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New Kings and Kingdoms

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Last updated date: 25th Apr 2024
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New Kings and Kingdoms: The Chola Dynasty and the Administrations Inside the Kingdom

What are your views on kings and kingdoms? As citizens of modern India, we have rarely seen real kings wearing crowns. However, many such kings and kingdoms may be found in our history. A kingdom is basically just a piece of land that is ruled by a king or queen. There were numerous new kings and kingdoms in ancient India.


Shiva has many different forms such as Rudra - in a fierce or angry mood, Linga (Lingam in Sanskrit) - the proof or evidence that god and gods still do exist. Nataraja - The type of dance, and more. Let us know about the new kings and kingdoms and avail the new kings and kingdoms notes, which is much helpful for the students.


Appearance of New Dynasties

Let us discuss the new dynasties and its appearances here. New Kings and Kingdoms made their appearances. By the 7th century, there were large landlords and warrior chiefs in several parts of the Indian subcontinent. They were mostly Samantas or king's subordinates. As a result, all of the existing rulers frequently acknowledged them. They showered their gifts on the kings. They also provided military support to the kings.


Administrations inside the Kingdom

At the top of the system, the king accepted and held titles such as Maharaj-Adhiraj. These powerful kings shared their power with their Samantas and a group of peasants. Many producers were persuaded to give up their rights. The resources were mainly extracted from the products they made. They then used these resources to financially support the king as well as construct temples and forts. As a result, these resources were essential.


Warfare for Wealth

Gujara–Pratihara, Rashtrakutas, and Pala dynasties fought for control of the Kanuj for Eras. Three sides were involved in the conflict. As a result, it is referred to as a tripartite struggle. It had been a lengthy battle. Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni ravaged the subcontinent almost every year, looting the temple as well.


They looted temples such as Somanath, Gujarat, and Mahmud. Other kings, such as Chauhan, were also battling. They ruled the area between Delhi and Ajmer. The Chalukyas of Gujarat and the Gahadavalas of western Uttar Pradesh were at odds with the Chauhans. Prithviraj 3 was a well-liked Chauhan king. He defeated Afghan ruler Gohri in 1191. He did, however, lose to him in 1192.


The Chola Dynasty

The Chola Dynasty ruled from the late ninth century to the beginning of the 1300s. Vijayawada's successors are the Cholas. They conquered the surrounding areas. They came from a little Uraiyur family. The kingdom expanded in size and power.


Rajaraja was the Chola ruler with the most power. He gained control of the majority of the areas. Rajendra, his son, conquered Sri Lanka and the Southeast Asian kingdoms. By raiding the Ganga Valley, they continued to vastly extend the kingdom. The bronze statues and temples of the Chola kingdom are testimonies to its art and architecture.


Early Documentation of the Chola Kingdom

The Chola Dynasty's beginnings are lost to history. However, the kingdom is mentioned in early Tamil literature and on one of Ashoka's Pillars (273 - 232 BCE). It also appears in Ptolemy's Geography and the Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 40-60 CE) (c. 150 CE). The ruling family was of Tamil descent.


Around 300 CE, the Pallava and Pandya Kingdoms established their control over most of southern India's Tamil heartlands, and the Cholas began to wane. Their daughters regularly married into the Pallava and Pandya families, suggesting that they likely acted as sub-rulers under the new powers.


Beginning of the Medieval Chola Period

When the Pallava and Pandya kingdoms went to war in around 850 CE, the Cholas seized the opportunity. King Vijayalaya renounced his Pallava overlord and reestablished himself as the ruler of Thanjavur (Tanjore). This was the beginning of the Medieval Chola period, as well as the peak of Chola power.


In 885 and 897 CE, Aditya I, Vijayalaya's son, destroyed the Pandyan Kingdom and the Pallava Kingdom. His son invaded Sri Lanka in 925, and by 985, the Chola Dynasty had established control over the Tamil-speaking parts of southern India. Rajaraja Chola I (r. 985 - 1014 CE) and Rajendra Chola I (r. 1012 - 1044 CE) were the next two rulers to expand the empire.


