Vikramaditya VI
Encyclopedia
Vikramaditya VI became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Somesvara II
. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title Permadideva and Tribhuvanamalla (lord of three worlds). Vikramadtiya VI is noted for his patronage of art and letters. His court was adorned with famous Kannada and Sanskrit
poets. In Kannada, his brother Kirtivarma wrote Govaidya on veterinary science and Brahmashiva wrote Samayaparikshe and received the title Kavi Chakravarti. More inscriptions in Kannada are attributed to Vikramaditya VI than any other king prior to the twelfth century. Noted Sanskrit poet Bilhana
wrote a eulogy of the King in his Vikramankadevacharita and Vijnaneshvara wrote Mitakshara
on Hindu family law. One of his queens Chandaladevi called Abhinava Sarasvati was a noted dancer. At his peak, the Vikarmaditya VI controlled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri river
in southern India to the Narmada River
in central India.
came to the throne, Vikramaditya started planning his overthrow. Making use of the Chola invasion, he, along with some of the feudatories of Somesvara, especially the Seuna
, the Hoysalas and the Kadambas
of Hangala achieved his goal. Vikramaditya went into negotiations with the Chola king Virarajendra Chola. Vikramaditya consented to rule the Vengi
kingdom as the Chola feudatory. Virarajendra also forced Somesvara to bifurcate his kingdom and let Vikramaditya rule the southern half (Gangavadi) independently.
Vikramaditya married one of Virarajendra's daughters to strengthen the alliance with the Cholas.
), a Vengi prince got displaced from his original dominions in Vengi and would assume the Chola throne. To quell rioting in Kanchipuram
Vikramaditya led his forces into the city to assist his brother-in-law. Vikramaditya soon after proceeded to the Chola capital and helped his relative inaugurate his reign and to defeat any attempts by Rajiga to overthrow the rightful Chola king.
Satisfied that order had been restored, Vikramaditya returned to his capital. But news soon came to him that his brother-in law had been murdered in the civil uprising and Rajiga had assumed the Chola throne under the title Kulothunga Chola I. In his inscriptions, Kulothunga frequently quotes that even though Vikramaditya taunted him that due to his actions, his glory would be tarnished like spots on the moon-the symbol of his former family, he continued to experience a prosperous reign.
district between Kulothunga and Vikramaditya. Vikramaditya's forces were defeated and were pursued up the Tungabhadra by the Chola forces with heavy fighting all the way. Kulothunga took over Gangavadi. However in 1085, Vikramaditya seized Kanchi from the Cholas and in 1088 he conquered major pats of the Vengi Kingdom. Though Kulottunga captured Vengi in 1099, the Chalukya ruler regained it in 1118 CE and retained it up to 1124. The Kadambas of Goa, the Shilaharas, the Seunas and the Pandyas of Uchangi, Chaulukyas of Gujarat and Chedi
of Ratnapur were the other rulers who were subdued by Vikramaditya VI. He married princess Mailaladevi of the Kadamba family and Chandaladevi of the Shilahara family.absoulutly wrong
turned on Vikramaditya in 1116 and captured territories up to Goa
on the west coast and advanced up to the Krishna River
in the north.
Vikramaditya dealt firmly with this situation and expelled the Hoysala from the Chalukyan territories. Vishnuvardhana had to seek refuge in a hill fortress in his country. After many battles, Vishnuvardhana submitted to Vikramaditya in 1123.
the Chola reign was coming to an end with the success of Vijayabahu. Vikramaditya hailed Vijayabahu as his natural ally and sent him an embassy with rich presents.
, who was ruling Vengi as the viceroy, for coronation. Utilising the vacuum in the leadership in Vengi, Vikramaditya sent his general Anantapala to invade and conquer the Vengi country who conquered Vengi. Around this time, the Chalukya feudatory, Hoysala Vishnuvardhana also defeated the Cholas in the battle of Talakadu.
However, the Cholas recovered both Vengi and Eastern Gangavadi from both the Chalukyas and the Hoysalas. The death of Chalukya Vikramaditya VI (1126) and the accession of his son, the mild Somesvara III, enabled Vikrama Chola to re-establish Chola power in Vengi. It was a gradual process which began about 1127 and reached its completion in a battle on the banks of the Godavari about 1133 at which Somesvara was present. Fighting on the Chola side, Velananti Choda Gonka II routed the army of the Western Chalukyas and their Eastern Ganga ally Anantavarman Choda Ganga, taking captive some prominent generals and capturing much booty in gold, horses and camels.
