Chalukya

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Chalukya empire with the capital Vatapi / Badami (around 700)

The Chalukya were an Indian dynasty that ruled in the northwestern Deccan from about 550–757 and again from 973–1190 . It also had an independent offshoot, the "Eastern Chalukya".

history

Badami - Malegitti Shivalaya Temple (around 700). The early Chalukya temples of Aihole , Badami and Pattadakal are among the highlights of Indian temple architecture.

Early Chalukya empire in Vatapi / Badami (6th - 8th centuries)

The Chalukya were originally vassals of the Kadambas . Their empire was founded by Pulakeshin I (ruled 543-566) around 550 at the expense of the Kadambas and Kalachuris . The first capital was Aihole with numerous temples, but under Pulakeshin I the almost impregnable Vatapi ( Badami ) was made the capital. His successors, Kirtivarman I and Mangalesha, extended the empire over large parts of Karnataka in the late 6th century .

Pulakeshin II. (R. 609-642) stopped the conquests of Harshavardhana of Kannauj (r. 606-647) in 630 and concluded a treaty with him. The Pallava King Mahendravarman was pushed back to his capital, then Pulakeshin installed his brother Vishnuvardhana (r. 624–641 / 42) as the first viceroy of the "Eastern Chalukya" in Vengi near Bezwada. That was too much: a general of the subsequent Pallava king Narasimhavarman (ruled 630-660) besieged him in Vatapi (Badami) in 642 and Pulakeshin II was killed.

Pulakeshin II also exchanged embassies with the Persian Shah Khusrau II (ruled 590–628), which are depicted in Ajanta . The Chinese pilgrim monk Xuanzang (traveled 629–645 to India) reports of excessive pomp, professional soldiers devoted to drinking and elephants who were made mad with alcohol.

Vikramaditya I (r. 654–680), the son of Pulakeshin II. Restored the empire after a difficult decade and allegedly even conquered the Pallava capital Kanchipuram in 674 , while the Pallava mention three victories. He and his successor Vinayaditya (r. 681-696) extended their territory in the north over Gujarat and in the south to Mysore .

Also Vikramaditya II. (R. 733-746) conquered 740 Kanchipuram and had built two temples. However, occupied with the Pallavas and the Rashtrakuta , he was overrun in 736 by the conqueror Lalitaditya from Kashmir . His son Kirtivarman II (ruled 742–56) experienced Lalitaditya's withdrawal, but was taken by surprise by the Rashtrakuta Dantidurga (ruled approx. 735 / 54–757), defeated and finally overthrown in 757 by them.

  • Temple buildings

The western Chalukya left behind cave temples ( Ellora , Ajanta , Badami , Aihole ) as well as free-standing temples (Badami, Aihole, Mahakuta , Pattadakal ). There were interactions with the art of the Pallava , not least because the artists were taken over during conquests. The architecture of the following Rashtrakuta is based almost exclusively on the architecture of the Chalukya period.

Gadag - Sarasvati Temple (around 1100)
Gadag - Sarasvati Temple. The late Chalukya temples with their turned stone columns in the vestibule need not shy away from comparison with the Hoysala temples in southern Karnataka.

Late Chalukya Empire in Kalyani (10th - 12th centuries)

In 973, Krishna III became the nephew of the last great Rashtrakuta king. (r. 939–968) overthrown by its preferred governor, a descendant of the Chalukya, who as King Tailapa Ahavamalla (r. 973–997) restored the Chalukya empire. Tailapa also pushed back the Paramara and in 995 killed their king Vakpatiraja II Munja.

