Pala king Dharmapala established Vikramashila at the end of the eight or earlier ninth century. It flourished for almost 4 centuries before being demolished by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193, together with the other key Buddhist centers in India.
Along with Nalanda and Odantapuri, Vikramashila was among the 3 key Buddhist monasteries in India under the Pala Empire. Its physical situation is Antichak village in Bhagalpur Bihar. The Pala ruler Dharmapala (783–820 AD) founded Vikramashila in reaction to a perceived decrease in the level of study at Nalanda. Atia, the renowned pandita and scholar, is mentioned as a notable abbot.
Dharmapala was the second emperor of the Pala Empire in the Indian subcontinent, ruling over the Bengal and Bihar areas. He was the child and heir of Gopala, the Pala Dynasty's monarch. He considerably enlarged the empire's borders and established the Palas as a powerful force in northern and eastern India. Dharmapala reigned directly over modern-day Bengal and Bihar, and a candidate was appointed at Kannauj. Many other monarchs of North India are said to have accepted his sovereign control in the Pala records, although these statements appear to be overstated. The Gurjara-Pratiharas conquered Dharmapala twice, but the Rashtrakutas destroyed the Pratiharas both times, leaving the Palas as the main force in North India. Dharmapala's son Devapala replaced him as ruler of the empire, which he extended further.