For a brief time the Chalukya empire under Vikramaditya VI reached its zenith and included territories
as vast as that of their ancestors, the Badami Chalukyas.
However, This was the beginning of the end for the Chalukyas as the successors of Vikramaditya VI were weak and the Chalukyan capital was occupied for around 40 years by the Kalachuris under Bijjala-I and Bijjala-II from around 1135-40 AD and the Chalukyas predeceased the Cholas in 1190 AD though the Chalukyan empire was starting to dissolve by 1149 AD when Hoysala Vishnuvardhana occupied Bankapura. The feudatories and other rivals of the Chalukyas like the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas and the Seunas were preparing to defeat them.
and in 1173, Veera Ballalla II of Hoysala feudatories revolted against and took large territories away from the Chalukya empire which went into decline. A brief attempt to revive the kingdom by the last king Somesvara IV failed and the Chalukyas became a part of the past by 1200.
Bilhana wrote Vikramankadevacharita and was Vikramaditya's court poet. Vijnanesvara, the author of Mitakshara, was an authority on Hindu law. Kirthi Verma wrote Govaidya during this period.
Vikramaditya's long reign came to an end in 1126. His son Somesvara III
became the Chalukya king.
Somesvara II
Somesvara II who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Somesvara I as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Somesvara I. During his reign Somesvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI...
. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title Permadideva and Tribhuvanamalla (lord of three worlds). Vikramadtiya VI is noted for his patronage of art and letters. His court was adorned with famous Kannada and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
poets. In Kannada, his brother Kirtivarma wrote Govaidya on veterinary science and Brahmashiva wrote Samayaparikshe and received the title Kavi Chakravarti. More inscriptions in Kannada are attributed to Vikramaditya VI than any other king prior to the twelfth century. Noted Sanskrit poet Bilhana
Bilhana
Bilhana Kavi was an 11th-century Kashmiri poet. He is known for his love poem, the Caurapâñcâśikâ.According to legend, the Brahman Bilhana fell in love with the daughter of King Madanabhirama, Princess Yaminipurnatilaka, and had a secretive love affair. They were discovered, and Bilhana was thrown...
wrote a eulogy of the King in his Vikramankadevacharita and Vijnaneshvara wrote Mitakshara
Mitakshara
The ' is a on the Yajnavalkya Smriti best known for its theory of "inheritance by birth." It was written by Vijñāneśvara, a scholar in the Western Chalukya court in the late eleventh and early twelfth century. Along with the Dāyabhāga, it was considered one of the main authorities on Hindu Law...
on Hindu family law. One of his queens Chandaladevi called Abhinava Sarasvati was a noted dancer. At his peak, the Vikarmaditya VI controlled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri river
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
in southern India to the Narmada River
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
in central India.
Chalukya Vikrama era
Vikramaditya ascended the Chalukya throne by deposing his elder brother Somesvara II, with the help of some of the Chalukya feudatories and by utilising the opportunities arising out of a conflict with the Cholas.Vikramaditya's rebellion
As soon as Somesvara II, the eldest son of Somesvara ISomesvara I
Somesvara I succeeded his father Jayasimha II as the Western Chalukya king. He was one of the greatest kings of the later Chalukya Dynasty. In spite of many reverses he managed to safeguard the integrity of the Chalukya kingdom. He founded the city of Kalyani, present day Basavakalyana and moved...
came to the throne, Vikramaditya started planning his overthrow. Making use of the Chola invasion, he, along with some of the feudatories of Somesvara, especially the Seuna
Seuna
The Seuna, Sevuna or Yadavas of Devagiri was an Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Tungabhadra to the Narmada rivers, including present-day Maharashtra, north Karnataka and parts of Madhya Pradesh, from its capital at Devagiri...
, the Hoysalas and the Kadambas
Kadambas
The Kadamba Dynasty was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district. The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires for over five hundred years during which time they...
of Hangala achieved his goal. Vikramaditya went into negotiations with the Chola king Virarajendra Chola. Vikramaditya consented to rule the Vengi
Vengi
The Vengi kingdom extended from the Godavari River in the north to Mount Mahendragiri in the southeast and to just south of the banks of River Krishna in the south of India. This area was part of Kalinga until that kingdom was conquered by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire in the mid 3rd century...
kingdom as the Chola feudatory. Virarajendra also forced Somesvara to bifurcate his kingdom and let Vikramaditya rule the southern half (Gangavadi) independently.
Vikramaditya married one of Virarajendra's daughters to strengthen the alliance with the Cholas.
Trouble in Chola Empire
During this time Virarajendra Chola died (1070) and there was trouble in the Chola empire. Vikramaditya soon found his Chola alliance a liability. Rajiga (future Kulothunga Chola IKulothunga Chola I
Kō Rājakēsarivarman Abaya Kulōthunga Chōla was one of the greatest kings of the Chola Empire. He was one of the sovereigns who bore the title Kulottunga, literally meaning the exalter of his race.-Early life:...
), a Vengi prince got displaced from his original dominions in Vengi and would assume the Chola throne. To quell rioting in Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
Vikramaditya led his forces into the city to assist his brother-in-law. Vikramaditya soon after proceeded to the Chola capital and helped his relative inaugurate his reign and to defeat any attempts by Rajiga to overthrow the rightful Chola king.
Satisfied that order had been restored, Vikramaditya returned to his capital. But news soon came to him that his brother-in law had been murdered in the civil uprising and Rajiga had assumed the Chola throne under the title Kulothunga Chola I. In his inscriptions, Kulothunga frequently quotes that even though Vikramaditya taunted him that due to his actions, his glory would be tarnished like spots on the moon-the symbol of his former family, he continued to experience a prosperous reign.
War preparations
Vikramaditya now found enemies on both sides of his domain: Kulothunga in the south and his brother in the north. Vikramaditya spent the next six years to protect himself from this dangerous situation. He continued to undermine the position of his brother Somesvara by inducing Somesvara's feudatories to desert him. Finally with the help of the Seuna, the Hoysalas and the Kadambas of Hangala, Someshwara II was defeated and Vikramaditya assumed sovereignty in 1076. He marked his accession to the throne by founding the new era called Chalukya Vikram Era.Chalukya civil war
The conflict eventually occurred in 1076 when Kulothunga launched an attack on Vikramaditya. The war began with a clash at Nangili in the KolarKolar
Kolara is a city in the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Kolar District. It is known for being one of the gold mining sites in India....
district between Kulothunga and Vikramaditya. Vikramaditya's forces were defeated and were pursued up the Tungabhadra by the Chola forces with heavy fighting all the way. Kulothunga took over Gangavadi. However in 1085, Vikramaditya seized Kanchi from the Cholas and in 1088 he conquered major pats of the Vengi Kingdom. Though Kulottunga captured Vengi in 1099, the Chalukya ruler regained it in 1118 CE and retained it up to 1124. The Kadambas of Goa, the Shilaharas, the Seunas and the Pandyas of Uchangi, Chaulukyas of Gujarat and Chedi
Chedi Kingdom
Chedi kingdom was one among the many kingdoms ruled during early periods by Paurava kings and later by Yaduvanshi Rajput kings in the central and western India. It falls roughly in the Bundelkhand division of Madhya Pradesh regions to the south of river Yamuna and along river Betwa or Vetravati...
of Ratnapur were the other rulers who were subdued by Vikramaditya VI. He married princess Mailaladevi of the Kadamba family and Chandaladevi of the Shilahara family.absoulutly wrong
Hoysala Threat
Vikramaditya experienced some serious troubles during the first few years of his rule. His younger brother Jayasimha rebelled and had to be quelled. More seriously his former friends the Hoysalas, who had assisted Vikramaditya in his fight against his brother, began to undermine Vikramaditya's position. The Hoysala, although professing allegiances to the Chalukya throne, steadily began go build up their power and extend their territories. Hoysala VishnuvardhanaVishnuvardhana
Vishnuvardhana was an emperor of the Hoysala Empire in present day Indian state of Karnataka. Vishnuvardhana took the first step in consolidating the Hoysala Empire in South India through a series of battles against his overlords, the Western Chalukya empire...
turned on Vikramaditya in 1116 and captured territories up to Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
on the west coast and advanced up to the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
in the north.
Vikramaditya dealt firmly with this situation and expelled the Hoysala from the Chalukyan territories. Vishnuvardhana had to seek refuge in a hill fortress in his country. After many battles, Vishnuvardhana submitted to Vikramaditya in 1123.
Sinhala relations
In the island of Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
the Chola reign was coming to an end with the success of Vijayabahu. Vikramaditya hailed Vijayabahu as his natural ally and sent him an embassy with rich presents.
