Who were the Cholas?
The Cholas were an ancient South Indian dynasty that ruled between the 9th and 12th centuries AD. They were known for their military prowess, cultural achievements, and for their conquests of large swaths of land in the south of India. The Chola Empire was one of the most powerful and influential empires in South India, and it had a major impact on the politics, society, and culture of the region. The Chola Empire was known for its efficient administration, its patronage of the arts, its vast trading networks, and its strong naval capabilities.
The Early Cholas
Three main dynasties ruled the southern parts of India early on. Those three were the Pandyan Dynasty, the Chola Dynasty and the Chera Dynasty.
Among these early Cholas, Karikala Chola was the most famous king and he gained power over the Pandayans and Cheras.
However as anything that rises also falls, another empire was rising called The Kalabhras As the Kalabhras grew, the Chola Dynasty fell. The other two dynasties met the same fate and vanished.
The Cholas lay among the Kalabhras waiting for the opportunity to reclaim their empire and name. The opportunity arrived 400 years later…
In 850 CE a feud arose between the Pandya Empire and the Pallava Empire. A man named Vijayalaya wasted no time in seizing the opportunity that his descendants had waited for years. He led his army to Thanjavur and defeated Ilango Mutharaiyar, capturing Thanjavur. And so the Chola Empire was revived and flourished from then on.
Vijayalaya was the founder of the Imperial Chola Empire. He is remembered for his successful efforts to restore the Chola dynasty and expand the empire to its greatest extent.
The Chola Empire’s Growth.
Under the rule of Vijayalaya, the Chola Empire saw unprecedented growth. He began by conquering the Pallavas and the Pandyan Dynasty and eventually expanded the Chola Empire’s boundaries to the Northern Circars and the Ganges River in the north and the Kaveri River in the south. He also established many new cities, temples, and fortifications throughout his empire.
At the battle of Vallala in the 11th century, the second Chola King, Aditya I, defeated the Pallava dynasty, the Pandyan dynasty, as well as Parantaka I, who defeated the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
The Chola Empire experienced a slow but steady growth but during the reign of Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Chola Empire flourished.
Rajaraja I conquered territories in Sri Lanka, Maldives, parts of South India, and parts of Southeast Asia. He also extended Chola control over the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, and laid the groundwork for the creation of an imperial navy. His conquests laid the foundation for the expansion of the Chola Empire.
Rajaraja I’s son Rajendra Chola I succeeded him and continued the expansion of the empire, conquering kingdoms in Southeast Asia and parts of the Deccan Plateau in India. He also established diplomatic ties with the Chinese Song Dynasty and launched a successful naval expedition to the Ganges valley in northern India.
This allowed the Chola Empire to become a dominant power not only in South India but in many parts of Asia as well.