Early Medieval North India PYQs – Medieval History, SSC & Railway

Answer: Option 3 — Economic plunder
Mahmud's seventeen raids (AD 1000–1027) targeted the wealthy temple towns and cities of north India — Nagarkot, Thanesar, Mathura, Kanauj and Somnath — and he withdrew with the loot each time rather than annexing territory beyond the Punjab.
The wealth financed his army and the buildings of Ghazni; the religious language of his chroniclers was a cover for a plunder economy.
Revision note — Mahmud of Ghazni
• Son of Subuktigin, ruler of Ghazni (Afghanistan) from AD 998 to 1030; the first Muslim ruler to take the title Sultan; the Caliph gave him the title Yamin-ud-Daula.
• First raid in AD 1000 against Jayapala of the Hindu Shahi kingdom; Jayapala's defeat at Peshawar (1001) and Anandapala's at Waihind (1008–09) opened the Punjab.
• Sacked Nagarkot (Kangra) in 1009, Thanesar in 1014, Mathura and Kanauj in 1018, and Somnath (Gujarat) in 1025–26, his most famous raid; the only territory he kept was the Punjab (Lahore).
• Scholars at his court: Al-Biruni (author of Kitab-ul-Hind, in Arabic, on Indian society and science), Firdausi (Shahnama) and Utbi (Tarikh-i-Yamini).
• Effect on India: exposed the political division of the Rajput states and drained their treasuries; the Ghaznavid hold on Punjab later became the springboard for Muhammad Ghori.
Do not mix these up
• Mahmud of Ghazni vs Muhammad Ghori — Mahmud raided for wealth and went home; Ghori (Tarain, 1192) came for territory and founded Turkish rule in India.
• Al-Biruni vs Ibn Battuta — Al-Biruni came with Mahmud (11th century) and wrote Kitab-ul-Hind; Ibn Battuta came to the court of Muhammad bin Tughlaq (14th century) and wrote the Rihla.
Also asked from this topic: the book Al-Biruni wrote after coming to India with Mahmud of Ghazni (Kitab-ul-Hind); the language it was written in (Arabic).

Answer: Option 2 — Only 2 and 3
Kannauj changed hands again and again, so statement 1 is false — the Pratiharas held it only after Nagabhata II took it, not throughout the struggle.
The Rashtrakutas raided north from the Deccan repeatedly, and the Palas faded after Devapala, so statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Revision note — The Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj
• Fought from about the 8th to the 10th century among the Gurjara-Pratiharas (Rajasthan and Gujarat), the Palas (Bengal and Bihar) and the Rashtrakutas (western Deccan, capital Manyakheta).
• The prize was Kannauj, which had replaced Pataliputra as the political centre of north India under the Maukharis and Harshavardhana.
• First round: Vatsaraja (Pratihara) against Dharmapala (Pala), with the Rashtrakuta Dhruva defeating both and then withdrawing to the Deccan.
• Nagabhata II beat Dharmapala's nominee Chakrayudha and captured Kannauj, which stayed the Pratihara capital for close to two centuries.
• The Rashtrakuta Indra III sacked Kannauj around 916 CE, but never held the north — the Deccan always pulled them back.
• The Palas were at their height under Dharmapala (founder of Vikramshila) and Devapala, and declined after him.
• The Gwalior prashasti, a Sanskrit inscription found at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, records the exploits of the Pratihara king Nagabhata.
Do not mix these up
• Nagabhata I vs Nagabhata II — Nagabhata I (c. 730–760 CE) founded the imperial line and checked the Arabs of Sind; Nagabhata II captured Kannauj.
• Raiding vs ruling — the Rashtrakutas won battles in the north but ruled from the Deccan; only the Pratiharas made Kannauj their capital.
Also asked from this topic: the dynasty that ruled Kannauj in the Tripartite Struggle (Gurjara-Pratiharas); the Rashtrakuta region (western Deccan); where Nagabhata's prashasti was found (Gwalior).

Topic: Rajatarangini - Historical Chronicle of Kashmir
Rajatarangini(River of Kings) is a metrical historical chronicle of Kashmir.
Composed byKalhanain 12th century CE (1148-1150 CE).
Written in Sanskrit, it records history of Kashmir kings from earliest times to his period.
Considered first historical text in Sanskrit literature.
Answer: Option 1 → Kalhana

Correct Answer: Only II — Option (b)
The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty ruler Harichandra is known for establishing his kingdom in Rajasthan. He is credited with founding the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty and establishing his capital at Mandavyapura (modern Mandor, near Jodhpur in Rajasthan). Key facts about the Gurjara-Pratiharas: The dynasty was founded by Harichandra in the 6th-7th century CE in the Marwar region of Rajasthan; The Gurjara-Pratiharas later expanded their empire significantly under rulers like Nagabhata I, Vatsaraja , Nagabhata II, and Mihira Bhoja to cover much of northern India including Kanauj (their later capital); The Gurjara-Pratiharas were one of the three great powers of medieval India (the other two being the Rashtrakutas and the Palas); They played a key role in resisting Arab invasions from the west into India. Tamil Nadu was never part of the Gurjara-Pratihara kingdom.
Option (a) Only I — Incorrect: Statement I (Tamil Nadu) is incorrect — the Gurjara-Pratihara ruler Harichandra established his kingdom in Rajasthan, not in Tamil Nadu which was under the Pallavas and later the Cholas during this period.
Option (c) Both I and II — Incorrect: Only Statement II (Rajasthan) is correct; Statement I (Tamil Nadu) is incorrect because the Gurjara-Pratiharas were a North Indian dynasty based in Rajasthan, with no connection to Tamil Nadu.
Option (d) Neither I nor II — Incorrect: Statement II is correct — Harichandra established his Gurjara-Pratihara kingdom in Rajasthan ( Mandavyapura /Mandor region); saying 'neither' would be incorrect.

Topic: Administrative System of Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas
Key Features:
1. Decentralized feudal system with local chiefs (Samantas)
2. Feudatory chiefs given military and administrative control
3. Chiefs collected taxes, maintained armies, governed territories
4. System ensured loyalty while managing vast kingdoms
Why other options incorrect:
Temple authorities had religious roles, not military recruitment
Governance was feudal, not centralized under royal council
District leaders held hereditary positions, not annual rotation
Answer: Option 3 → Feudatory chiefs were assigned military and administrative duties

Post-Gupta Period (6th-7th century CE)
After Gupta Empire decline, political fragmentation occurred.
Key Administrative Changes:
• Large empire broke into smaller regional kingdoms
• Hereditary dynasties emerged (Pushyabhutis, Chalukyas, Pallavas)
• Decentralized power structure replaced centralized control
No unified central bureaucracy existed.
Regional rulers governed independent territories.
Answer: Option 4 → Rise of smaller kingdoms under hereditary rulers

Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty and Arab Invasions
Nagabhata I (730-756 CE) was the founder of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty.
He successfully resisted Arab invasions from Sindh and protected western India.
He defeated the Arab forces led by Junaid and Tamin, preventing their expansion into Gujarat and Rajasthan.
This established the Pratiharas as a major power in northern India.
Answer: Option 3 → Nagabhata I

Topic: Medieval Indian History - Tripartite Struggle
The conflict between three major dynasties for control of Kannauj and northern India (8th-10th century CE) is called theTripartite Struggle.
Three Powers:
1.Gurjara-Pratiharas(Western India)
2.Palas(Eastern India - Bengal)
3.Rashtrakutas(Deccan)
The struggle lasted nearly 200 years with Kannauj as the prize for supremacy in northern India.
Answer: Option 4 → Tripartite

Rajatarangini= 'River of Kings'
Written byKalhanain 12th century CE (1148-1150 AD)
First historical chronicle of Kashmir in Sanskrit
Documents Kashmir rulers from earliest times to 1150 AD
Answer: Option 3 → Kalhana

Three major powers fought for control of Kannauj:
1. Gurjara-Pratiharas (North India)
2. Palas (Eastern India)
3. Rashtrakutas (Deccan)
Gurjara-Pratiharas ultimately ruled Kannauj
Famous rulers: Nagabhata II, Mihira Bhoja
Kannauj was strategic capital of North India
Answer: Option 3 → Gurjara-Pratiharas

