Have a doubt. I believe that after rrc, rjc shifted capital to gkc, n from then on gkc remained chola capital. What was Kulottunga III capital city. Doubt is because in the famous sundara pandya meikeerthi, he says he destroyed uraiyur n tanjore only ( the ploughing with eruthu n sowing erukku seed one)
Hi i am a novice on this but wiki says there is a edict on one compund wall -An epigraph refers to the fort wall of Kulothunga Chola (Kulottunga Cholan Thirumadil).
my guess is that when the cholas land extent startd shrinking the hoysalas were pressing them from the north. Gkc was also very close to the head quarters of koperunchikan the nemisis of the cholas sendamangalam was too close for comfort.
the cholas must have gone into seclusion in tanjore area. the last battle between cholas and pandyas seem to have been fought near kannanur- samayapuram
really a topic worth discussing. we will get to know a lot.
GKC remained capital of Cholas till the last of great chola emporors Kulotunga III. Towards his last years of his reigh Maravarman Sundara Pandiyan (MSP)successfully achieved Pandiya resurgence subjecting K III to a humiliating defeat. Thanjavur and Uraiyur were destroyed and Chola forts obliterated. It is not known if MSP captured GKC but his victory over K III was the beginning of the decline of Cholas.
K III died a few years later and was succeeded by inept and weak Rajaendra III, the last Chola king. He was driven out of GKC by the Pandiya but was restored and re-crowned at GKC by the Hoysalas a few years later.
Jatavarman Sundara Panidyan (JSP)ascended thrown in 1251 who established a powerful Pandiya kingdom up to Nellore. His inscriptions are found in GKC temple which would mean that GKC was captured by this great Pandya king. JSP was succeeded by Maravarman Kulasekara Pandiyan (MKP) another powerful king. Eleven years into his ascendancy, in the battle at Kannanur in 1279, he defeated and perhaps of killed Rajaraja III, the last Chola king. GKC was annexed to Pandiya kingdom.
K III had in-laws with Hoysalas. Vira Narasimha was awarded some tamil lands as a token of K III gratitude but not to the extent of GKC.
K III was the greatest of the final cholas, something like Anayara vilakku pragasama eriyum :-)
Towards the 2nd 1/2 of his life, I believe he was more softer and focus shifted to building temples to the north of GKC. He was responsible for lots of temples in and around chennai.
Kulothunga III invaded Pandya kingdom 3 times. First at the request of Vikrama Pandyan and against Vira Pandyan just before 1182 AD. He made Vikrama Pandyan the King and returned. Second battle was at Nettur against Vira Pandian accompanied with the King of Kerala. Vira pandian and Vira Keralan were defeated and surrendered at last. They were treated well by K III.The third battle was in 1205 AD and against Jatavarman Kulasekaran at Karur. After winning the battle at Karur K III went to Madurai and stayed for sometime. He named a Thiruveethi in his name, covered the temple of Madurai with gold, erected pillars announcing his victory and finally gave back the country to pandian and returned. In all the battles against Pandyas he treated the defeated kings well and gave back their country. This may be a reason for Sundara Pandian not destroying GKC, and the Second main reason must be Hoysalas support became stronger in 1217 AD.
K III's soldiers destroyed coronation hall in Madurai during 1205 incursion. Tweleve years later MSP's war of revenge culminated in performing veerabhishekam in the coronation hall of Cholas at Ayirattali ( same place where K III is anointed glorious for his chain of victories) after ransacking Tanjavur and Urayur. Invading Hoysalas allied in matrimony with K III, forced MVP to give back power to K III and crown prince Rajendra III, but only after the last Chola emperor conceded subservience to the Pandian. MSP's invasion appears to be short of reaching GKC in 1217. The following year K III died in grief and old age leaving a ghost of the great Chola empire in the hands of inept son Rajendra III to defend.
