Nabadwip was the capital of Ballal Sen and later Lakshman Sen, the famous rulers of the Sena Empire, who ruled from 1159 to 1206. In 1202, Nabadwip was captured by Bakhtiyar Khilji. This victory paved the way for Muslim rule in Bengal. Nabadwip and Nadia were great centres of learning and intellectual prowess. For five centuries, it was referred to as “Oxford of Bengal”