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Vijaya Ganda Gopalan was a king of Nellore Chodas who ruled over Southern Andhra and Kanchipuram from 1248 to 1263 CE. [1] He was ruling along with his brothers Manumasiddha III and Allutikka.
His full name, as it appears in inscriptions, is 'Tribhuvanachakravarthi Vijayagandagopaladeva'. He called himself 'Lord of Kanchi'. His rule began in 1250 CE as an independent king. His kingdom witnessed crucial developments during 1250–1291. Kanchi changed hands in rapid succession among Telugu Chodas, Kakatiyas, Kadava Kopperunchinga and the Pandyas. The change of rule often meant only the de jure change of the overlords. He remained as the local chieftain of Kanchi. His reign was coeval with Rajendra III, Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I, Kopperunchinga and Kakatiya Ganapathi.
He issued his own regnal system between 1253 and 1291, which are found in the Varadaraja Swami Temple. This long rule was interrupted by intrusions. For example, Kopperunchinga II is recognized as King of Kanchi from 1253–1254 AD, again in May 1257 and again in 1260. In the same years, Vijaya Gandagopala is also recognized as ruler of Kanchi. This shows the rapid changes in political fortunes of Kanchi and that at one time, rival kings were only supported by their adherents.
In 1260 AD, Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I overran Vijaya Gandagopala Territory and marched as far as Nellore where he performed 'Virabhisheka'. He anointed himself as king of Kanchi. [2] [3]
The Pandyan dynasty, also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing since at least the 4th to 3rd centuries BCE, the dynasty passed through two periods of imperial dominance, the 6th to 10th centuries CE, and under the 'Later Pandyas'. Under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I and Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I, the Pandyas ruled extensive territories including regions of present-day South India and northern Sri Lanka through vassal states subject to Madurai. Pandya dynasty is the longest ruling dynasty in the world.
The Kakatiya dynasty was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their territory comprised much of the present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka, northern Tamil Nadu, and southern Odisha. Their capital was Orugallu, now known as Warangal.
Jatavarman Sundara I, also known as Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan, was an emperor of the Pandyan dynasty who ruled regions of Tamilakam, Northern Sri Lanka, and Southern Andhra between 1250–1268 CE. He is remembered for his patronage of the arts and Dravidian architecture, along with refurbishment and decoration of many Kovils (temple) in the Tamil continent. He oversaw a massive economic growth of the Pandyan empire. On the eve of his death in 1268 CE, the second Pandyan empire's power and territorial extent had risen to its zenith till Nellore and Kadapa by defeating Telugu Chola rulers Vijaya Gandagopala, Manumasiddhi III of Nellore Cholas and Ganapatideva of Kakatiyas.
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Rajaraja II was a Chola emperor who reigned from 1150 to 1173. He was made his heir apparent and Co-Regent in 1146 and so the inscriptions of Rajaraja II count his reign from 1146. Rajaraja's reign began to show signs of the coming end of the dynasty.
Kulothunga III was a Chola emperor who ruled from 1178 to 1218 CE, after succeeding his elder brother Rajadhiraja II. Kulothunga Chola III gained success in war against his traditional foes. He gained victories in war against the Hoysalas, Pandyas of Madurai, Cheras of Venad, the Sinhalese kings of Polonnaruwa, as well as the Telugu Cholas of Velanadu and Nellore. He also restored Chola control over Karur, which were ruled by the Adigaman chiefs as vassals of the Cholas. He drove out the Hoysalas under Veera Ballala II who had made inroads in the Gangavadi and adjoining areas of Tagadur in Kongu country in an effort expand their territory. However, during the last two years of his reign, he lost in war to the resurgent Pandyas, heralded a period of steady decline and ultimately, demise of the Cholas by 1280 CE. Kulottunga III had alliances with the Hoysalas. The Hoysala king Veera Ballala married a Chola queen called Cholamahadevi and gave his daughter Somaladevi in marriage to Kulottunga III.
Rajendra Chola III came to the Chola throne in 1246 CE. Rajendra began to take effective control over the administration, and epigraphs of Rajendra Chola III indicate there was civil war ending with the death of Rajaraja Chola III. Rajendra's inscriptions laud him as the "cunning hero, who killed Rajaraja after making him wear the double crown for three years".
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Vira Narasimha II was a king of the Hoysala Empire, with his kingdom located in what is now Karnataka in India. During his reign the Hoysalas gained much influence in the affairs of the Tamil country. He defeated the Kadavas and Pandyas and levied a tribute. He acted as a support to Chola king Rajaraja Chola III, who was possibly his son-in-law, against Pandya incursions. During his rule, Vira Narasimha made Kannanur Kuppam near Srirangam his second capital, with an intent to maintain close watch and control over affairs in Tamil country. Later he fought for the Chola cause again and marched all the way to Rameswaram. The Kannada poet Sumanobana was the court poet of King Vira Narasimha II.
Nellore Chodas, also known as Nellore Cholas, were one of the branch of Chola families who ruled over parts of Andhra Pradesh in the 11th and 14th centuries. They were chieftains to Imperial Cholas, Kakatiyas and Western Chalukyas and ruled over the Nellore region. The dominance of Nellore Cholas grew towards the end of the Velanandu Chola dynasty, they claimed descent from the early Chola Tamil king Karikala Chola.
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