The document provides an overview of the history of ancient Bengal, beginning with the pre-historic period and Gangaridai Empire. It then discusses several successive ruling dynasties that dominated the region from the early middle ages to late middle ages, including the Gauda Kingdom, Pala Empire, Sena Dynasty, Chandra Dynasty, and Deva Kingdom. The Pala Empire reached its height between 750-900 CE and patronized important institutions like Nalanda University. Later periods saw the advent of Islamic rule by the Turko-Afghans and establishment of the Bengal Sultanate. The colonial era brought European influence and British rule. After partition, East Pakistan emerged and later gained independence as Bangladesh.

1. ANCIENT BENGAL
Bangladesh Studies
LAD 115

2. ANCIENT PERIOD
•Pre-historic Bengal
•Overseas Colonization
•Gangaridai Empire

3. EARLY MIDDLE AGES
•Gauda Kingdom
•The Pala dynasty
•Chandra Dynasty
•Sena dynasty
•Deva Kingdom

4. GAUDA KINGDOM
Coin of Sasanka, king of Gauda, circa 600-630.
Gauda Kingdom was a Hindu power during
the Late Classical period on the Indian
subcontinent, which originated in the present-
day region of Bengal.

5. GAUDA KINGDOM
590-626

6. PALA DYNASTY

7. PALA EMPIRE
750-900

8. PALA EMPIRE
750-900

9. PALA EMPIRE
750-900
• Bikrampur
• Pataliputra
• Gauda
• Monghyr (Devapala)
• Somapura (Dharampala)
• Mahipal in present-day Murshidabad district (Mahipala I)
Ramavati in Varendra (Ramapala and successors)

10. PALA EMPIRE
750-900

11. PALA EMPIRE
(750-900)
SUCCESSORS

12. RC Majumdar(1971)
AM Chowdhury
(1967)
BP Sinha (1977) DC Sircar (1975–76) D. K. Ganguly (1994)
Gopala I 750–770 756–781 755–783 750–775
Dharmapala 770–810 781–821 783–820 775–812
Devapala 810–c. 850 821–861 820–860 812–850
Mahendrapala NA (Mahendrapala's existence was conclusively established through a copper-plate charter discovered later.)
Shurapala I
850–853 861–866 860–865
850–858
Vigrahapala I 858–60
Narayanapala 854–908 866–920 865–920 860–917
Rajyapala 908–940 920–952 920–952 917–952
Gopala II 940–957 952–969 952–967 952–972
Vigrahapala II 960–c. 986 969–995 967–980 972–977
Mahipala I 988–c. 1036 995–1043 980–1035 977–1027
Nayapala 1038–1053 1043–1058 1035–1050 1027–1043
Vigrahapala III 1054–1072 1058–1075 1050–1076 1043–1070
Mahipala II 1072–1075 1075–1080
1076–1078/9
1070–1071
Shurapala 1075–1077 1080–1082 1071–1072
Ramapala 1077–1130 1082–1124 1078/9–1132 1072–1126
Kumarapala 1130–1125 1124–1129 1132–1136 1126–1128
Gopala III 1140–1144 1129–1143 1136–1144 1128–1143
Madanapala 1144–1162 1143–1162 1144–1161/62 1143–1161
Govindapala 1155–1159 NA 1162–1176 or 1158–1162 1161–1165
Palapala NA NA NA 1165–1199

13. PALA EMPIRE
750-900

14. PALA EMPIRE
750-900
A model of the Somapura Mahavihara by Ali Naqi
Somapura Mahavihara, a World Heritage Site, was built
by Dharmapala

15. PALA EMPIRE
750-900
Nalanda is considered one of the first great universities in recorded
history. It reached its height under the Palas.

16. SENA DYNASTY

17. SENA DYNASTY

18. SENA DYNASTY
The Sena rulers
• Samanta Sena
• Hemanta Sena (1070–1096 AD)
• Vijaya Sena (1095–1158 AD)
• Ballala Sena (1158–1179 AD)
• Lakshmana Sena (1179–1205 AD)
• Vishvarupa Sena (1206–1225 AD)
• Keshava Sena (1225–1230 AD)

19. SENA DYNASTY

20. CHANDRA DYNASTY

21. CHANDRA DYNASTY

22. CHANDRA DYNASTY
 The Chandra dynasty were a family who ruled over the kingdom
of Harikela in eastern Bengal (comprising the ancient lands
of Harikela, Vanga and Samatala) for roughly 150 years from the
beginning of the 10th century CE.
 Their empire also encompassed Vanga and Samatala, with
Srichandra expanding his domain to include parts of Kamarupa. Their
empire was ruled from their capital, Vikrampur (modern Munshiganj)
and was powerful enough to militarily withstand the Pala Empire to
the north-west.
 They were replaced later by the Varman dynasty as rulers of Harikela.

23. CHANDRA DYNASTY
The five Chandra rulers were:
• Traillokyachandra (900–930 CE)
• Srichandra (930–975 CE)
• Kalyanachandra (975–1000 CE)
• Ladahachandra (1000–1020 CE)
• Govindachandra (1020–1050 CE)

24. CHANDRA DYNASTY

25. DEVA KINGDOM

26. DEVA KINGDOM
Sculpture found
in Rupban mura
of Mainamati

27. DEVA KINGDOM
Shalban Bihar
Ananda Bihar

28. DEVA KINGDOM
Koutilya Mura
Rupoban Mura

29. DEVA KINGDOM

30. LATE MIDDLE AGES – ADVENT OF ISLAM
•Turko Afghan rule
• Khiljis
•Mamluk rule
•Mahmud Shahi dynasty

31. LATE MIDDLE AGES – ADVENT OF ISLAM
•Ilyas Shahi dynasty
•Sonargaon Sultanate
•Ganesha dynasty
•Hussain Shahi dynasty

32. LATE MIDDLE AGES – ADVENT OF ISLAM
•Pashtun rule
•Sur dynasty
•Karrani dynasty

33. MUGHAL PERIOD
•Islam Khan
•Shaista Khan
•The Nawabs of Bengal

34. COLONIAL ERA
•Europeans in Bengal
•British rule
•Bengal Renaissance
•Partition of Bengal, 1905

35. MOVEMENT FOR SELF-RULE AND
ESTABLISHMENT OF PAKISTAN
• Creation of Pakistan
• The Bengali Language Movement
• Politics: 1954–1970
• Independence movement
• Formal Declaration of Independence
• Pakistani capitulation and aftermath

36. PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
BANGLADESH

37. CONSTITUTION, EARLY
DEMOCRACY AND SOCIALISM
• Provisional Government
• Sheikh Mujib administration

38. MILITARY COUPS AND PRESIDENTIAL
REGIMES
• First martial law and Zia administration
• Sattar administration
• Second martial law and Ershad
administration
• First caretaker government (1990–1991)

39. RETURN OF PARLIAMENTARY REPUBLIC
• Khaleda administration (1991–1996)
• Second caretaker government (1996)
• Hasina administration (1996–2001)
• Third caretaker government (2001)
• Khaleda administration (2001–2006)
• Fourth caretaker regime (2006–2008)
• Hasina administration (2009 – present)

40. ANOTHER ISSUE !!!
•Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict