In the ensuing wars for supremacy, he emerged as the single most victorious ruler and the Pandya kingdom reached its zenith in the 13th century during his reign. [216], Chola rulers took an active interest in the development of temple centres and used the temples to widen the sphere of their royal authority. The Chola school of art spread to Southeast Asia and influenced the architecture and art of Southeast Asia. Other names in common use for the Cholas are Killi (கிள்ளி), Valavan (வளவன்), Sembiyan (செம்பியன்) and Cenni. One of the Three Crowned Kings (dynasties) of Tamilakam, "Chola" redirects here. [116], The Chola rulers built several palaces and fortifications to protect their cities. The largest and tallest of all Indian temples of its time, it is at the apex of South Indian architecture. Through these dependent officials the administration was improved and the Chola kings were able to exercise a closer control over the different parts of the empire. [26] Kaveripattinam also served as an early Chola capital. This is borne out by the fact that the second Chola king, Aditya I (871–903 CE), built temples for Shiva and also for Vishnu. One feudatory, the Kadavan chieftain Kopperunchingan I, even held Rajaraja Chola III as hostage for sometime. He also prayed before him before his embarking on war to regain the territories in and around Kanchi and Arcot from the waning Rashtrakutas and while leading expeditions against both Madurai and Ilam (Sri Lanka). He then marched up to Nellore and celebrated his victories there by doing the virabisheka(anointment of heroes) after defeating the Kakatiya ruler, Ganapati. Later he fought for the Chola cause again and marched all the way to Rameswaram. [170] In all of these spheres, the Chola period marked the culmination of movements that had begun in an earlier age under the Pallavas. institutions like temples to which they were assigned. The Chola lineage, of which Rajendra was perhaps the most illustrious of sons, is one the longest-lived imperial lineages of south Asia. There was more involvement of non-Brahmin elements in the temple administration. [149] The farmers occupied one of the highest positions in society. Sandilyan's earlier work, Yavana Rani, written in the early 1960s, is based on the life of Karikala Chola. The Cholas, under Rajaraja Chola III and later, his successor Rajendra Chola III, were quite weak and therefore, experienced continuous trouble. Most of the canals of the Kaveri River belongs to this period e.g., Uyyakondan canal, Rajendran vaykkal, Sembian Mahadegvi vaykkal. [171] Monumental architecture in the form of majestic temples and sculpture in stone and bronze reached a finesse never before achieved in India. [229][230] Historian Nilakanta Sastri identifies Krimikanta Chola with Adhirajendra Chola or Virarajendra Chola with whom the main line (Vijayalaya line) ended. [18] Cholas are mentioned in the Pillars of Ashoka (inscribed 273 BCE–232 BCE) inscriptions, where they are mentioned among the kingdoms which, though not subject to Ashoka, were on friendly terms with him.[c]. "[164], Song dynasty reports record that an embassy from Chulian (Chola) reached the Chinese court in 1077,[165][166] and that the king of the Chulian at the time, Kulothunga I, was called Ti-hua-kia-lo. [139], The Kaikolar community were weavers and merchants but they also maintained armies. [87] The Pandyas in the south had risen to the rank of a great power who ultimately banished the Hoysalas from Malanadu or Kannada country, who were allies of the Cholas from Tamil country and the demise of the Cholas themselves ultimately was caused by the Pandyas in 1279. [145][143], Hospitals were maintained by the Chola kings, whose government gave lands for that purpose. [66] Cholas always successfully controlled the Chalukyas in the western Deccan by defeating them in war and levying tribute on them. He oversaw the massive economic growth of the Pandyan kingdom. The main source for the available information of the early Cholas is the early Tamil literature of the Sangam Period. [6] The Chola kings were avid builders and envisioned the temples in their kingdoms not only as places of worship but also as centers of economic activity. However, during the last two years of his reign, he lost in war to the resurgent Pandyas, heralded a period of steady decline and ultimately, demise of the Cholas by 1280 CE. Due to the lack of a legislature or a legislative system in the modern sense, the fairness of king's orders dependent on his morality and belief in