Medieval Indian History
🔒 Log in to trackEarly Medieval India (c. 750–1206)
🔒 Log in to trackBasics you must know
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Tripartite struggle | 8th–10th century fight for Kannauj between the Palas (Bengal), Gurjara-Pratiharas (western India) and Rashtrakutas (Deccan) |
| Palas | Founded by Gopala (c. 750, "elected" by chiefs); Dharmapala revived Nalanda and founded Vikramashila university |
| Gurjara-Pratiharas | Nagabhata I checked Arab advance; Mihira Bhoja (Adivaraha coins) is the best-known ruler |
| Rashtrakutas | Founder Dantidurga; capital Manyakheta; Amoghavarsha I wrote Kavirajamarga (Kannada) |
| Arab conquest of Sindh | Muhammad bin Qasim, 712 CE, defeated Raja Dahir |
| Mahmud of Ghazni | 17 raids (1000–1027); sacked Somnath temple (1025); scholar Al-Biruni came with him and wrote Kitab-ul-Hind |
| Muhammad Ghori | First Battle of Tarain 1191 – lost to Prithviraj Chauhan; Second Battle of Tarain 1192 – won; Chandawar 1194 – defeated Jaichand (Gahadavala, Kannauj) |
| Kashmir chronicle | Kalhana's Rajatarangini (12th c.) — first proper historical work in Sanskrit |
| Chand Bardai | Court poet of Prithviraj; Prithviraj Raso |
Rajput dynasties (quick map)
| Dynasty | Region | Remember for |
|---|---|---|
| Chauhans (Chahamanas) | Ajmer–Delhi | Prithviraj III |
| Gahadavalas | Kannauj–Varanasi | Jaichand |
| Paramaras | Malwa (Dhar) | Raja Bhoja — scholar-king, Bhojpur |
| Chandelas | Bundelkhand | Khajuraho temples |
| Solankis (Chalukyas of Gujarat) | Gujarat | Dilwara (Mt Abu) & Modhera Sun temple era |
| Tomaras | Delhi region | Founded Dhillika (Delhi) |
Detailed notes
After Harsha: a mosaic of kingdoms
From the 8th century north India split among the Palas (Bengal-Bihar), the Gurjara-Pratiharas (Malwa-Rajasthan) and the Rashtrakutas (Deccan), all three fighting for Kannauj — the famous tripartite struggle. The Palas began when Gopala was elected king (c. 750); Dharmapala founded the Vikramashila monastery and revived Nalanda, and the dynasty patronised Buddhism. The Pratiharas under Nagabhata I turned back Arab raids; Mihira Bhoja was their best-known ruler. The Rashtrakutas (founder Dantidurga) gave India the Kailasa temple, Ellora (Krishna I) and the Kavirajamarga (Amoghavarsha). Rajput clans filled the rest of the north: the Chauhans (Delhi-Ajmer — Prithviraj III, the two Battles of Tarain, 1191 and 1192), Gahadavalas (Kannauj — Jaichand), Paramaras (Malwa — the scholar-king Bhoja of Dhara), Chandellas (Khajuraho temples), Solankis (Somnath, Dilwara), and the Senas of Bengal (Lakshmanasena, the last old-order king, whose capital fell to Bakhtiyar Khalji).
The Cholas at their height
The imperial line began when Vijayalaya captured Thanjavur (c. 850). Rajaraja I conquered Sri Lanka and the Maldives and built the great Brihadeshwara (Rajarajeshwara) temple at Thanjavur. His son Rajendra I marched to the Ganga (taking the title Gangaikonda, and building the capital Gangaikondacholapuram) and sent a naval expedition against Srivijaya (Shailendra kingdom of Sumatra-Malaya peninsula) to guard the China trade. The Chola navy, the bronzes (Nataraja) and temple building mark the age's peak.
Village self-rule: the Uttaramerur inscriptions
The Cholas' most-quoted contribution is local self-government. The Uttaramerur inscriptions (of Parantaka I's reign) record how village committees (variyams) were chosen by the kudavolai (pot-ticket) system — candidates were screened for age, property and learning, names were drawn from a pot, and members could be removed for misconduct. Village assemblies had three forms: the ur (common villages), the sabha (Brahmadeya, Brahmana-grant villages) and the nagaram (merchant towns).
Other regional powers
Eastern Gangas of Odisha — Narasimhadeva I built the Konark Sun Temple. Hoysalas (capital Dorasamudra/Halebidu, temples at Belur-Halebidu-Somnathpura). Kakatiyas of Warangal — ruled briefly by the woman ruler Rani Rudramadevi. Western Chalukyas of Kalyani (Vikramaditya VI) fought the Cholas for the Tungabhadra doab; Yadavas held Devagiri until Alauddin Khalji's raids.
Quick revision
- Tripartite struggle = Pala vs Pratihara vs Rashtrakuta, prize Kannauj; Gopala = elected Pala founder; Dharmapala = Vikramashila.
