The political space after the decline of the Pala power in Bengal was occupied by the Senas whose king Vijayasena succeeded in conquering a large part of Pala territory. The Senas were the supporters of orthodox Hinduism. The dynasty traces ts origin to the South, to the Chalukyas.
The founder of the Sena rule was Samantasena who described himself as a kshatriya of Karnata and born in a family of “Brahma-Kshatriya" at a place called Radha in West Bengal. The title Brahma-Kshatriya indicates that Samantasena was a Brahmin but his successors called themselves simply Kshatriyas. He himself states that he fought the outlaws of Karnata and later turned an ascetic.
Samantasena was succeeded by Vijayasena who consolidated the Sena power. According to the Deopara inscription composed by the poet Dhoyi, Vijayasena is credited with defeating “Navya (ruler of Mithila and Nepal) and Vira. The Gauda kingdom was attacked by him who also humbled the ruler of Kamrupa. He also defeated many minor kings and is said to have dispatched his fleet along the course of the Ganga.” Vijayasena established tow capitals, Vikrampura in East Bengal and Vijayapuri in West Bengal.
After the death of Vijayasena, Ballalsena (1165-85) ascended the throne. The literary texts Ballalacharita and Laghubharata, Mithala formed part of the Sena kingdom as the fifth province. Varendra, Vagdi, Radha and Vanga were the other four provinces. Ballalsena was a man of literary taste. He is said to have authored Adbhutasagara, a work on astronomy, and Danasagara, a work on Smriti. Ballalsena is known to have started a social movement known as Kulinism by which the nobility of birth and purity of blood were carefully protected.
Ballalsena was succeeded by Lakshmanasena who surrendered meekly to the Turkish invader Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji and escaped for his life by flight in 1194. Lakshmanasena fled the Sena capital at Nadia (renamed Lakhnauti or Lakshmanavati) and took refuge at Vikrampura in East Bengal where his sons Visvarupasena and Kesavasena continued to rule. Visvarupasena ruled for fourteen years while Kesavasena for three years.
Though politically an effete, Lakshmanasena, however, was a patron of great literary minds of the day. Jayadev, author of Gita Govinda, Halayudha, the linguist, and Dhoyi, author of Pavanadutam, adorned his court.
The founder of the Sena rule was Samantasena who described himself as a kshatriya of Karnata and born in a family of “Brahma-Kshatriya" at a place called Radha in West Bengal. The title Brahma-Kshatriya indicates that Samantasena was a Brahmin but his successors called themselves simply Kshatriyas. He himself states that he fought the outlaws of Karnata and later turned an ascetic.
Samantasena was succeeded by Vijayasena who consolidated the Sena power. According to the Deopara inscription composed by the poet Dhoyi, Vijayasena is credited with defeating “Navya (ruler of Mithila and Nepal) and Vira. The Gauda kingdom was attacked by him who also humbled the ruler of Kamrupa. He also defeated many minor kings and is said to have dispatched his fleet along the course of the Ganga.” Vijayasena established tow capitals, Vikrampura in East Bengal and Vijayapuri in West Bengal.
After the death of Vijayasena, Ballalsena (1165-85) ascended the throne. The literary texts Ballalacharita and Laghubharata, Mithala formed part of the Sena kingdom as the fifth province. Varendra, Vagdi, Radha and Vanga were the other four provinces. Ballalsena was a man of literary taste. He is said to have authored Adbhutasagara, a work on astronomy, and Danasagara, a work on Smriti. Ballalsena is known to have started a social movement known as Kulinism by which the nobility of birth and purity of blood were carefully protected.
Ballalsena was succeeded by Lakshmanasena who surrendered meekly to the Turkish invader Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji and escaped for his life by flight in 1194. Lakshmanasena fled the Sena capital at Nadia (renamed Lakhnauti or Lakshmanavati) and took refuge at Vikrampura in East Bengal where his sons Visvarupasena and Kesavasena continued to rule. Visvarupasena ruled for fourteen years while Kesavasena for three years.
Though politically an effete, Lakshmanasena, however, was a patron of great literary minds of the day. Jayadev, author of Gita Govinda, Halayudha, the linguist, and Dhoyi, author of Pavanadutam, adorned his court.
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