In the post-Gupta period (c. 6th–8th century CE), 'Samantas' were
subordinate feudal lords who held land in exchange for military service
and loyalty to a king.
Characteristics of Samantas:
• They were landed chiefs who received land grants ( bhukti / vishaya ).
• They paid tribute to the king and provided soldiers in times of war.
• Over time, powerful Samantas became independent rulers themselves.
• The system is called the Samanta System or Indian Feudalism.
Historical Significance:
• The decline of the Gupta Empire led to political fragmentation.
• Samantas became the building blocks of medieval Indian kingdoms.
• Similar to the feudal lords in medieval Europe.
Answer: Option 2 → Feudal lords

The correct answer is option 1.
The Gwalior Prashasti (inscription) found in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is written in Sanskrit. It describes the exploits of Nagabhata II of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. Sanskrit was the predominant language used for royal inscriptions, prashastis, and official records during the medieval period in India.
Option 2 is incorrect: Prakrit was used primarily in Mauryan-era edicts (like Ashokan inscriptions) and Buddhist/Jain texts, not in Pratihara-era prashastis.
Option 3 is incorrect: Kharosthi script was mainly used in the northwestern region and declined after the 4th century CE; it was not used for Pratihara-era inscriptions.
Option 4 is incorrect: Brahmi was an ancient script and the predecessor of most Indian scripts; it was not used directly in medieval Pratihara-era inscriptions.

Prithviraj III (Prithviraj Chahamana ) was defeated by Sultan Muhammad Ghori at the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192. In the First Battle of Tarain (1191), Prithviraj had defeated Ghori, but in the decisive rematch in 1192, Ghori emerged victorious, ending Rajput dominance in northern India and establishing the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate.
Why other options are incorrect:
- 1190: No significant battle between Prithviraj and Ghori occurred in this year.
- 1194: This was the year of the Battle of Chandawar ; Prithviraj had already been defeated in 1192.
- 1196: Prithviraj was already dead by this time.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – samantas
By the seventh century, big landlords or warrior chiefs in various regions were acknowledged by existing kings as their 'samantas'. Samantas were subordinate rulers who paid tribute and rendered military service to the overlord king. Over time, many samantas grew powerful and declared independence, which is characteristic of the early medieval political structure in India.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 1 (Ratans): This is not a historically recognised term for such subordinate chiefs.
Option 3 (lakras): Not a term used in this historical context.
Option 4 (hiravas): Not a recognised term for vassals or subordinate chiefs in Indian history.

The correct answer is Chalukyas of Gujarat and Gahadavalas (Option 2). When the Chauhan rulers (based in Ajmer and later Delhi) attempted to expand westward, they faced opposition from the Chalukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat, and eastward expansion was resisted by the Gahadavalas of Varanasi/Kannauj. Option 1 is incorrect as Gahadavalas were the eastern rivals, not Turks in this context. Options 3 and 4 are incorrect as Tughlaqs and Khiljis were later Sultanate dynasties who had no conflict with the Chauhans in territorial expansion.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Subordinate chiefs who offered military aid and collected land revenue
In the context of early medieval India (roughly 6th–12th century CE), 'Samantas' were subordinate feudal chiefs or vassals who acknowledged the suzerainty of a more powerful king. Their key characteristics:
1. They offered military service (soldiers and cavalry) to the overlord when needed.
2. They collected land revenue from their assigned territories.
3. In return, they received land grants ( bhumi -dana) and were allowed to govern their territories.
4. They could gradually become powerful and sometimes even overthrow the overlord (as seen in many Rajput kingdoms).
The Samanta system was a key feature of the feudal political structure in early medieval India.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 2 (Guilds of traders): Guilds of traders were called ' Shrenis ' in ancient/medieval India, not Samantas.
Option 3 (Military commanders paid in cash): Samantas were not paid in cash; they were granted land (land revenue rights).
Option 4 (Direct administrators appointed by the king): Samantas were hereditary local chiefs, not directly appointed administrators of the central government.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Gurjara-Pratiharas, Rashtrakutas, and Palas
The Tripartite Struggle (roughly 8th–10th century CE) was a prolonged conflict among three powerful dynasties for control of Kannauj — then the most important city in northern India and a symbol of imperial power:
• Gurjara-Pratiharas: Based in Rajasthan/northern India
• Rashtrakutas: Based in the Deccan
• Palas: Based in Bengal and Bihar
Each dynasty captured and lost Kannauj multiple times. Ultimately, none gained permanent control, and this power struggle weakened all three, contributing to their eventual decline.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 2 (Pallavas, Chalukyas , Satavahanas): These were earlier south Indian dynasties, not involved in the Kannauj struggle.
Option 3 ( Paramaras , Chauhans , Chandellas ): These were Rajput clans, not the principal powers in the Tripartite Struggle.
Option 4 (Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas ): These were Tamil kingdoms of South India, not involved in the struggle for Kannauj.

