A dynasty of Bihar and Bengal in north-eastern India that ruled from the 8th to the 12th century. Gopala, the founder, was chosen king by the great men of the region. The reign of his successor, Dharmapala (c. 770–810) marked the dynasty’s apogee, after which power rose and fell intermittently until its final eclipse in the 12th century. The surviving Pala artefacts in both stone and metal are of a particularly fine decorative quality. An important development during their rule was the spread of Buddhism to Tibet by missionaries from the University of Nalanda in Bihar, which received Pala patronage.