Decline of the Pala Dynasty and the Situation in Bengal

Timeline

1. 1105Magadha · BiharRamapala was the last vigorous Pala king, having quelled the Kaivarta rebellion and briefly restored imperial order. By 1105 he was advanced in years, direct control from the capital over distant governors and monastic estates weakened, frontier garrison pay and official salaries were often in arrears, and centrifugal tendencies intensified.
2. 1105–1110Varendra and Vanga (eastern Bengal) · BengalThe Sena dynasty's founder Vijayasena established his state around 1097, and by around 1105 had secured control of eastern Bengal and parts of the Ganges basin. Pala forces repeatedly suffered defeats on the eastern frontier, traditional Pagan granaries such as Varendra gradually fell into the Sena sphere, and Pala control over Bay of Bengal trade routes weakened accordingly.
3. 1105–1110Various towns on the Bengal–Bihar frontier · BengalBesides the Sena, northwestern vassals such as the Kamboja also frequently defied royal commands. Buddhist centers around Nalanda and Vikramashila still enjoyed renown but could no longer provide the Pala with the financial and human resources of former times. An unclear succession candidate intensified court factional struggles, setting the stage for the rapid collapse of the Pala within a few years after Ramapala's death.