That incident happened in 1231 when Rajaraja III was driven out GKC by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan ( MSP.Rajaraja IIItried his escape to Hoysala land. The entire court with the king wasensnared in captivity by Kopperunchinga I, who connived against the Cholas and allied with MSP. Kopperunchinga I was one of the generals in KIII’s reign tookan opportunity to capture power, tormentinga weak Rajaraja III. Ever friendly Hoysala king Narasimha, also brother-in-law to Cholas, dispatched an army that successfully intervenedKopperunchinga I and restored the forlorn Chola king and his court. Narasimha led another army and defeated MSP at the same time giving second lease of flicker to Rajaraja III who returned to GKC as a toothlessCholaking. Following the truce Pandyas, Cholas and Hoysalas entered into royal wedlock.
History shows Rajaraja III reign was for a long tenure of 50 years but the king was hounded by Chola dynasty's arch enemies as well as by powerful Chola generals like Kopperunchinga who had a Pallava lineage. The poor Chola king survived but lived in ignominy. By 1251 when Jatavarman Sundara Pandian (JSP)ascended Pandya thrown, the last Chola king was reduced to a vassal to powerful Pandian. JSP's inscriptions are found in GKC signaling his occupation of Chola capital as early as his 2nd regnal year. Perhaps, he left Rajaraja III alone in GKC as either he was too weak a king to bother or due to relationship in royal wedding.
Having survived several battles Rajaraja III faced Maravarman Kulasekara Pandian (MKP) who succeeded JSP in a final and decisive one at Kannanur in 1279. The last vestige of mighty Chola Empirewas not lucky this time. He was defeated and perhaps killed by MKP. With that, GKC,the magnificent capital of Cholas, was annexed to Pandya kingdom.
Hi Sunder excellent description of the last years of the cholas
can you also tell us the number of years each of the last 4 cholas ruled. that could possibly tell us of the lethargy that had set in. and koperunchikan you have just described as a conniving general. but he is one of the mosts colourful personalities of tamil history. the kadava chieftan has done a lot of thiruppani to the natarajar temple. surely a good charecter for some novel in tamil history. i was fortunate to use a legend of his buried treasure in Thillaiyil Oru Kollaikaran.
Great description. RRC-III ruled for 50yrs ?? Any details of his children. How did the chola - pandyas - hoysala get into a wedlock agreement without children ?
Dear Sunder Sir, Rajarajan III was followed by Rajendran III who was crowned in 1246 and Rajarajan III lived afterwards for 14 years . Rajendran III was the last king in Chola dynasty. JSP's Kannanur battle was against Hoysala Someswaran and not against Rajarajan III. Jadavarman Sundara Pandian didnt have any battle with Rajarajan III. The successor of JSP. .Maravarman Kulasekaran only defeated Rajendran III (not Rajarajan III)and Hoysala Veera Ramanathan . Then only the Chola kingdomwas annexed to Pandyas. There were Cholas afterwards ruling small areas. And thelast inscriptional name of Cholas is Gururaja Rudradeva Chola Maharaja who donated two villages to Adhi Kumbeswarar Temple at Kumbakonam in 1554 AD. Kindlyverify the above are correct.
How do you say K3 treated the defeated Pandyan kings well? Can we read his meikeerthis and inscriptions once again -
Of his 3 wars on pandyas - Pandya's had a succession war between kulasekara pandya and veerapandiyan. . kulasekara was banished but his " vazhi thondral " vikrama pandian got the support of K3 and he won. K3 erected a jayastamba in madurai and let vikarama pandya rule. Not much destruction apart form the fight (veerapandya was supported by chera and lankan kings but in vain)- hile the meikeerthi talks his nose cutting of lankan soilders who jumped into the sea (does it mean literal nose cutting or just symbolic mookaruppu??).
Next ( within 6 years) - is K3 second battle. Veera pandiya again with support of chera and lankan kings fought with K3 in nettur. He lost again. K3 gave back the crown to Veera pandya - but how?? He placed his feet on the head of veera pandyan and then gave his crown back!!