Capture of Narmada Territory
Vikramaditya invaded Malava thrice, in 1077, 1087 and in 1097. He conquered territories south of the Narmada. He erected a pillar of victory at Dhara. The Paramara prince Jagadeva sought shelter in the Chalukya Kingdom and became one of the trusted feudatories of Vikramaditya VI. Vikramaditya's plan to make Jagadeva the Paramara king did not succeed. However, Chalukya control over areas up to Narmada was undisturbed.Successes against Cholas
While still engaged with the Hoysalas, Vikramaditya, turned against Kulothunga. In 1115 Kulothunga recalled his son Vikrama CholaVikrama Chola
Kōpparakēsarivarman Vikrama Chola was a 12th century king of the Chola empire. He succeeded his father Kulothunga Chola I to the throne in 1120 C.E. A insscription of his from Sidlaghatta in Karnataka mentions the Saka date 1042...
, who was ruling Vengi as the viceroy, for coronation. Utilising the vacuum in the leadership in Vengi, Vikramaditya sent his general Anantapala to invade and conquer the Vengi country who conquered Vengi. Around this time, the Chalukya feudatory, Hoysala Vishnuvardhana also defeated the Cholas in the battle of Talakadu.
However, the Cholas recovered both Vengi and Eastern Gangavadi from both the Chalukyas and the Hoysalas. The death of Chalukya Vikramaditya VI (1126) and the accession of his son, the mild Somesvara III, enabled Vikrama Chola to re-establish Chola power in Vengi. It was a gradual process which began about 1127 and reached its completion in a battle on the banks of the Godavari about 1133 at which Somesvara was present. Fighting on the Chola side, Velananti Choda Gonka II routed the army of the Western Chalukyas and their Eastern Ganga ally Anantavarman Choda Ganga, taking captive some prominent generals and capturing much booty in gold, horses and camels.
For a brief time the Chalukya empire under Vikramaditya VI reached its zenith and included territories
as vast as that of their ancestors, the Badami Chalukyas.
However, This was the beginning of the end for the Chalukyas as the successors of Vikramaditya VI were weak and the Chalukyan capital was occupied for around 40 years by the Kalachuris under Bijjala-I and Bijjala-II from around 1135-40 AD and the Chalukyas predeceased the Cholas in 1190 AD though the Chalukyan empire was starting to dissolve by 1149 AD when Hoysala Vishnuvardhana occupied Bankapura. The feudatories and other rivals of the Chalukyas like the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas and the Seunas were preparing to defeat them.
Final Decline
After the death of Vikramaditya VI, by 1150, Prolla II of Kakatiya dynasty, in 1162, Bijjalla II of KalachuriKalachuri
Kalachuri Empire is this the name used by two kingdoms who had a succession of dynasties from the 10th-12th centuries, one ruling over areas in Central India and were called Chedi or Haihaya and the other southern Kalachuri who ruled over parts of Karnataka...
and in 1173, Veera Ballalla II of Hoysala feudatories revolted against and took large territories away from the Chalukya empire which went into decline. A brief attempt to revive the kingdom by the last king Somesvara IV failed and the Chalukyas became a part of the past by 1200.
Vikramaditya's reign
Perhaps no other king in Indian history has left behind as many inscriptions, all in Kannada language, as Vikramaditya VI did. Legends recount that he followed a ritual of giving away land to the needy on a daily basis. The rule of Vikramaditya, though marred by repeated battles for supremacy in the south, was a glorious era in Kannada literary history. Great poets such as Bilhana and Vijnanesvara adorned his throne.Bilhana wrote Vikramankadevacharita and was Vikramaditya's court poet. Vijnanesvara, the author of Mitakshara, was an authority on Hindu law. Kirthi Verma wrote Govaidya during this period.
Vikramaditya's long reign came to an end in 1126. His son Somesvara III
Somesvara III
Somesvara III was a Western Chalukya king and son of Vikramaditya VI and Queen Chandaladevi. A king more inclined towards literature, Someshvara III had to face the invasion of the Hoysala Vishnuvardhana but was able to suppress him...
became the Chalukya king.
See also
- Chola
- VishnuvardhanaVishnuvardhanaVishnuvardhana was an emperor of the Hoysala Empire in present day Indian state of Karnataka. Vishnuvardhana took the first step in consolidating the Hoysala Empire in South India through a series of battles against his overlords, the Western Chalukya empire...
Hoysala - The title VikramadityaVikramadityaVikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...