- Rajput houses: Chauhan-Prithviraj (Tarain 1191/1192), Paramara-Bhoja, Chandella-Khajuraho, Solanki-Somnath, Gahadavala-Jaichand, Sena-Lakshmanasena.
- Chola chain: Vijayalaya (850, Thanjavur) → Rajaraja I (Brihadeshwara) → Rajendra I (Gangaikonda; navy vs Srivijaya).
- Uttaramerur (Parantaka I): kudavolai lottery, variyam committees; assemblies = ur, sabha, nagaram.
- Regional capitals: Hoysala-Dorasamudra, Kakatiya-Warangal, Ganga-Konark.
Types of questions asked
Every way this subtopic shows up in exams — how to recognise it, the formula or logic to use, and a solved example.
Type 1: Tripartite struggle and the three powerscommon2 practice Q
'Who won the tripartite struggle', Pala-Pratihara-Rashtrakuta founder or university or temple links.
- Powers: Palas = Bengal-Bihar (Buddhist), Gurjara-Pratiharas = Malwa-Rajasthan, Rashtrakutas = Deccan; prize = Kannauj.
- Anchors: Gopala (elected Pala), Dharmapala (Vikramashila), Nagabhata I (Arab raids), Krishna I (Kailasa Ellora), Amoghavarsha (Kavirajamarga).
- In statement questions, check which dynasty each fact belongs to before judging.
Example: Which Pala ruler founded the Vikramashila monastery?
Dharmapala — the Palas were the great Buddhist patrons of Bengal-Bihar.
Type 2: Chola rulers ↔ achievementsvery common3 practice Q
'Gangaikonda was the title of', who built the Brihadeshwara temple, the naval expedition against Srivijaya, order of Chola rulers.
- Chain: Vijayalaya (founder, Thanjavur) → Rajaraja I → Rajendra I.
- Rajaraja I = Brihadeshwara temple, Thanjavur; Rajendra I = Gangaikonda title, Gangaikondacholapuram, navy vs Srivijaya (Shailendra).
- The Srivijaya raid was to protect the China trade route — a favourite 'why' question.
Example: Which Chola ruler sent a naval expedition against the Srivijaya kingdom?
Rajendra I — to secure the sea route to China; he also marched to the Ganga (title Gangaikonda).
Type 3: Chola village administration: Uttaramerur and kudavolaivery common3 practice Q
'The kudavolai system', which inscription records village committees, ur vs sabha vs nagaram, eligibility rules.
- Source: Uttaramerur inscriptions, reign of Parantaka I.
- System: kudavolai (pot-ticket) — names drawn from a pot; committees called variyam; eligibility rules on age, property, learning.
- Assemblies: ur = common villages, sabha = Brahmadeya (Brahmana) villages, nagaram = merchant towns.
Example: Under the kudavolai system of the Cholas, village committee members were chosen by —
Drawing lots (tickets) from a pot — hence 'pot-ticket' — under rules recorded in the Uttaramerur inscriptions.
Type 4: Rajput and regional kingdoms: houses ↔ capitals & rulerscommon4 practice Q
'Which dynasty ruled Warangal', 'Rani Rudramadevi belonged to', Konark-Halebidu-Khajuraho builder links, Tarain facts.
- Houses: Chauhan-Delhi-Ajmer (Prithviraj, Tarain), Paramara-Malwa (Bhoja), Chandella-Khajuraho, Solanki-Gujarat (Somnath), Gahadavala-Kannauj (Jaichand), Sena-Bengal (Lakshmanasena).
- Deccan-south: Kakatiya-Warangal (Rudramadevi), Hoysala-Dorasamudra (Belur-Halebidu), Eastern Ganga-Odisha (Narasimhadeva I, Konark).
- Match the temple to its builder-dynasty before answering.
Example: Rani Rudramadevi, a rare woman ruler of the medieval age, belonged to which dynasty?
The Kakatiyas of Warangal (Telangana-Andhra).
Shortcut tricks
⚡ Tripartite = "PPR fight for K"
Pala, Pratihara, Rashtrakuta → Kannauj. East, West and South all wanted the centre.
Example: Which of these dynasties was NOT part of the tripartite struggle — Pala, Pratihara, Chola, Rashtrakuta?
Chola — the three were Pala, Pratihara and Rashtrakuta.
⚡ Tarain: 1 to Prithviraj, 2 to Ghori
1191 → 1st battle → Prithviraj wins. 1192 → 2nd battle → Ghori wins. The second number always goes to the invader.
Where students lose marks
Somnath was raided by Mahmud of Ghazni (1025), not Muhammad Ghori.
Al-Biruni came with Mahmud of Ghazni; Ibn Battuta came under Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Arab conquest of Sindh (712) was by Muhammad bin Qasim, not Mahmud.
Practice sets — 14 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Each answer comes with a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.