Dharma. [113], Justice was mostly a local matter in the Chola Empire; minor disputes were settled at the village level. During the period of Rajaraja III, the Hoysalas sided with the Cholas and defeated the Kadava chieftain Kopperunjinga and the Pandyas and established a presence in the Tamil country. [45] It is possible that a branch of the Tamil Cholas migrated north during the time of the Pallavas to establish a kingdom of their own, away from the dominating influences of the Pandyas and Pallavas. [121] Particularly the famous Wootz steel, which has a long history in south India dating back to the period before the Christian era, seems also be used to produce weapons. They established educational institutions and hospitals around the temple, enhanced the beneficial aspects of the role of the temple, and projected the royalty as a very powerful and genial presence. [104] According to Kathleen Gough, during the Chola period the Vellalar were the "dominant secular aristocratic caste ... providing the courtiers, most of the army officers, the lower ranks of the kingdom's bureaucracy, and the upper layer of the peasantry". [d], The earliest Chola kings for whom there is tangible evidence are mentioned in the Sangam literature. Many Chola royal bloodlines who were officials and chieftains still ruled a small part of land till the British rule in India whereby they participated in their fight for independence against the British rule. [192][m], The Imperial Chola era was the golden age of Tamil culture, marked by the importance of literature. He also successfully invaded cities of Srivijaya of Malaysia and Indonesia. Another major achievement was the conquest of the Sri Vijaya kingdom under Sailendra, now in Indonesia, by Raja Raja Chola’s successor Rajendra Chola. [98][page needed][99], The other major towns were Thanjavur, Uraiyur and Kudanthai, now known as Kumbakonam. Their patronage of Tamil literature and their zeal in the building of temples has resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and architecture. [74] A Chola inscription states that he captured or plundered 14 places, which have been identified with Palembang, Tambralinga and Kedah among others. [26] After Rajendra Chola moved his capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur lost its importance. Abhinava Dandi Ketana wrote Dasakumaracharitramu, Vijnaneswaramu and Andhra Bhashabhushanamu. [28] However, there was little in common between the local chiefdoms of the earlier period and the imperial-like states of Rajaraja Chola and his successors. [197][198][199] The grammarian Buddhamitra wrote a text on Tamil grammar called Virasoliyam. [49][50] Thanjavur became the capital of the Imperial Chola Dynasty. Skilled classes like the weavers and the merchant-class had become prosperous. The direct line of Cholas of the Vijayalaya dynasty came to an end with the death of Virarajendra Chola and the assassination of his son, The only evidence for the approximate period of these early kings is the Sangam literature and the synchronisation with the. [209][210] Ottakuttan wrote Kulothunga Cholan Ula, a poem extolling the virtues of the Chola king. [133] During the Chola period silk weaving attained a high degree and Kanchipuram became one of the main centres for silk. The market structure and economic policies of the Chola dynasty were more conducive to a large-scale, cross-regional market trade than those enacted by the Chinese Song Dynasty. Rajaraja Chola II succeeded his father Kulothunga Chola II to the Chola throne in 1150. The Pandya Dynasty, also known as the Pandyas of Madurai, was a dynasty of south India, one of the three ethnically Tamil lineages, the other two being the Chola and the Chera. The Hoysalas were routed from Kannanur Kuppam around 1279 by Kulasekhara Pandiyan and in the same war the last Chola emperor Rajendra III was routed and the Chola empire ceased to exist thereafter. Narasimha II of Hoysala helped Rajaraja Chola to regain his throne in AD 1231 and the friendship between the Cholas and Hoysalas continued for some time. Raja Raja chozhar's life has been made up of an interesting novel material such as romance, mystery, drama. He oversaw a massive economic growth of the Pandyan kingdom. [21] In Tamil lexicon Chola means Soazhi or Saei denoting a newly formed kingdom, in the lines of Pandya or the old country. Virarajendra Chola defeated Someshvara II of the Western Chalukya Empire and made an alliance with Prince Vikramaditya VI. [152], There is little information on the size