Major Dynasties of Bihar

Major Dynasties of Bihar

Dynasties of Bihar include Gupta dynasty, Yaduvanshis and Kachwaha dynasty and few other lesser prominent ones. Bihar has experienced various invasions from different dynasties.

Starting from the Neolithic age to 1600 century Bihar was ruled by large and small dynasties. As sometimes it was occupied under whole of India as in the case with The Gupta Dynasty , Mughal Empire etc. and on other times it was ruled by local dynasty without much impact from outside.

Dynasties of Bihar comprised of the imperial Gupta Empire, Yaduvanshis and Kachwaha dynasty

The history of dynasties of Bihar starts with that of Gupta dynasty. In the twelfth century, a Gupta dynasty ruled from Jayapura, identified with modern Jayanagar, near Lakhisarai District in the Munger. King Yajnesagupta, was succeeded by Damodaragupta. His successor was king Devagupta. These three kings were feudatories of the Pala Dynasty. Devagupta was descended by son Maharajadhiraja Mahamandalika Rajadityagupta. His son Rajaputra Krishnagupta died before him. Rajadityagupta was succeeded by his grandson Maharajadhiraja Mahamandalika Samgramagupta. He ruled for more than seventeen years. Muhammad Bakhtyar Khilji had destroyed the Gupta power.

Pithi region is known to have been ruled by the Sena dynasty which included the region round Gaya. He was succeeded by his sons Buddhasena and Jayasena in second half of thirteenth century. The Karavala dynasty ruled in the Shahabad district, which formed part of Magadha, in the twelfth century AD. Sadhava is the earliest known member of this family. His son was king Ranadhavala, whose son Pratapadhavala is referred to as a Mahanayaka of Japila. His son and successor was king Sahasa. His two sons Vikrama and Indradhavala occupied the throne of their father in SUCCESSION. Nothing definite is known of the family. A king named Pratapa, who is known to have been ruling in the Shahabad District in 1223 AD, might have been a successor of Indradhavala.

Kachhwahas

The Kachhawas belong to the Suryavanshi lineage, which claims descent from the Suryavansha of the ancient Kshatriyas. The Kachwahas or Kacchapghata dynasty was originally from Bihar who founded Gwalior and Narwar in the 8th century. A descendant of this dynasty Dulah Rai established his rule in Dhundhar in the eleventh century. The Kachchhapaghatas are generally considered to be the ancestors of the Rajput clan Kachwaha, but this has no historical substantiation. Three branches of this dynasty ruled in Gwalior, Narwar (Princely State of Narwar) and Dubkund.

The earliest known chief of the Gwalior branch is Lakshman. Gwalior was under the sway of the Dhanga, the king of Chandella Dynasty a feudatory of the Pratihara Vinayakapala of Kannauj. Maharajadhiraja Vajradaman, son of Lakshman, defeated the king of Gandhinagar who may be identified with the Pratihara Vijayapala. Vajradaman was followed in succession by Marigalaraja and Kirttiraja respectively. Kirttiraja revolted an attack of the king of Malava. It is probably Kirttiraja who surrendered to Mahmud of Ghazni when the latter invaded Gwalior

The known ruler of the family of Kachwaha family who ruled Chadoba is Arjuna, the son of Yuvaraja, and a feudatory of the Chandella Vidyadhar. He killed the Pratihara Rajyapala of Kannauj. His son and successor Abhimanyu was an ally of the Paramara Bhoja. Abhimanyu was succeeded by his son Vijayapala, who was succeeded by his son Vikramasimha. A third branch this dynasty ruled in Narwar, the ancient Nalapura. Gangasimha was the first ruler, his successor Saradasimha, and the latter’s successor was Virasimha.

Yadu Dynasty

A Yadu dynasty has ruled in Bayana, the ancient name of which was Sripatha. The kingdom of this dynasty includes the old Bharatpur State and the Mathura district. King Jaitapala ruled in the first half of the eleventh century. His successor was Vijayapala. Again he was succeeded by Tahanapala who, according to tradition, built the fort of Tahangarh. Tahanapala was followed in succession by Dharmapala, Kunwarpala and Ajayapala. An inscription says that Haripala was the son and successor of Ajayapala. Haripala was succeeded by Sohapala. It is believed that Anangapala was the successor of Sohapala. Anangapala was followed in sequence by Prithvipala, Rajapala and Trilokapala.

Time Line of Various dynasties who ruled in the state of Bihar

Neolithic age

Chirand, situated on the northern bank of the Ganga River in Saran district has continuous archaeological record from the Neolithic age (about 2500–1345 BC). The occupational categorization in Chirand covers three periods –

Period I Neolithic (2500–1345 BC),

Period II Chalcolithic (1600 B.C) and

Period III Iron age.

