Sack of Champaranya
{{Short description|11th century battle in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| partof = Kalachuri Expansion
| image = File:Amarkantak a beautiful place 21.jpg
| caption = Amarkantak Temple.
| date = c. 1075 AD
| place = Modern day Champaran
| map_type = India Bihar
| map_relief =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| map_mark =
| coordinates = {{coord|26.8437|N|84.6826|E|display=inline,title}}
| territory = Sack of Champaran by Kalachuri king Yashahkarna
| combatant1 = Kalachuris of Tripuri
| combatant2 = Palas of Bengal
| commander1 = Yashahkarna
Purusha-shiva
| commander2 = Shurapala II
Ramapala
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 = Negligable
| casualties2 = Heavy to severe
| conflict = Sack of Champaranya
}}
The Sack of Champaranya was the looting of the region of Champaran by Kalachuri king Yashahkarna. It was a victory for the Kalachuris, who defeated the Palas under Shurapala II and managed to avoid a severe counteroffensive during the looting.{{cite book |last=Mirashi |first=Vasudev Vishnu |title=Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era |volume=4, Part 1 |series=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum |publisher=Government Epigraphist for India |location=Ootacamund |year=1955 |page=494 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.3722}}
Background
The Pala Empire was undergoing an extremely unstable period during the reigns of rulers Vigrahapala III, Mahipala II and Shurapala II. During this period, the Varendra rebellion had destabilized the realm and by then Mahipala II had suffered his demise at the hands of the rebellion.{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.69821/page/n150/mode/2up |title=History of Bengal Vol.1}} Additionally, they had been weakened by Vikramaditya VI's Northern expedition.B.P. Sinha in George E. Somers (1977), p.214Sen (1999), p.282Majumdar, R. C. (1952), p.320
Sacking
Seeing the oppurtunity, the Kalachuri king Yashahkarna advanced into Pala lands, targeting the land of Champaran, and defeating the Pala forces there. Then, he devestated the region, gaining high amounts of loot.{{cite journal |last1=Sircar |first1=D. C. |author1-link=Dineshchandra Sircar |title=Bangaon Plate of Vigrahapala III; Regnal Year 17 |journal=Epigraphia Indica |date=1952 |volume=29 |pages=48–57 |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.06113/page/n95 |access-date=13 December 2024}}
Aftermath
This event only further destabilized the Pala realm, which approached collapse, but was rescued by Shurapala II's younger brother, Ramapala. He would go on to become the last powerful Pala ruler, although his son Kumarapala managed to maintain most of his territories.
See also
References
{{reflist}}