Expansion of Chola Territory

Rajaraja Chola's reign saw the Chola Empire grow into a multi-ethnic trading colossus. He extended the empire's northern border out of Tamil territories to Kalinga in northeast India, and sent his navy to take the Maldives and the lucrative Malabar Coast on the subcontinent's southwestern coast. These areas were crucial along the Indian Ocean trading routes.


By 1044, Rajendra Chola had conquered the rulers of Bihar and Bengal, as well as coastal Myanmar (Burma), the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and strategic ports throughout the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. It was the world's first true maritime empire, with its headquarters in India. Rajendra's Chola Empire demanded tribute from Siam (Thailand) and Cambodia. Indochina and the Indian mainland shared cultural and artistic influences in both directions.


The Cholas, on the other hand, had one major thorn in their side during the mediaeval period. In the western Deccan Plateau, the Chalukya Empire came up on a regular basis and attempted to take control from the Cholas. The Chalukya kingdom fell apart in 1190 after decades of sporadic conflict. The Chola Empire, on the other hand, did not last long after its gadfly.


Collapse of the Chola Empire

It was an ancient rival who eventually did the Cholas for good. Between 1150 to 1279, the Pandya family collected their armies and attempted to gain independence in their traditional lands. In 1279, the Cholas, led by Rajendra III, were defeated by the Pandyan Empire and ceased to exist.


In Tamil country, the Chola Empire left a rich legacy. It saw amazing architectural achievements like the Thanjavur Temple, incredible artwork, especially exquisite bronze sculpture, and a golden period of Tamil literature and poetry. From Cambodia to Java, all of these cultural traits found their way into the Southeast Asian artistic lexicon, influencing religious art and literature.


Did You Know?

Rajaraja the Great was one of the Chola Dynasty's most powerful rulers:

  • The eastern child of Wenga's chaos, Madurai's pandya, and my soul's Ganges, was defeated.

  • After him, the Tanjore temple, also known as Raja Rajeshvari, was built.

  • After his death, his song was renamed Ganga Kondal, which means Victor Ganga.

  • The Cholas' Golden Age was during his reign.

Conclusion

This is the clear information about new kings and kingdoms and the chola dynasty. Students can also get and read these new kings and kingdoms notes for their further preparation. In this article we covered the emergence of new kings and kingdoms as well as about the Chola dynasty in detail.

FAQs on New Kings and Kingdoms

1. Give the cultural contributions of the Chola Dynasty?

The Tamil country reached new heights in art, religion, music, and literature during Chola's reign. In all of these areas, the Chola period saw the culmination of activities that began earlier under the Pallavas. Monumental architecture, such as stately temples and stone and bronze sculptures, achieved a grace never seen before in India.

2. What are the four capital cities of the Chola Dynasty?

Let us look at the four capital cities of the Chola Dynasty here:

  • Poompuhar: Puhar, which means "river in the sea" in Tamil, is another name for it. It is close to the entrance of the Kaveri River, which empties into the sea.

  • Thanjavur: There are numerous temples in the area, including the Brihadeeswarar Temple.

  • Gangaikonda Cholapuram: It was meant to outshine the father's temple. (Temple of Brihadeeswarar)

  • Thiruvarur: The Trinity of Carnatic Music was founded in the 18th century CE.

3. Answer the following questions:


  • What do you mean by 'tripartite struggle’? 

  •  Who was Kalhana?

The answers are given below:

  • The tripartite struggle referred to the struggle that existed between the three parties Gurjara- Pratihara, Rashtrakuta as well as  Pala dynasties in order to control the Kanauj.

  • Kalhana was said to be a great Sanskrit poet. He is said to have written a long poem on the ruler of Kashmir in Sanskrit.