Cholas

The Cholas were the most famous of the three Dynasties - the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas, that ruled ancient Tamil Nadu. The early Cholas ruled between 1st and the 4th Century A.D. The first and the most famous king of the early Cholas was Karikalan. He is well known for his great engineering marvel "Kallanai", a great anaikut across the river Cauvery, which is being used till date. He was succeded by Nedumudikilli. But the frequent attacks by the Pallavas, Cheras and Pandyas declined the Chola power. They rose to power again around the 9th century. The Medival Cholas, rose to prominence when king Vijayalaya defeated the Pallavas and captured Thanjavur. The Medival Chola kings went on to capture most of South India, Bengal, and even some foreign Islands. Till around the 13th century, the Cholas were the most powerful Empire in South India. The greatest kings among the Medival Cholas were Rajaraja Chola-I (reigned 985-1014)and his son Rajendra Chola-I (reigned 1014-42). Under these two, the Chola power reached its zenith. The Rajaraja conquered Kerala and a part of Sri Lanka. Rajendra later completed the conquest of Sri Lanka, crossed the Ganges and marched across Kalinga to Bengal and sent out a great naval expedition that occupied parts of Myanmar, Malaya, and Sumatra. For 300 years the Chola kingdom supported a flourishing social and economic life, marked by a flowering of Hindu culture. Rajendra, to commemorate his victory over the Ganges, created a new capital and named it "Gangaikonda Cholapuram". However, by the 13th century, the Chola kingdom had exhausted its resources and was on the decline. It succumbed to an attack by the Hoysalas from the west and the Pandyas from the south. The last king of the Medival Cholas was, Rajendra Chola -III The Flag of Chola Empire had a Tiger in it. The Tiger served as the Emblem for the kingdom for other puropses like emblem in Coins etc.

List of Medival Chola Kings

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Name of King	Reign Period	Son of	Capital
Vijayalaya Chola	848-881	Is not availble	Thanjavur
Athiththa Chola	871-907	Vijayalya Chola	Thanjavur
Paranthaha Chola-I	907-955	Athiththa Chola	Thanjavur
Kandarathiththa Chola	950-957	2nd Son of Paranthaha Chola-I	Thanjavur
Arinchchaya Chola	956-957	3rd Son of Paranthaha Chola-I	Thanjavur
Paranthaha Chola-II	957-970	Arinchchaya Chola	Thanjavur
Uththama Chola	973-985	Kandarathiththa Chola	Thanjavur
Rajaraja Chola-I	985-1014	Paranthaha Chola-II	Thanjavur
Rajendra Chola-I	1012-1044	Rajaraja Chola-I	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajadhiraja Chola-I	1018-1054	Eldest Son of Rajendra Chola-I	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajendra Chola-II	1051-1063	2nd Son of Rajendra Chola-I	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Virarajendra Chola	1063-1070	Rajendra Chola-I	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Athirajendra Chola	1067-1070	Virarajendra Chola	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-I	1070-1120	Son of the daughter of Rajendra Chola-I\n	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Vikkrama Chola	1118-1135	Kulothunga Chola-I	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-II	1133-1150	Vikkrama Chola	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajaraja Chola-II	1146-1163	Kulothunga Chola-II	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajadiraja Chola-II	1163-1178	Cousin of Rajaraja Chola-II	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulothunga Chola-III	1178-1218	Rajaraja Chola-II	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajaraja Chola-III	1216-1256	Kulothunga Chola-III	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Rajendra Chola-III	1246-1279	Rajaraja Chola-III	Gangaikonda Cholapuram