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Virarajendra Chola
வீரராஜேந்திர சோழன்

Chola Territories c. 1069 C.E.
Reign	1063 C.E. - 1070 C.E.
Title	Rajakesari
Capital	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Queen	Arulmolinangai
Children	Madhurantaka Gangaikondachola Rajasundari
Predecessor	Rajendra Chola II
Successor	Athirajendra Chola
Father	Rajendra Chola I
Born	Unknown
Died	1070 C.E.
Tomb	{{{Location of Tomb}}}

List of Chola kings Early Cholas Ilamcetcenni  ·  Karikala Chola Nedunkilli  ·  Nalankilli Killivalavan  ·  Kopperuncholan Kocengannan  ·  Perunarkilli Interregnum (c.200-848)

Medieval Cholas Vijayalaya Chola 848-871(?) Aditya I 871-907 Parantaka Chola I 907-950 Gandaraditya 950-957 Arinjaya Chola 956-957 Sundara Chola 957-970 Uttama Chola 970-985 Rajaraja Chola I 985-1014 Rajendra Chola I 1012-1044 Rajadhiraja Chola 1018-1054 Rajendra Chola II 1051-1063 Virarajendra Chola 1063-1070 Athirajendra Chola 1067-1070 Chalukya Cholas Kulothunga Chola I 1070-1120 Vikrama Chola 1118-1135 Kulothunga Chola II 1133-1150 Rajaraja Chola II 1146-1163 Rajadhiraja Chola II 1163-1178 Kulothunga Chola III 1178-1218 Rajaraja Chola III 1216-1256 Rajendra Chola III 1246-1279

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Virarajendra Chola (1063 – 1070 C.E.) became the Chola king succeeding his brother Rajendra Chola II. Rajamahendra, Rajendra’s son and heir apparent died before his father and Rajendra made his younger brother Virarajendra his heir.

Virarajendra’s reign falls in the very troubled period of the medieval Chola period marked by the numerous wars and conflicts with his neighbours both in the south and the north.

Contents 1 Military Conflicts 1.1 Early Battles 1.2 Continuing Chalukya Battles 1.3 War in Lanka 1.4 Kadaram Campaign 2 Alliance with Chalukya Vikramaditya 3 Death and Succession 4 References

Virarajedndra fought many battles against the Chola nemesis the Chalukyas, the main catalyst for these conflicts being the Chola interest in the Vengi Chalukyas. He also had to continue the fighting in the south to preserve the Chola dominions in Sri Lanka and the Pandya territories.

During the early period of his reign, Virarajendra fought and killed the king of Pottapi in the Kerala country. He also had to suppress a rebellion in the Pandya territories by the Pandya princes. While these battles were progressing, the Western Chalukya Somesvara I invaded the Chola country.

Virarajendra’s reign is marked by the numerous inscriptions detailing his various battles with the Western Chalukyas. These battles were of especially bitter in nature. Virarajendra was involved in the battle against the Western Chalukyas even before he became king. Under the command of the then heir to the throne Rajamahendra, Virarajendra fought the Chalukya forces in the battle of Muddakaru. During Virarajendra’s reign, Somesvara, the loser of this battle sought to wipe the disgrace of his defeat at Maddukaru and called for battle with the Cholas.

Somesvara I wrote the Chola king assigning a site in a place called Kudal Sangamam for the battle, ironically near the site of the previous battle in which the Chalukya forces were so utterly defeated. Receiving this message, Virarajendra immediately set out for the battle and camped near Kandai for the Chalukyan army to arrive. The exact date set for the battle, according to Virarajendra’s inscription found at Manimangalam, was Monday, 10 September 1067C.E.

The Chola army awaited the expected battle for more than a month; the Chalukya king never met the appointment. The Chola army then devastated the surrounding countryside, erected a pillar of victory on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.

The reason for Somesvara’s absence is not known. It is possible that he was suddenly indisposed. Whatever may be the reason, this event disgraced Somesvara even further and he committed suicide by drowning himself in March 1068 C.E.

From Kudal Sangamam, the Chola army proceeded to Vengi to quell the challenge to the Chola influence there. It is also possible that the Vengi throne had passed into Western Chalukya hands. In a battle on the banks of the Krishna River, Virarajendra crushed the Western Chalukya army led by Jananatha. Virarajendra then proceeded to conquer the entire Eastern Chalukya kingdom, defeat Kalinga who had been in alliance with the Western Chalukyas. Virarajendra installed Vijayaditya, the Eastern Chalukya prince on the Vengi throne.

Vijayabahu, the Sinhala king, who had been ruling a tiny southern portion of the island around the Rohana district, sought to extend his power and expel the Chola occupier. Mahavamsa records that Virarajendra sent the Chola army stationed in the island to attack the Rohana district. Vijayabahu then sent for help from the king of Burma who sent ships and soldiers to assist Vijayabahu. With this help Vijayabahu succeeded in creating revolt in the northern provinces of Lanka. Although the Chola forces in the island and reinforcements sent from the mainland could control these revolts, Vijayabahu continued to create revolts and disturbances within the Chola occupied areas of the island for the next few years.

Virarajendra's records from his seventh year mention that he conquered Kadaram (Srivijaya) on behalf of a king who had come to ask for help and protection and haded it over to him. The possible date for this occurrence is 1068 C.E. There is not any more information to be gleaned from this inscription. In 1045 Airlangga, who ruled Srivijaya, divided the Kahuripan kingdom into two, Janggala (Malang) and Kediri and abdicated in favour of his two sons to live the life of an ascetic. During Virajrajendra's invasion in 1068, one of these sons might have ruled in Kedah. As yet we have no knowledge of the Srivijaya king who asked for help and the details of this naval campaign. The Cholas continued a series of raids and conquests throughout what is now Indonesia and Malaysia for the next 20 years. Although the Chola invasion was ultimately unsuccessful, it gravely weakened the Srivijayan hegemony and enabled the formation of regional kingdoms based, like Kediri, on agriculture rather than trade.

At the death of Somesvara I, his son Somesvara II came to the Chalukyan throne in April 1068 C.E. Soon after a dispute broke out between him and his younger brother Vikramaditya and a civil war ensued in the Western Chalukya country. Somesvara ceded the southern part of his kingdom to Vikramaditya. Virarajendra Chola aligned himself with Vikramaditya giving his daughter in marriage to him.

Virarajendra Chola died in early 1070 C.E. and was succeeded by his son and heir apparent Athirajendra Chola.

Early in his reign Virarajendra appointed his son Mdurantaka as viceroy of Tondaimandalam with the title of Cholebdra’. Another son Gangaikondachola was made viceroy of the Pandya territories. We have no clear information as to which of these two sons was Athirajendra.

• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
• South Indian Inscriptions - http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/