Gopala founded the Pala dynasty around 750 CE. He was elected king by the nobles of Bengal after a period of political chaos, making it one of the first recorded democratic elections in Indian history. He established the Pala Empire which ruled Bengal and Bihar.
(a) Incorrect: Dharmapala was the second ruler of the Pala dynasty (r. 770–810 CE), son of Gopala, not the founder.
(b) Incorrect: Devapala was the third ruler of the Pala dynasty (r. 810–850 CE), not the founder.
(c) Incorrect: Mahipala I was a later ruler of the Pala dynasty who revived the empire in the 10th–11th century CE; he was not the founder.

The correct answer is Gopala (Option 3).
Gopala (r. c. 750-770 CE) is regarded as the founder of the Pala Empire. He was elected king by the local chieftains of Bengal to end the ' matsyanyaya ' (rule of the fish — anarchy where the strong devour the weak). He established the Pala dynasty, which ruled Bengal and Bihar for nearly four centuries and was a great patron of Buddhism.
Option 1 - Dharmapala: Dharmapala was the second Pala king and the greatest ruler of the dynasty, who vastly expanded the empire; he was Gopala's son, not the founder.
Option 2 - Devapala: Devapala was the third Pala king (son of Dharmapala), who maintained the empire's strength; he was not the founder.
Option 4 - Mahipala: Mahipala I (c. 988-1038 CE) was a later Pala ruler who revived Pala power after a period of decline; he was not the dynasty's founder.

The correct answer is The break-up of the Pratihara Empire (Option 2).
The fragmentation of the Gurjara-Pratihara Empire (around the 10th century CE) created a power vacuum in north India. Regional feudatories and chieftains who had been under Pratihara suzerainty declared independence, giving rise to several Rajput kingdoms like the Paramaras , Chandellas , Kalachuris, and Chahamanas .
Option 1 - The collapse of the Mauryan Empire: The Mauryan decline (circa 185 BCE) led to the rise of the Shunga and Kanva dynasties, not the medieval Rajput states.
Option 3 - The decline of the Gupta Empire: Gupta decline (5th-6th century CE) preceded the Rajput era but is not the direct cause of Rajput state formation.
Option 4 - The rise of the Seljuk Empire: The Seljuk Empire was a Central Asian Turkic dynasty with no direct link to the rise of Rajput states in north India.

The correct answer is Adivaraha (Option 2).
King Bhoja (Mihira Bhoja), the prominent ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty (9th century CE), was a devoted follower of Vishnu. He adopted the title ' Adivaraha ' (meaning 'the first boar'), referring to Vishnu's Varaha (boar) avatar who rescued the earth.
Option 1 - Rajaraja: Rajaraja was a title used by the great Chola king Rajaraja I (985-1014 CE) of Tamil Nadu.
Option 3 - Vikramaditya: Vikramaditya was the legendary title of the king of Ujjain and was also used by Gupta ruler Chandragupta II; it was not Bhoja's Vaishnava title.
Option 4 - Paramabhattaraka : Paramabhattaraka was a general honorific title used by various Gupta and post-Gupta rulers, not specifically the Vaishnava title of Bhoja.

Lalitaditya Muktapida (reigned c. 724-761 CE) was the most powerful ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir. He conducted extensive military campaigns across India and Central Asia, making Kashmir a major power in early medieval India. Option 3 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: Malwa was ruled by various dynasties ( Paramaras , later Mughals) in medieval India; Lalitaditya Muktapida was not a ruler of Malwa.
Option 2 is wrong: Vengi (in present-day Andhra Pradesh) was associated with the Eastern Chalukya dynasty during the early medieval period; Lalitaditya was not its ruler.
Option 4 is wrong: Bengal was associated with the Pala dynasty during the early medieval period; Lalitaditya Muktapida ruled Kashmir, not Bengal.