Later Vedic Period

1100-500BCE: Mithila region of Bihar became the centre of Indian Power in the later Vedic Period under the rule of Janaks. Sita, a daughter of one of the Janaks of Mithila is mentioned as the consort of Lord Rama, in the Hindu epic, Ramayana, written by Valmiki.

Mahajanpadas

Around 500-around 300 BCE: Foundation and rule of world’s first republic, Vajji, a confederation of various clans, in the Mithila region of present-day Bihar with capital at Vaishali and Lichhivis are the most powerful clan of Vajji.

560-480 BCE: Rule of Anga Kingdom in present-day south-eastern Bihar.

490 BCE: Establishment of Pataliputra (Modern Patna).

Before 325 BCE: Nanda clan rules in Magadha.

Magadh Empire

450-362 BCE: Mahapadma Nanda is ruler of the Magadh Empire, Nanda Dynasty.

325-185 BCE: Period of the Maurya dynasty

340 BCE: Period of Chandragupta Maurya

304 BCE: Ashoka born in Pataliputra

273 BCE: Ashoka crowned new Emperor of Magadh

273-232 Ashoka expands Magadh to greatest territorial extent, with Pataliputra (modern Patna) as its capital.

185 BCE-80 CE: Shunga dynasty established by Magadh General Pushyamitra Shunga.

75 BCE – 26 BCE: Kanva Dynasty

240 – 600: Gupta Dynasty. First ruler is Srigupta.

375-415: Reign of Chandragupta II

500: Attack by Huna tribe weakens the Gupta dynasty.

Pala, Sena, Harshvardhan and Karnata rule

Around 6th century-11th century: The rule of Pala and Sena dynasty in Mithila region.

600 – 650: The empire of Harsha Vardhana expands into Magadh.

750 – 1200: The Pala Dynasty expands into Magadh.

11th century- around 1325: The Karnata dynasty rules Mithila region.

Mughal Empire

1526-1540: Mughal Emperor, Babur, defeats the last Sultan of Delhi Sultanate, Lodi, and establishes the Mughal Empire.

Islamic Sur Dynasty

1540-1555: Sher Shah captures empire from Mughals.

1540-1555: Building of the Grand Trunk Road, Introduction of the Rupee and Custom Duties

1556: Mughal dynasty regains control of Agra after the Battle of Panipat.

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Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is one of the most populous states in India, with over 100 million people. The state is home to a number of major historical and cultural sites, including the Mahabodhi Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bihar has been ruled by a number of different dynasties over the centuries. The first major dynasty to rule Bihar was the Haryanka dynasty, which ruled from the 6th century BCE to the 4th century BCE. The Haryanka dynasty was followed by the Nanda dynasty, which ruled from the 4th century BCE to the 3rd century BCE. The Nanda dynasty was then overthrown by the Mauryan dynasty, which ruled from the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century BCE.

The Mauryan dynasty was one of the most powerful dynasties in Indian history. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in Indian history. Ashoka converted to Buddhism-2/”>Buddhism and spread the religion throughout his empire.

After the Mauryan dynasty, Bihar was ruled by a number of different dynasties, including the Shunga dynasty, the Kushan Empire, The Gupta Empire, the Pala Empire, and the Sena dynasty. The Gupta Empire was one of the golden ages of Indian history. The Gupta emperors were patrons of art, literature, and science.

In the 13th century, Bihar was invaded by the Muslim Turks. The Turks ruled Bihar for several centuries. During this time, many Hindu temples were destroyed and many Hindus were converted to Islam.

In the 16th century, Bihar was ruled by the Mughal Empire. The Mughal emperors were tolerant of other religions and allowed Hindus to practice their religion freely.

In the 18th century, Bihar was ruled by the Nawabs of Bengal. The Nawabs were Muslim rulers who were descended from the Mughal emperors.

In the 18th century, Bihar was also ruled by the British East India Company. The British East India Company was a trading company that had a monopoly on trade with India. The British East India Company eventually became the de facto ruler of India.

In 1947, India gained independence from British rule. Bihar became one of the states of the newly independent country.

Bihar has a rich history and culture. The state is home to a number of major historical and cultural sites, including the Mahabodhi Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bihar is also home to a number of universities and colleges.

Bihar is a developing state. The state has a number of challenges, including POVERTY, illiteracy, and Corruption. However, the state is also making progress in a number of areas, including Education, healthcare, and Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE.

Frequently Asked Questions about Major Dynasties of Bihar

• What are the major dynasties of Bihar?

