Chola Empire was the most powerful empire in southern India for more than 200 years. From the A.D. 100’s to the A.D. 700’s, the Cholas were chieftains in what is now the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Details of the ancient Chola dynasty have been discovered in royal commands, temple pronouncements, records of trade guilds, and in inscriptions by village councils.
The Cholas set up their first capital at Uraiyur, and engaged in seaborne trade. After conquering the city of Thanjavur, they made it the new capital of their growing kingdom. The power of the Chola Empire increased, and the rulers’ sense of their own importance grew. They soon began to claim divine descent.
Parantaka I, who reigned from 907 to 953, laid the foundations of genuine Chola greatness. He extended the northern boundary of his territories as far as Nellore. There, he was defeated and checked by the Rashtrakuta monarch, Krishna III. In the south, he defeated the Gangas and the Pandyas, but could not take the island that is now known as Sri Lanka.
The next strong leader after Parantaka was Rajaraja I, who reigned from 985 to 1014. Rajaraja began to expand the empire. He invaded Sri Lanka, destroyed the city of Anuradhapura, and set up a new capital at Polonnaruwa. The northern part of the island became a province of the Chola Empire. To the north, Rajaraja defeated the Gangas and Calukyas, and pushed his frontier as far as the Tungabhadra River. He also acquired the Maldive Islands and the Malabar coast, both highly prized for their spices. These conquests enabled the Cholas to increase their prosperity. They formed trade links with China, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East.
In 1012, Rajaraja I made his son and heir, Rajendra, rule jointly with him. As a result, Rajendra’s succession took place smoothly in 1014. Rajendra, who reigned from 1014 to 1044, continued to expand the empire. In the north, he captured Manyakheta. This was in the heart of Calukya territory. In the south, a rebellion broke out against King Mahinda V, who ruled the independent part of Sri Lanka. This revolt gave Rajendra an excuse to intervene and take over the whole island. In 1021, he started a two-year campaign that carried him along the east coast as far as Bengal, then northward and inland as far as the Ganges River.
In 1025, Rajendra launched an even more spectacular enterprise. He sent an expedition by sea to attack Srivijaya, an empire in Southeast Asia. Srivijaya had attempted to interrupt the Cholas’ trade links with China. The resulting Chola presence in that part of the world lasted only for about 50 years, but it caused the spread of Hinduism and Hindu arts in Southeast Asia. This influence was profound and lasting.
The last notable Chola ruler was Kulottunga I, who reigned from 1070 to 1118. After him, the dynasty gradually declined, squeezed between the rising power of the Hoysalas to the west and the Pandyas of Madurai in the south. The Pandyas finally defeated the Cholas in 1279.
See also Rajaraja I.