The First Battle of Tarain (1191) was fought between Prithviraj Chauhan (the Rajput king of Ajmer and Delhi) and Muhammad Ghori (Sultan of Ghor). Prithviraj won this battle. Option 1 is correct.
Option 2 is wrong: Harsha and Pulakeshin II fought the Battle of Narmada (circa 637 CE), not at Tarain .
Option 3 is wrong: Babur and Ibrahim Lodi fought the First Battle of Panipat (1526), which established the Mughal Empire.
Option 4 is wrong: Akbar and Rana Pratap fought the Battle of Haldighati (1576), not the Battle of Tarain .

Gopala was the founder of the Pala Dynasty in Bengal, around 750 CE. After a long period of political anarchy in Bengal, Gopala was elected as king by the leading noblemen of the region. He established the Pala Empire which lasted for several centuries and was a great patron of Buddhism.
Option (b) is incorrect: Dharmapala was the son of Gopala and the second ruler of the Pala Dynasty, not its founder.
Option (c) is incorrect: Devapala was the son of Dharmapala and the third major Pala ruler; he is known for expanding the empire, not founding it.
Option (d) is incorrect: Mahipala was a much later Pala ruler (around 10th-11th century) who revived the declining dynasty; he was not the founder.

The correct answer is Prithviraj Chauhan . The First Battle of Tarain (also called the Battle of Taraori ) was fought in 1191 AD near Tarain , close to present-day Haryana, between Prithviraj Chauhan (the ruler of Ajmer and Delhi) and Muhammad Ghori (the Ghurid ruler of Afghanistan) . Ghori’s forces advanced into India, aiming to expand their empire. In this battle, Prithviraj Chauhan’s Rajput army defeated Ghori decisively , and Ghori himself was badly injured and forced to retreat. This victory highlighted the military strength of the Rajputs . However, Muhammad Ghori returned the very next year with a stronger and better-prepared army. In the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 AD) , Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan, which became a turning point in Indian history as it laid the foundation for Muslim rule in North India .

The correct answer is Nagabhata I . He was the founder of the Pratihara dynasty in the 8th century CE. During his reign, Arab forces from Sindh attempted to expand into North-Western India after the Arab conquest of Sindh. Nagabhata I united several Rajput clans and decisively defeated the Arab army near the region of Rajasthan and Gujarat. This victory checked further Arab expansion into India and established the Pratiharas as a strong power in northern India. Later rulers like Vatsaraja and Mihira Bhoja expanded the empire, but it was Nagabhata I who earned fame for resisting the early Arab invasions.

Correct Answer: Only II (Option 2)
Statement II is correct: The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty was based in Rajasthan (and later parts of North India). Their capital was at Kannauj.
Statement I is incorrect: The Rashtrakuta dynasty was based in the Deccan region (present-day Karnataka and Maharashtra), not Tamil Nadu. Their capital was at Manyakheta (Malkhed). Tamil Nadu was historically dominated by the Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas.
Hence, only Statement II is correct.

Queen Didda (r. 980–1003 CE) was the famous ruler of Kashmir who belonged to the Lohara dynasty. She was a powerful queen known for her administrative and military skills, ruling first as regent for her grandson and later as the sole queen.
Mariam- uz -Zamani was the wife of Akbar; Khanzada Begum was Babur's sister; Durgawati was a Gond queen of central India. Hence, Queen Didda is correct.

The Gwalior inscription (Gwalior Prasasti) is associated with the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty and records the glory of Nagabhata II. It was found at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
Amaravati is known for Buddhist art; Agra for Mughal monuments; Kandahar is in Afghanistan. Hence, Gwalior is the correct answer.

Gurjara-Pratihara Harichandra was a Brahmin who gave up the traditional priestly profession and established a kingdom in Rajasthan. He is considered the founder of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. His descendants went on to become powerful rulers in northern India. Why other options are wrong: Option 1 - Dantidurga: He was the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty and was not a Brahmin who established a kingdom in Rajasthan. Option 3 - Nagabhata: He was a later Gurjara-Pratihara ruler (Nagabhata I), not the original Brahmin founder. Option 4 - Dharmapala Deva: He was the second ruler of the Pala dynasty of Bengal, not associated with Rajasthan.

