Origins & Early Life

Devapāla (c. 9th century) was a great Bengali emperor and the successor of Dharmapala and the third emperor of the Pala Empire. During his reign, the Pāla Empire reached the height of its territorial extent and prosperity. He was known to be the Overlord of Aryavarta.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Devapala was the third king in the line, and had succeeded his father Dharamapala. His mother was Rannadevi, a Rashtrakuta princess. Earlier historians considered Devapala as a nephew of Dharmapala, based on the Bhagalpur copper plate of Narayanapala, which mentions Devapala as Jayapala's purvajabhrata (interpreted as "elder brother"). Jayapala is mentioned as the son of Dharmapala's brother Vakpala in multiple Pala inscriptions. However, the discovery of the Munger (Monghyr) copper inscription changed this view.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This particular inscription clearly describes Devapala as the son of Dharmapala. Based on the different interpretations of the various epigraphs and historical records, the different historians estimate Devapala's reign as follows: Devapala is credited by Taranatha for subjugating the whole Northern India from the Himalayas to the Vindhyan Mountains. The Badal Pillar Inscription...

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