Kingdoms of North India

In the post-Gupta era in northern India, the predominant period was characterized by numerous small kingdoms. Amid these smaller domains, three significant kingdoms emerged between ( A.D. 750 and 1,000 ), namely −

Rashtrakutas,
Pratiharas, and
Palas

These kingdoms engaged in frequent conflicts, striving to establish dominance over northern India; nevertheless, none of them managed to achieve sustained control.

Struggle for Kanauj

Harsha’s capital was Kanauj, a crucial city in northern India, leading to numerous campaigns being fought over its control.
Geographically situated in the northern plain, Kanauj held strategic significance, providing an easy point to control the Ganga valley.
The struggle for control over Kanauj involved three major kingdoms: the Rashtrakutas, the Pratiharas, and the Palas.
Modern historians refer to this as the ‘tripartite struggle for Kanauj.’

The Rashtrakuta Kingdom

The Rashtrakutas’ kingdom was situated in the northern Deccan, encompassing the region around Nasik.
The capital of the Rashtrakutas was Malkhed, known for its beauty and prosperity.
Malkhed served as a significant city for the Rashtrakutas, symbolizing their power and influence.
Amoghavarsha, reigning from 800 to 878 A.D., was an ambitious and illustrious emperor of the Rashtrakuta kingdom.
Under Amoghavarsha’s rule, the Rashtrakuta kingdom experienced a period of greatness and expansion.

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The Pratihara Kingdom

Building on their success against the Arabs, the Pratiharas expanded their military campaigns eastward.
By the conclusion of the eighth century, the Pratiharas achieved the capture of Kanauj.
Kanauj, a strategically vital city in the northern plain, became a significant conquest for the Pratiharas.
The geographical location of Kanauj provided strategic control over the Ganga valley, adding to its importance.
The Pratiharas’ eastward expansion marked a period of territorial growth and strategic influence.
The capture of Kanauj further solidified the military prowess and dominance of the Pratiharas in the region.
The campaigns in the east contributed to the overall strength and territorial reach of the Pratihara kingdom.
This expansion underscored the Pratiharas’ position as a formidable power in northern India during that era.

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The Pala Kingdom

The Palas, ruling for approximately four centuries, controlled a vast territory, encompassing most of Bengal and a significant portion of Bihar.
After the demise of the previous ruler, who had no heir, the nobles elected Gopala as the king.
Dharmapala, Gopala’s son and successor, initially faced defeat by the Rashtrakuta king but later strengthened his position through military development and alliances with neighboring kingdoms.
Despite the Palas’ attempts to control Kanauj, they couldn’t maintain their hold, and the Pratiharas, led by King Bhoja, recaptured the city.
The powerful Rashtrakuta king, Dhruva, later defeated Bhoja, a distinguished ruler of northern India (836–882), who had regained Kanauj for the Pratiharas.
Sulaiman, an Arab merchant, referred to ‘Juzr’ as a powerful king ruling over a wealthy kingdom, likely Gujarat, with many historians identifying Bhoja as the probable ruler.
Bhoja, with his literary interests and support for Vaishnavism, is evidenced by coins depicting the varaha (boar) and his title ‘adivaraha.’
Within a century, the decline of the Rashtrakutas, Palas, and Pratiharas occurred, giving rise to the emergence of the Chalukyas in the same region, followed by the Sena dynasty ruling over the former Pala territory.
Chola armies threatened the Pala kingdom, leading to its succumbing and subsequent succession by the Sena dynasty, while various states emerged from the fragmentation of the Pratihara kingdom, contributing to the rise of the Rajputs.

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