Jump to content

Chola dynasty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Alren (talk | contribs) at 21:50, 20 October 2004. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Cholas was the most famous of the three dynasties that ruled ancient Tamil Nadu. The other two were the Cheras and the Pandyas.

The early Cholas ruled between the 1st and the 4th centuries A.D. The first and the most famous king of the early Cholas was Karikalan. He is well known for his great engineering marvel, "Kallanai", a great anaikut across the river Cauvery which is being used till date. He was succeded by Nedumudikilli. Chola power declined with frequent attacks by the Pallavas, Cheras and Pandyas [anyone know when exactly?], but they rose to power again around the 9th century.

The Medieval Cholas rose to prominence when the king Vijayalaya defeated the Pallavas and captured Thanjavur. The Medieval Chola kings went on to capture most of South India, Bengal, and some foreign islands like Indonesia. Until around the 13th century, the Cholas empire was the most powerful in South India.

The greatest kings among the Medieval Cholas were Rajaraja Chola-I (reigned 985-1014) and his son Rajendra Chola-I (reigned 1014-42). Under them, Chola power reached its zenith. The Rajaraja conquered Kerala and a part of Sri Lanka. Rajendra later completed the conquest of Sri Lanka, crossed the Ganges and marched across Kalinga to Bengal, and sent out a great naval expedition that occupied parts of Myanmar, Malaya, and Sumatra. For 300 years the Chola kingdom supported a flourishing social and economic life, marked by a flowering of Hindu culture. Rajendra, to commemorate his victory over the Ganges, created a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

By the 13th century, the Chola kingdom had exhausted its resources and was on the decline. It succumbed to an attack by the Hoysalas from the west and the Pandyas from the south. The last king of the Medieval Cholas was Rajendra Chola-III.

The emblem of the Chola empire was the tiger, which was featured on the Chola flag, coins and in other contexts of political significance.

List of Medieval Chola Kings

Name of King Reign Period Son of Capital
Vijayalaya Chola 848-881 Is not availble Thanjavur
Athiththa Chola 871-907 Vijayalya Chola Thanjavur
Paranthaha Chola-I 907-955 Athiththa Chola Thanjavur
Kandarathiththa Chola 950-957 2nd Son of Paranthaha Chola-I Thanjavur
Arinchchaya Chola 956-957 3rd Son of Paranthaha Chola-I Thanjavur
Paranthaha Chola-II 957-970 Arinchchaya Chola Thanjavur
Uththama Chola 973-985 Kandarathiththa Chola Thanjavur
Rajaraja Chola-I 985-1014 Paranthaha Chola-II Thanjavur
Rajendra Chola-I 1012-1044 Rajaraja Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajadhiraja Chola-I 1018-1054 Eldest Son of Rajendra Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajendra Chola-II 1051-1063 2nd Son of Rajendra Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Virarajendra Chola 1063-1070 Rajendra Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Athirajendra Chola 1067-1070 Virarajendra Chola Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-I 1070-1120 Son of the daughter of Rajendra Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Vikkrama Chola 1118-1135 Kulothunga Chola-I Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-II 1133-1150 Vikkrama Chola Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajaraja Chola-II 1146-1163 Kulothunga Chola-II Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajadiraja Chola-II 1163-1178 Cousin of Rajaraja Chola-II Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-III 1178-1218 Rajaraja Chola-II Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajaraja Chola-III 1216-1256 Kulothunga Chola-III Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajendra Chola-III 1246-1279 Rajaraja Chola-III Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chola_dynasty&oldid=6988458"