This is a list of rulers of Bengal. For much of its history, Bengal was split up into several independent kingdoms, completely unifying only several times. In ancient times, Bengal consisted of the kingdoms of Pundra, Suhma, Anga, Vanga, Samatata and Harikela.
Contents
- Legendary kings of Magadha Brihadratha Dynasty c 1700799 BCE
- Pradyota Dynasty 799684 BCE
- Shishunaga Dynasty 684424 BCE
- Nanda Dynasty 424321 BCE
- Maurya Dynasty 324185 BCE
- Shunga Dynasty 18573 BCE
- Kanva Dynasty 7343 BCE
- Gupta Empire c CE 240550
- Gauda Kingdom
- Khadga kingdom
- Mallabhum
- Pala Empire
- Chandra Dynasty
- Chola dynasty
- Sen Dynasty
- Deva Dynasty
- Hindu Dynasties in Bengal
- Maharajas of Bankura
- Maharajas of Bhurshut
- Maharajas of Chandradwip
- Maharajas of Koch kingdom
- Maharajas of Jessore Kingdom
- Maharajas of Nadia
- Governors of British East India Company in Bengal 17571793
- Governor Generals of British East India Company in Bengal Dual government 1773 1774
- Governor Generals of British East India Company in Bengal 17931854
- Governor Generals of British East India Company 1833 1858
- British Raj Period
- Lieutenant Governors 18581912
- Governors 19121947
- Chief Ministers of Bengal Presidency 19371947
- After Independence of India and Pakistan
- Governors of East Pakistan
- Chief Minister of East Pakistan
- After independence of Bangladesh
- References
Under the Mauryas, much of Bengal was conquered except for the far eastern Bengali kingdoms which continued to exist as tributary states before succumbing to the Guptas. With the fall of the Gupta Empire, Bengal was united under a single local ruler, Shashanka, for the first time. With the collapse of his kingdom, Bengal split up into petty kingdoms once more.
With the rise of Gopala, Bengal was united once more under the Pala Empire, Chandra dynasty, Sena dynasty and deva dynasty. After them, Bengal was ruled by the Hindu Maharajas of kingdoms such as Chandradwip and Cooch Behar except for a short period 14th to 16 th century under the regional power of Bengal sultanate who appointed various local Muslim officials- followed by the British. The position of the Prime Minister of Bengal was established in 1937, and served as the provincial chief executive in the British Raj, until 1947, when Bengal was partitioned, making West Bengal part of India and the East Bengal part of Pakistan. East Bengal then became an independent country, Bangladesh, following the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Legendary kings of Magadha: Brihadratha Dynasty (c. 1700–799 BCE)
Pradyota Dynasty (799–684 BCE)
Shishunaga Dynasty (684–424 BCE)
Nanda Dynasty (424–321 BCE)
Maurya Dynasty (324–185 BCE)
Shunga Dynasty (185–73 BCE)
Kanva Dynasty (73–43 BCE)
Gupta Empire (c. CE 240–550 )
Gauda Kingdom
Khadga kingdom
The Khadga dynasty was a line of Buddhist kings that ruled the areas of Vanga and later Samatata (modern Bangladesh).
Mallabhum
Mallabhum was the kingdom ruled by the Mallas kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Pala Empire
Most of the Pala inscriptions mention only the regnal year as the date of issue, without any well-known calendar era. Because of this, the chronology of the Pala kings is hard to determine. Based on their different interpretations of the various epigraphs and historical records, different historians estimate the Pala chronology as follows:
Note:
Chandra Dynasty
Chola dynasty
Sen Dynasty
Deva Dynasty
Hindu Dynasties in Bengal
Maharajas of Bankura
Maharajas of Bhurshut
Maharajas of Chandradwip
Many illustrious maharajas ruled much of East Bengal and the Sundarbans and conquered Jessore Their surname was Basu - they came to Bengal during the Sena Dynasty to conquer the Palas and take over from them. A famous literary novel was written about the Chandradwip Basu family by Tagore called BouThakuranis Haat and a film was made from this book
Maharajas of Koch kingdom
Maharajas of Jessore Kingdom
Maharajas of Nadia
Governors of British East India Company in Bengal (1757–1793)
As per the treaty of Allahabad in 1765, the British East India Company (BEIC) was given the right to collect revenue (Diwani right). From 1769, the company collected revenue from Bengal.
Governor-Generals of British East India Company in Bengal - Dual government (1773-1774)
Following the Regulating Act of 1773, the Governor of Bengal was officially called Governor-General of Fort William.
Governor-Generals of British East India Company in Bengal (1793–1854)
In 1793, the British East India Company abolished Nizamat, i.e. local rule by Mughal emperor- appointed Nawabs and annexed Bengal.
Governor-Generals of British East India Company (1833-1858)
As per Charter Act of 1833, the Governor-General of Bengal would be called Governor-General of India
British Raj Period
With the establishment of the Empire of India in 1858, the position of Governor-General was replaced with Governor-General and Viceroy of India. Calcutta, the capital of Bengal also became the capital of India. As a result, the position of Lieutanant-Governor of Bengal was established to look after provincial matters.
Lieutenant-Governors (1858–1912)
Governors (1912–1947)
In late 1911, the Indian Government decided to move the capital to New Delhi. As a result, the Governorship of Bengal Presidency was now necessary.
Chief Ministers of Bengal Presidency (1937–1947)
The Government of India Act 1935 introduced provincial autonomy in India and the position of Chief Minister or Premier of Bengal became very prominent.
Subsequently, all three Bengali chief ministers moved to East Pakistan, where they continued to be influential statesmen. Nazimuddin and Suhrawardy became Prime Ministers of Pakistan, while Huq served as the Chief Minister and Governor of East Pakistan.
After Independence of India and Pakistan
British colonial period ended when India and Pakistan became independent nations in 1947. Bengal fell into two parts – one in India, named West Bengal and the other part in Pakistan as East Bengal, later renamed to East Pakistan in 1955.
Governors of East Pakistan
In late 1954, prime minister Muhammad Ali Bogra initiated the One Unit policy which resulted in East Pakistan province to be renamed to East Pakistan.
Chief Minister of East Pakistan
On 7 October 1958, the post of Chief Minister of East Pakistan was abolished. And after the independence of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971, the Province of East Pakistan was dissolved.
After independence of Bangladesh
East Pakistan seceded from West Pakistan on 16 December 1971 after the end of Bangladesh Liberation War and was named Bangladesh as an independent nation.
The President was the executive Head of state of Bangladesh during Presidential system of government from 1975 to 1991. Thereafter, the Prime Minister is the executive head of government of this parliamentary republic while the President is the ceremonial Head of state, elected by the parliament.