma Kara rulers Shubhakara I and his elder son Shivakara II, a series of Rashtrakuta and Pala invasions weakened and disintegrated the Bhauma kingdom.[5] These invasions resulted in loss of power and prestige of the Bhauma Kara Dynasty of Odisha.[6]

Devapāla's Campaign against Utkalas (Bhauma Kara Dynasty)

The Badal Pillar inscription states that the king of Utkala (Bhauma Kara Dynasty) fled from his capital when the army of Devapāla under Jayapala's command invaded his kingdom.[7]

An inscription of Palas also states that Devapāla had exterminated the race of Utkala. Utkala campaign of Devapāla might been against their main enemies Rashtrakutas.[8] Devapāla had liberated Utkala (Odisha) from the Rashtrakutas.[9]

Campaign against the Hūnas

Hūnas were a nomadic tribe which came from the Central Asia.[10] After death of the Alchon Hūna ruler Mihirkula,[11] the Hūnas stopped being an major factor however they had small principalities which they were ruling. One of these was located in Uttarapatha which Devapāla had successfully invaded.[10][11] The inscriptions of Devapāla states that Devapāla humbled the pride of the Hūnas, and he is also credited with the subjugation of Hūnas.

Campaign against the Pratihāras (Gurjaras)

Devapāla's Campaigns against the Pratihāras was a series of campaigns against the Pratihāra rulers Nagabhatta II, Ramabhadra and Bhoja which started when Nagabhata tried to re-establish his rule over Kannauj after the death of Dharmapāla.[12][13]

Campaigns against Nagabhatta II

Nagabhatta II tried to re-establish the Pratihāra rule over Kannauj after the death of Dharmapāla, However Devapāla defeated him and re-establish the Pala supremacy over Kannauj after his successful campaign.[12][13]

Campaigns against Ramabhadra

Ramabhadra is credited with no victory in the Pratihara inscription, which states that he ''had no desire for the world.'' Majumdar has interpreted the Gwalior Praśasti to indicate that Ramabhadra's dominion was invaded by the Pala king Devapāla. This invasion have led to serious disturbances in the Pratihara dominion.[14] Ramabhadra suffered heavy setbacks at the hands of Devapāla, who even temporarily ravaged his dominion.[15]

Subjugation of Bhoja

The inscriptions of Devapāla and also the inscription refering his reign credits him to subjugate the Gurjaras who were undoubtedly the Pratihāras and in this case the Pratihāra king was Bhoja and the timeline for this event was between 810 to 850 CE.[4][16]

Conflict against the Tibetans

Devapāla is said to have reached the Kambhoja country (Tibet) in his military campaign. As a result, Devapāla came into conflict with the Tibetan Empire. There is nothing impossible as the Tibetan sources claim that their kings Khri-srong-lda-btsan (Trisong Detsen) and his son Mu-teg-btsan-po (Ralpacan) subdued India and forced Dharmapāla to submit. Therefore, Devapāla must have also clashed with and defeated the Tibetan kings.[17][18]

During the end of Dharmapāla's reign and in the beginning of Devapāla's reign, Nagabhatta the Pratihāra ruler had attacked the Palas and the Tibetan Empire was allied with the Pratihāras in their attack on the Palas. However Devapāla successfully drove the Pratihāras out from the western territories of Bihar which is proved by his grants made in Srinagara bhukti (Patliputra or Patna) and in the Gaya visayas (Gaya district).[19][20]

Expedition in Southern India (Dravidas)

Devapāla had led an expedition against the Dravidas and the Dravida king is identified as the Pandyan emperor Srimara-Sriballabha who was contemporary to Devapāla. The subjugation of the Utkalas had brought Devapāla in contact with the kingdoms in the southern peninsula hence it's not unnatural that some hostilities devloped between the contemporary emperors of the Pala and Pandyan Empire.[12][21][22][23]

In this expedition Devapāla had defeated the Pandyan ruler Srimara-Sriballabha and Devapāla had extended his rule upto the Rameshwara (Adam's bridge).[12][21][22][23]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ed. R. C. Majumdar (1960). Comprehensive History of India Vol.3 Part-1. p. 662
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Majumdar, R. C. (1943). The History Of Bengal Vol. 1. p. 117.
  3. ↑ Chakrabarti, Dilip K., 'The Supra-regional Orbits of the North and the South: c. ad 800 to c. ad 1000', The Geopolitical Orbits of Ancient India: The Geographical Frames of the Ancient Indian Dynasties (Delhi, 2010; online edn, Oxford Academic, 18 Oct. 2012). pp. 100-105
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chakrabarti, Dilip K. (1992). Ancient Bangladesh, a study of the archaeologcial sources. Internet Archive. Delhi ; New York : Oxford University Press. p. 74
  5. ↑ Donaldson, T. E. (2001). Iconography of the Buddhist sculpture of Orissa. India: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. p. 7
  6. ↑ Encyclopaedia Indica: Minor Dynasties of Ancient Orissa. (2000). India: Anmol Publications. p. 79
  7. ↑ Majumdar, R. C. (1943). The History Of Bengal Vol. 1. pp. 116-117
  8. ↑ Senapati, N., Sahu, N. K. (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers: Cuttack. India: Superintendent, Orissa Government Press. pp. 84-85
  9. ↑ Pradhan, A. C. (1984). A Study of History of Orissa: From the Earliest Times to Mukundadeva. India: Panchashila. p. 45
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Majumdar, R. C. (1943). The History Of Bengal Vol. 1. p. 118
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ed. R. C. Majumdar (1960). Comprehensive History of India Vol.3 Part-1. p. 664
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Majumdar, R.C. (2009). History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume 04, The Age Of Imperial Kanauj. Public Resource. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. 50–51.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Others, Muzaffar H. Syed & (2022-02-20). History of Indian Nation : Ancient India. K.K. Publications. p. 287.
  14. ↑ Sinha, Bindeshwari Prasad (1977). Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450-1200 A.D. Abhinav Publications. p. 186.
  15. ↑ MAJUMDAR, R. C. (1971). HISTORY OF ANCIENT BENGAL. G. BHARADWAJ , CALCUTTA. pp. 113–114.
  16. ↑ Rahman, Shah Sufi Mostafizur (2000). Archaeological Investigation in Bogra District: From Early Historic to Early Mediaeval Period. International Centre for Study of Bengal Art. p. 50
  17. ↑ Sinha, Bindeshwari Prasad (1974). Comprehensive History Of Bihar Vol.1; Pt.2. pp. 252–253.
  18. ↑ Diwakar, R. R. (1958). Bihar through the ages. p. 312.
  19. ↑ Laha, Gopal (2017). "Revised Genealogy, Chronology & Regnal Years of the Kings of the Pala Dynasty in the Light of the Latest Discoveries, Decipherment and Presentation (750-1200 A.d)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 78: 253–259
  20. ↑ Sircar, Dineschandra (1985). The Kānyakubja-Gauḍa Struggle, from the Sixth to the Twelfth Century A.D. Asiatic Society. pp. 53-54
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Chakrabarti, Dilip K. (1992). Ancient Bangladesh, a study of the archaeologcial sources. Internet Archive. Delhi ; New York : Oxford University Press. pp. 74-75
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Rahman, Shah Sufi Mostafizur (2000). Archaeological Investigation in Bogra District: From Early Historic to Early Mediaeval Period. International Centre for Study of Bengal Art. pp. 50-52
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Others, Muzaffar H. Syed & (2022-02-20). History of Indian Nation : Ancient India. K.K. Publications. pp. 287-288
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