The major dynasties of Bihar were the Magadha Empire, the Gupta Empire, the Pala Empire, and the Sena Empire.

• When did the Magadha Empire rule Bihar?

The Magadha Empire ruled Bihar from the 6th century BCE to the 4th century BCE.

• Who were the most famous rulers of the Magadha Empire?

The most famous rulers of the Magadha Empire were Bimbisara, Ajatasatru, and Ashoka the Great.

• What was the Gupta Empire known for?

The Gupta Empire was known for its golden age of art, literature, and science.

• Who were the most famous rulers of the Gupta Empire?

The most famous rulers of the Gupta Empire were Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II.

• What was the Pala Empire known for?

The Pala Empire was known for its Buddhist art and architecture.

• Who were the most famous rulers of the Pala Empire?

The most famous rulers of the Pala Empire were Dharmapala and Devapala.

• What was the Sena Empire known for?

The Sena Empire was known for its Hindu revival.

• Who were the most famous rulers of the Sena Empire?

The most famous rulers of the Sena Empire were Ballala Sena and Lakshmana Sena.

• What happened to the major dynasties of Bihar?

The major dynasties of Bihar were overthrown by the Mughal Empire in the 16th century.

• What is the legacy of the major dynasties of Bihar?

The legacy of the major dynasties of Bihar is a rich history and culture that continues to influence the region today.

1. Which of the following is not a major dynasty of Bihar?
   (A) The Mauryan Empire
   (B) The Gupta Empire
   (C) The Pala Empire
   (D) The Sena Empire

2. The Mauryan Empire was founded by:
   (A) Chandragupta Maurya
   (B) Ashoka the Great
   (C) Bindusara
   (D) Samudragupta

3. The Gupta Empire was founded by:
   (A) Chandragupta I
   (B) Samudragupta
   (C) Chandragupta II
   (D) Kumaragupta I

4. The Pala Empire was founded by:
   (A) Gopala
   (B) Dharmapala
   (C) Devapala
   (D) Mahipala I

5. The Sena Empire was founded by:
   (A) Ballala Sena
   (B) Vigraha Sena
   (C) Lakshmana Sena
   (D) Krishna Sena

6. The Mauryan Empire was a major power in India from the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who united much of the Indian subcontinent under his rule. The Mauryan Empire was known for its strong military, its efficient administration, and its patronage of art and literature.

7. The Gupta Empire was a major power in India from the 4th century CE to the 6th century CE. It was founded by Chandragupta I, who married into the Mauryan royal family. The Gupta Empire was known for its golden age of art, literature, and science.

8. The Pala Empire was a major power in India from the 8th century CE to the 12th century CE. It was founded by Gopala, who was a minister in the previous dynasty. The Pala Empire was known for its patronage of Buddhism and its support of the arts.

9. The Sena Empire was a major power in India from the 11th century CE to the 13th century CE. It was founded by Ballala Sena, who defeated the Pala Empire. The Sena Empire was known for its military prowess and its support of Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism.

10. The Mauryan Empire was the first major empire to unite much of the Indian subcontinent under one rule. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th century BCE. The Mauryan Empire was known for its strong military, its efficient administration, and its patronage of art and literature. The empire reached its peak under the rule of Ashoka the Great, who is considered one of the greatest rulers in Indian history. The Mauryan Empire declined in the 2nd century BCE and eventually collapsed in the 1st century BCE.

11. The Gupta Empire was a golden age for India. It was founded by Chandragupta I in the 4th century CE and reached its peak under the rule of Chandragupta II, who is also known as Vikramaditya. The Gupta Empire was known for its art, literature, and science. It was also a time of religious Tolerance and peace. The Gupta Empire declined in the 6th century CE and eventually collapsed in the 7th century CE.

12. The Pala Empire was a major power in India from the 8th century CE to the 12th century CE. It was founded by Gopala, who was a minister in the previous dynasty. The Pala Empire was known for its patronage of Buddhism and its support of the arts. The empire reached its peak under the rule of Dharmapala, who is considered one of the greatest patrons of Buddhism in Indian history. The Pala Empire declined in the 12th century CE and eventually collapsed in the 13th century CE.

13. The Sena Empire was a major power in India from the 11th century CE to the 13th century CE. It was founded by Ballala Sena, who defeated the Pala Empire. The Sena Empire was known for its military prowess and its support of Hinduism. The empire reached its peak under the rule of Lakshmana Sena, who is considered one of the greatest Hindu rulers in Indian history. The Sena Empire declined in the 13th century CE and eventually collapsed in the 14th century CE.