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) |
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.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Tripartite struggle and the three powers
'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.
Which Pala ruler founded the Vikramashila monastery?
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Dharmapala — the Palas were the great Buddhist patrons of Bengal-Bihar.
Chola rulers ↔ achievements
'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.
Which Chola ruler sent a naval expedition against the Srivijaya kingdom?
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Rajendra I — to secure the sea route to China; he also marched to the Ganga (title Gangaikonda).
Chola village administration: Uttaramerur and kudavolai
'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.
Under the kudavolai system of the Cholas, village committee members were chosen by —
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Drawing lots (tickets) from a pot — hence 'pot-ticket' — under rules recorded in the Uttaramerur inscriptions.
Rajput and regional kingdoms: houses ↔ capitals & rulers
'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.
Rani Rudramadevi, a rare woman ruler of the medieval age, belonged to which dynasty?
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The Kakatiyas of Warangal (Telangana-Andhra).
Shortcuts that save time
Pala, Pratihara, Rashtrakuta → Kannauj. East, West and South all wanted the centre.
Which of these dynasties was NOT part of the tripartite struggle — Pala, Pratihara, Chola, Rashtrakuta?
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Chola — the three were Pala, Pratihara and Rashtrakuta.
1191 → 1st battle → Prithviraj wins. 1192 → 2nd battle → Ghori wins. The second number always goes to the invader.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
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.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
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.
Practice: 14 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.