The capital was moved from Manyakheta to Kalyani at an unclear point in time (first half of the 11th century?) And expanded by Someshvara I (ruled 1042-1068). Nevertheless it was initially a back and forth of wars against the emerging Paramara and Chola ; the Paramara Bhoja (the "poet king", ruled approx. 1018-1060) could only be defeated with the help of the Chandella and the Solanki (in Gujarat) and its capital Dhara in Malwa could be conquered. Against the Chola, the Chalukya had a more difficult position, they penetrated several times as far as the Western Ghats and even destroyed the capital under Rajendra I (r. 1012 / 14-1044). Then the tide turned at Koppam (1052), the Chola Rajadhirajas suffered a defeat against the Chalukya of King Someshvara I. Ahavamalla (r. 1042-1068). The battle had actually been lost for the Chalukya, but the death of the Chola king retrospectively turned it into a victory.

The late Chalukyar empire experienced its climax under Vikramaditya II./VI. (ruled 1076–1127, previously ousted his brother), who was able to write a number of political, economic and cultural pluses on the flag. It is emphasized u. a. the role of women in his day, the discipline of his army, his victories against the Chola (affiliated to Vengi after 1120) and the rebellious Hoysala (around 1122), his care in administration, general prosperity and protection of the arts (including poet Bilhana made of cashmere).

Soon after the death of Vikramaditya II./VI. the empire fell apart. Under Jagadekamalla (r. 1138–1151) and Taila III. (ruled 1151–1157) the vassals began to make themselves independent - specifically the Hoysalas , the Yadavas of Devagiri and the Kakatiyas of Warangal - and a general named Bijjala Kalachuri usurped the throne. Taila's son Someshvara IV was held only by General Brahma and tried to restore the empire from 1183, but after the death of the two it became extinct.

  • Temple buildings

In some villages in the vicinity of Hubli-Dharwad (Karnataka) several - largely unknown in Europe - temples from the late Chalukya period have been preserved (see web links): Gadag , Lakkundi , Dambala, Annigeri, Itgi , Kuknur, Lakshmeswar, Bankapura, Hirekerur u. a.

Eastern Chalukya Empire in Vengi (branch line)

After his successes against the Pallava, the Chalukya Pulakeshin II (ruled 609-642) set up his brother Vishnuvardhana (ruled 624-641 / 42) as the first viceroy of the "Eastern Chalukya" in Vengi near Bezwada (now Vijayawada ). This branch line soon became independent. After the Rashtrakuta took over the early Chalukya Empire in 757, they represented this dynasty in Vengi .

When the descendants of the Chola King Rajendra died out, Kulottunga I (ruled 1070–1120), a prince of the "Eastern Chalukya" in the Chola Empire, came to power because his mother was a Chola. He ruled successfully, his heirs stayed there until the fall of the Cholar Empire, while Vengi himself soon fell to rivals.

  • Temple buildings

The eastern Chalukyas also built free-standing temples in Alampur (Andhra Pradesh) and the surrounding area ( Bandatandrapadu , Kudaveli , Kadamarakalava , Panyam , Mahanandi , Satyavolu ).

List of Chalukya kings

Chalukyas from Vatapi / Badami

  • Jayasimha (500-525, in Pattadakal)
  • Ranaraga (525-543)
  • Pulakesi I. (543-566)
  • Kirtivarman I. (566-597)
  • Mangalesa (597-609)
  • Pulakesi II (609-642)
  • Vikramaditya I (655-680)
  • Vinayaditya (680-696)
  • Vijayaditya (696-733)
  • Vikramaditya II (733-746)
  • Kirtivarman II (746-757)

Chalukyas of Kalyani

  • Tailapa Ahavamalla (973-997)
  • Satyasraya Irivabedanga (997-1008)
  • Vikramaditya I (1008-1014)
  • Ayyana (1014-1015)
  • Jayasimha (1015-1042)
  • Someshvara I (1042-1068)
  • Someshvara II (1068-1076)
  • Vikramaditya II (1076-1127)
  • Someshvara III. (1127–1138)
  • Jagadekamalla (1138–1151)
  • Tailapa (1151–1156 / 62)
  • Someshvara IV. (C. 1181–1189)

Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi

Web links