Correct Answer: Prithviraja III (Option 3)
Prithviraja III (also known as Prithviraj Chauhan) was the Chahamana (Chauhan) ruler of Ajmer and Delhi. He defeated Sultan Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191 AD near Tarain (present-day Haryana). However, in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 AD), Muhammad Ghori defeated and captured Prithviraj III, marking the beginning of Muslim rule in northern India.
Ajayaraja II and Vigraharaja IV were earlier Chahamana rulers. Vigraharaja V is not a historically prominent Chahamana king.

The coins minted in Delhi during the reign of the Tomar and Chauhan rulers were called ' Dehliwal '. These silver coins were named after Delhi ( Dehli ) and were circulated during the period of these Rajput dynasties before the Delhi Sultanate was established. Rupees came later under the Sultanate/Mughal period; Dinar and Tankha are different coin types used in other periods.

Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Muhammad Ghori in the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 CE.
This defeat marked the end of his reign and paved the way for the Delhi Sultanate.

Statement I: Correct. Rashtrakutas were part of the tripartite struggle for Kanauj.
Statement II: Incorrect. Pratiharas were based in western/northern India; Palas were in eastern India (Bengal & Bihar).
Hence, only Statement I is correct.

The Sisodia dynasty was the ruling dynasty ofMewar(with capital at Chittor/Udaipur) during the 15th century.
Notable Sisodia rulers include Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga.
Hence the kingdom wasMewar.

TheTomara dynasty, the early rulers of Delhi, minted the silver 'Dehliwal' coins.
Gahadavalas ruled Kannauj; Khaljis and Lodis came later in the Sultanate period.
Hence the Tomaras minted the Dehliwal coins.

Gurjara-Pratiharas ruled Gujarat and Rajasthan (3).
Rashtrakutas ruled the Western Deccan (4).
Palas ruled Bengal (1).
Cholas ruled Tamil Nadu (2).
Hence A → 3, B → 4, C → 1, D → 2.

Correct Answer: Option 1 – Only 1
Statement 1 is CORRECT: After the death of Emperor Harsha (647 CE), the political unity of northern India collapsed. In the subsequent power vacuum, various Rajput clans rose to political prominence and established powerful kingdoms across northern and central India (e.g., Gurjara-Pratiharas, Paramaras , Chandellas , Chahamanas ).
Statement 2 is INCORRECT: The Rajputs were historically marked by disunity rather than unity. Constant inter-clan rivalries, local conflicts, and the principle of individual clan honor over collective defense significantly weakened their collective resistance. This fragmentation made them vulnerable to the invasions of Mahmud of Ghazni (971–1030 CE) and later Muhammad Ghori (1175–1206 CE).
Since only Statement 1 is correct, Option 1 (A) is the answer.

Answer: Option 4 — The Cholas
The tripartite struggle for Kannauj was fought only by the Gurjara-Pratiharas, the Palas and the Rashtrakutas.
The Cholas ruled far south in the Kaveri delta and took no part in it.
Revision note — The tripartite struggle for Kannauj
• Fought for about 200 years (8th–10th century CE) for control of Kannauj (Kanyakubja) and the Ganga valley.
• Kannauj was the prize because it had been Harshavardhana's capital — the symbol of power over north India.
• Gurjara-Pratiharas — western India (Rajasthan, Gujarat); Palas — Bengal and Bihar; Rashtrakutas — the Deccan (capital Manyakheta).
• Leading kings: Dharmapala and Devapala (Pala), Nagabhata II and Mihira Bhoja (Pratihara), Dhruva and Govinda III (Rashtrakuta).
• The Pratiharas finally held Kannauj — Nagabhata II captured it and made it their capital.
• The long war weakened all three and opened the way for later Rajput states and Mahmud of Ghazni's raids.
Do not mix these up
• Cholas — imperial line founded by Vijayalaya (c. 850 CE) at Thanjavur; their great rivals were the Rashtrakutas and Chalukyas, not in Kannauj.
Also asked from this topic: the dynasty that ruled Kannauj during the struggle (Gurjara-Pratiharas); the name of this conflict (tripartite struggle); the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty (Dantidurga).