and the density of the population during the Chola reign[153] The stability in the core Chola region enabled the people to lead a productive and contented life. [211], Nannul is a Chola era work on Tamil grammar. The then Chola monarch Virarajendra responded by sending a large Chola army into Ruhuna and forcing it into subjugation. [clarification needed] A hospital named Virasolan was provided with fifteen beds for sick people. [194], The revival of Hinduism from its nadir during the Kalabhras spurred the construction of numerous temples and these in turn generated Shaiva and Vaishnava devotional literature. Even today, Mutharajas community is the most populated community in this Early Chola Capital. During the reign of Rajaraja Chola I, the state initiated a massive project of land survey and assessment and there was a reorganisation of the empire into units known as valanadus. He is best remembered for his role in the battle of Koppam along with his elder brother where he dramatically turned the tables on the Chalukyan King Someshvara I, after the death of his brother in 1052. Ravivarman raided large parts of southern India in a short period by skilfully taking advantage of the weakening of the Pandya kingdom and the confusion prevailed after the Khalji raids (1311). [56] Rajendra Chola I built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram to celebrate his victories in northern India. Uttama Chola born Madurantaka ascended the Chola throne c. 970 CE succeeding Parantaka Chola II.According to Tiruvalangadu plates of Rajendra Chola, Madurantaka Uttama Chola's reign is placed after Aditya II.The latter may have been a co-regent of his father Sundara Chola and seems to have died before he could formally ascend the throne. Then those articles will never go to your enemies. This war marks the end of Cholas reign in Tamilakam and the Chola territories were completely absorbed by the Pandyan empire. Kulothunga Chola III gained success in war against his traditional foes. [172], The Chola conquest of Kadaram (Kedah) and Srivijaya, and their continued commercial contacts with the Chinese Empire, enabled them to influence the local cultures. Many diseases were cured by the doctors of the hospital, which was under the control of a chief physician who was paid annually 80 Kalams of paddy, 8 Kasus and a grant of land. He also pronounced that the great temples of Shiva and the Ranganatha temple were to be the Kuladhanam of the Chola emperors. There is not much information about the transition period of around three centuries from the end of the Sangam age (c. 300) to that in which the Pandyas and Pallavas dominated the Tamil country. [139][140] Agriculture was the principal occupation for many people. The dynasty originated in the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. [30], While the Cholas did build their largest and most important temple dedicated to Shiva, it can be by no means concluded that either they were followers of Shaivism only or that they were not favourably disposed to other faiths. [163], Some credit for the emergence of a world market must also go to the dynasty. His death lead to the Pandyan Civil war in 1308-1323. Since then the Chola monarchs especially Rajaraja, Rajendra, Kulothunga I and III strove hard for the uplift of the poor people. With the rise of the Pandya power in the south, the Cholas had lost most of their control of the territories south of the river Kaveri and their hold on the Vengi territories in the north was slipping with the emergence of the Hoysala power. [183] The Chola school of art also spread to Southeast Asia and influenced the architecture and art of Southeast Asia. Kadal Pura is set during the period when Kulothunga Chola I was in exile from the Vengi kingdom after he was denied the throne. Successor Rajendra Chola II: Queen Trailokyamahadevi Issue many sons Father Rajendra Chola I: Born Unknown Died 1054 C.E. The Chola army was spread all over the country and was stationed in local garrisons or military camps known as Kodagams. Kulothunga Chola III also known as a Chakravarti was the ruler of the Chola empire from 1178 to 1218 CE, after succeeding Rajadhiraja Chola II. Another major achievement was the conquest of the Sri Vijaya kingdom under Sailendra, now in Indonesia, by Raja Raja Chola’s successor Rajendra Chola. Vikrama Chola made Kulothunga his heir apparent and coregent in 1133 CE, so the inscriptions of Kulothunga II count his reign from 1133 CE. One feudatory, the Kadava chieftain Kopperunchinga I, even held