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Political Idea and organization in North India during the period of the Palas, the Pratiharas, and the Rashtrakutas (800-1000AD)



 
The Palas, the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas followed the ideas and practices of the Guptas and Harsha's kingdom in the north, and Chalukyas in the Deccan. Their ideas and organizations may be summarized as follows:-
Monarch at the center administration:-
  • at the center of the administration.
  • commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
  • attended magnificent darbar. 
  • titles such as Maharajadhiraj param-bhattaraka, etc.
  • title of chakaravartin.
  • prince (Yuraj) helped in administration.
  • princess generally did not or rarely involved in administration. The daughter of Amoghavarsha-I administered Raichur doab for sometimes.  
Magnificent court - 
King's court was attended -
  • by scholars, skilled musicians, dancing girls, etc.
  • by parading of war captured elephants, cavalry was stationed to welcome the king.
Council of Ministers - 
  • ministers were chosen by the king. position of ministers was hereditary.
  • departments comprised - 
    • foreign affairs minister
    • revenue minister
    • senapati
    • chief justice 
    • purohita
Frequent wars - 
  • between kings.
  • between kings and their vassals. 
King's position - hereditary
  • eldest son succeeded the king.
  • to succeed as king, the eldest son had to fight his younger brothers, and sometimes lost to them. For example, Rashtrakuta kings - Dhruv and Govinda IV, deposed their elder brothers.
  Military Strength - 
  • large number of war elephants
  • excellent cavalry
  • horses imported from Arabia and West Asia by sea.
  • The Pratiharas had the best cavalry.
  • large forts garrisoned by special troops.
  • Palas and Rashtrakutas had soldiers from Malwa, Khasa (Assam), Lata (South Gujarat). They had their own navy.
Administration - 
  • empire consisted of two types of areas -
    1. directly administered 
    2. administered by vassal chiefs
      • vassal chiefs were independent in respect of their internal affairs
      • they were obliged to pay a fixed tribute and supply soldiers to the king
      • kings were frequently in fights with vassals, who wished to be remain independently.
  • Directly administered territories were divided into -
      • rashtra - headed by rashtrapati (governor) who acted as uparika did in Pala and Pratihara empire. Sometimes, he enjoyed the status and took the title of a vassal king.
      • visaya - like a modern district
      • pattala - smaller than vishaya
      • bhukti (province) - smaller unit
Units of Pala, Pratihara, and Rashtrakuta socities
  • Bellow these territorial divisions was the village, which was the basic unit of administration. 
      • village headman headed a village.
      • he was paid by granting rent free lands.
      • in his duties, headman was helped by village elders called grama mahajana or grama mahattara.
  • Law and orders in the towns handled by the koshta pala or kotwal.
  • nad gavundas or desa gramakutas were revenue officers in the Deccan. They discharge the same functions as deshmukhs and deshpandeys of later times in Maharashtra. They gradually grew dominant in politics, and administration of the society. This is what what we mean when we say the government was becoming feudalised.
 Tolerant society - 
  • Muslims were allowed to preach Islam, build mosques for morning prayers. They were permitted for trade and commerce.
  • kings did not interfere with the customs or code of conduct prescribe by the law books called the Dharmashastras (by Medhatithi).
  • kings protected Brahmanas and maintained the division of society into four states or varnas.
The Pala Dynasty (750 AD – 1150 AD)
The Chola Empire (900-1200) || Short Notes || Medieval Indian History || Short Notes  
 

 
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