Pala Emperor
| Pala Empire | ||||||||||
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 The Pala Empire in Asia in 800 CE
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| Capital |
List
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| Languages | Sanskrit, Prakrit (including proto-Bengali), Pali | |||||||||
| Religion | Buddhism, Shaivite Hinduism | |||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | |||||||||
| Emperor | ||||||||||
| • | 8th century | Gopala | ||||||||
| • | 12th century | Madanapala | ||||||||
| Historical era | Classical India | |||||||||
| • | Established | 8th century | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 12th century | ||||||||
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| Today part of |
 Bangladesh India Nepal Pakistan
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The Pala Empire was an imperial power during the Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Bengal. It is named after its ruling dynasty, whose rulers bore names ending with the suffix of Pala, which meant "protector" in the ancient language of Prakrit. They were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. The empire was founded with the election of Gopala as the emperor of Gauda in 750 CE. The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and Bihar, which included the major cities of Vikrampura, Pataliputra, Gauda, Monghyr, Somapura, Ramvati (Varendra), Tamralipta and Jaggadala.
The Palas were astute diplomats and military conquerors. Their army was noted for its vast war elephant cavalry. Their navy performed both mercantile and defensive roles in the Bay of Bengal. The Palas were important promoters of classical Indian philosophy, literature, painting and sculpture. They built grand temples and monasteries, including the Somapura Mahavihara, and patronised the great universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. The Proto-Bengali language developed under Pala rule. The empire enjoyed relations with the Srivijaya Empire, the Tibetan Empire and the Arab Abbasid Caliphate. Islam first appeared in Bengal during Pala rule, as a result of increased trade between Bengal and the Middle East. Abbasid coinage found in Pala archaeological sites, as well as records of Arab historians, point to flourishing mercantile and intellectual contacts. The House of Wisdom in Baghdad absorbed the mathematical and astronomical achievements of Indian civilisation during this period.
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