Rajaraja Chola III as hostage for sometime. He was made his heir apparent and coregent in 1146 and so the inscriptions of Rajaraja II count his reign from 1146. This embassy was a trading venture and was highly profitable to the visitors, who returned with copper coins in exchange for articles of tribute, including glass and spices. The earliest datable references to the Chola are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by Ashoka, of the Maurya Empire. Even crimes such as manslaughter or murder were punished with fines. The best known of these were the Manigramam and Ayyavole guilds though other guilds such as Anjuvannam and Valanjiyar were also in existence. [54] He also built the Brihadeeswarar Temple in 1010 CE. Raja Raja Chola’s use of the Navy to subdue the Sinhalese king Mahinda, would be one of the greatest naval victories ever. Other famous lakes of this period are Madurantakam, Sundra-cholapereri, Kundavai-Pereri (after a Chola queen). From 900 to 1100, the navy had grown from a small backwater entity to that of a potent power projection and diplomatic symbol in all of Asia, but was gradually reduced in significance when the Cholas fought land battles subjugating the Chalukyas of the Andhra-Kannada area in South India.[126]. p.15, The State at War in South Asia by Pradeep Barua p.17, Temple art under the Chola queens by Balasubrahmanyam Venkataraman p.72, Buddhism, Diplomacy, and Trade: The Realignment of Sino-Indian Relations by Tansen Sen p.159, A History of Early Southeast Asia: Maritime Trade and Societal Development by Kenneth R. Hall, Aryatarangini, the Saga of the Indo-Aryans, by A. Kalyanaraman p.158, India and Malaya Through the Ages: by S. Durai Raja Singam, sfnp error: no target: CITEREFIsmail1988 (, Relationship of the Cholas with the Chinese, Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino: and other essays in Philippine history, "The Telugu Cholas of Konidena (A.D. 1050-1300) [Part 1]", UNESCO World Heritage sites – Chola temples, South-East Asia campaign of Rajendra Chola I, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chola_dynasty&oldid=994201492, 1st-millennium BC establishments in India, States and territories disestablished in 1279, States and territories established in the 4th century BC, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from April 2015, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from April 2015, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from April 2015, Articles with incomplete citations from April 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Empire" as a description of foreign policy, This page was last edited on 14 December 2020, at 15:58. The epigraphs of Rajendra Chola III indicate a civil war between Rajaraja III and himself which came to end with the former killing the latter and ascending the throne. However, it is not known if they had any relation to the early Cholas. Ravivarman, styled Maharaja Ravivarman, Kulasekhara verma, was the ruler of Venatu, with capital at port Kolambam (Quilon), southern India between 1299 – 1316/7. Rajaraja Chola I had made the crown prince Rajendra co-regent in 1012.Both son and father reigned as equals during the final few years of Rajaraja's life. Sadayavarman Kulasekaran II was a Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1238–1240. Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I was a Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1268–1308 CE, though Sen states he ruled until 1310. [134] The weavers had their own residential sector in all towns. Later medieval Cholas also claimed a long and ancient lineage. [142] The vellan-vagai was the ordinary ryotwari village of modern times, having direct relations with the government and paying a land-tax liable to revision from time to time. These were the Vellalar community who formed the nobility or the landed aristocracy of the country and who were economically a powerful group. The Hoysalas, under Vira Someswara, were quick to intervene and this time they sided with the Pandyas and repulsed the Cholas in order to counter the latter's revival. Rajaraja Chola I launched several naval campaigns that resulted in the capture of Sri Lanka, Maldives and the Malabar Coast. Although Rajaraja III was still alive, Rajendra began to take effective control over the administration. [citation needed] Two names are prominent among those Chola kings known to have existed who feature in Sangam literature: Karikala Chola and Kocengannan. 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