The 3rd battle - within 10 years of the second ( around 1205 ad ) , is more dramatic. with the total destruction of the Pandya palace and then ploughing with donkey and sowing seeds. He is said to have taken lot of priosoners including wounded soilders and large numebr of women as slaves. he crowned himself as chola pandian and changed the traditional pandya names of many towns, buildings etc.
These humiliations are what sowed the seed for a pandya resurgence and maybe the excess committed by K3 which backfired.
Sundarapandya repayed everything in true filmy stype in 1218.
It reminds me of a program on history channel - Ferdinand *Foch's* Railway carriage was where the signing of the armistice during WW1 when Germany was forced to sign what was a very humilating charter and Hitler having the same carriage brought to sign france's surrender in WW2.
You are absolutely right. I mistakenly wrote Raja Raja III instead of Rajendra III in the story which I truly apologize. I was writing an amended versionand your mail came.
RR III survived MSP. JSP ascended Pandya thrown in 1251. One of his inscriptions found in GKC temple refers to his second regnal year meaning GKC was already under his control within the first year of his coming to power. RR III and his son Rajendra III wereprobably intotal subjection to JKP.I do agree thatthere were no battles between JSP and RR III either due the fact that cholas were decisively subjugated by then or their truce with MSP was still respected. RR III passed away in 1256, forty years into his reign. Twelve years later in 1268 MKP succeeded JKP.In the 1279battleat Kannanur he defeated and perhaps killedRajendra III the last of the recognized Chola kings. Chola territory became part of Pandya kingdom.
That is an interesting thought, the last two Cholas had the longest overlapping of a decade. K I had the longest reign, five decades rightat the middle of post RR I's golden eraof Later Cholas.
The question is not how long they ruled but how much territory they ruled and controlled for how long.Both thevanishing dynasties saw with each passing year their respective kingdom dwindledand theirsignificance marginalized.
Dear VJ andiyas and Tirunelveli Pandiyas they went for support from Cholas and Srilanka. Kulothunga had a soft corner for Tirunelveli Pandiyas as they were related to Cholas from Kulothunga I period. (Sudhamalli, daughter of Kulothunga I married Srilanka prince who was the son of Tirunelveli Pandiyas- kindly refer Srivallaba's lineage in earlier years) After settling on thrones Pandiyas slowly began to free from Cholas and act independently. The Thirukadayur inscription tells about the defeat of Virapandian and Virakeralan who helped Virapandian was also defeated. But when Virakeralan surrendered K III sat with him and had dinner. Srirangam inscriptions tells that when 'Thennavan and Keralan came and surrendered and K III gave back their countries and sent them with prizes which they ever imagined' The 3rd battle against Pandiyas of Karur was something different. After winning this war only K III had the Vijayabishegam at Karur and Virabishegam at Madurai, K III was more cruel on Paniyas as they were more ungrateful and acting more independently. Ofcourse the act of Cholas against Pandiyas were backfired later as you say. In the later years, when Jatavarman Sundara Pandian took his kingdom to the new heights, he had a respect over Chola royal families. This can be seen from the life of Rajendra III's life. Only royal palaces of Cholas were demolished and the temples were never touched. Whether Pandias or Cholas, when great ones araise they had some royal etique even with the defeated kings to some extent
recapping the relevant portion below ( in tamil transliterated). if you can help us understand the meaning of the verses - line by line would be great.
Also would like to know about wife names, sons ( apart from RRC3) of K3. i read that KIII married Hoysala Veeraballa 's daughter and vice versa - do we have their names ( there is one chola madevi queen of veerballa). similarly regarding RRC3, was he the only son of K3, and any info on RRC3's wives etc.
Dear SPS Sir, I have the Jatavarma Sundara Pandian's meikeerthi consisting 93 lines on which Kudanthai Sethuraman has made a detailed explanation.. Kindly inform the SII volume which contains theTiruparankundram inscriptions and the death of JSP which I have not yet read and want to.