Mahipala - Conquests

Conquests

Mahipala reign over his kingdom for 60 years, as his two Imadpur inscriptions are dated in his 48th year. Mahipala, on his accession, found the Pala empire confined to southern Bihar and in his early years. Due to the Candra's encroachment on the Kamboja Palas, he fought successfully to recover northern and western Bengal from them, including Radha and the ancestral homeland of the Pala dynasty. By 990 CE of his reign, he succeeded in spreading Pala authority into northern Bihar. He must be given the credit for re-establishing Pala authority over their original kingdom, except for southern Bengal, where the Candra dynasty held power.

The Belwa and Bangarh copperplates proclaim that Mahipala, by slaying all his enemies, obtained his paternal kingdom which had been snatched away through pride of prowess by people who had no claim to it. Mahipala's success in recovering the paternal kingdom was his most important achievement, since it gave a new lease of life to the Pala Empire.

Mahipala held authority over southern Bihar (Magadha) and towards the close of his reign over northern Bihar. Scholars also ascribe to him conquests beyond Bihar on the basis of his Sarnath inscription. The inscription, dated c. 1083 or 1026 CE, is of a purely religious nature and records the construction and rebuilding of religious edifices at the famous Buddhist site near Benares. However, based solely on this inscription Mahipala cannot be taken to have controlled Benares.