Chalukya

The Chalukya Dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled parts of southern India between 550 CE and 750 CE, and again between 973 CE and 1190 CE.

Early History

The dynasty was established by Pulakesi I in 550 CE. Pulakesi I took Vatapi (now the town of Badami in Bijapur district, Karnataka) under his control and made it his capital. His sons established the frontiers of his empire to extend over most of what is now the Indian state of Karnataka.

Pulakesi II

Pulakesi II, who ascended the throne in 608 CE, is certainly the most famous and most recognized ruler of the Chalukya dynasty.

Pulakesi II started out consolidating his kingdom by conducting minor campaigns against the Alupas, Gangas and others. He clashed successfully with the Pallava empire in Tamil Nadu, and also conquered the Cheras and the Pandyas. In 609 CE, he appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the Viceroy of Vengi, who subsequently declared his independence and established the Eastern Chalukya Empire.

His most famous military success came in c. 615 CE, when he clashed with Harsha Vardhana, the famous ruler of Northern India, who already had the title Uttarapatheshvara (Lord of the North). Pulakesi won the war and came to a treaty with Harsha, a treaty which marked the Narmada river as the border between the Chalukya Empire and that of Harsha Vardhana. With this conquest, Pulakesi's control extended completely over Southern India, Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. However, the war depleted the treasury sufficiently that Pulikesi stopped his expansionary campaigns. He received the title Dakshinapatheshvara (Lord of the South) at around the same time.

Pulakesi went on to exchange ambassadors with the Shah of Persia - his reception of the Persian ambassador is depicted in one of the paintings in the Ajanta caves. The Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang, who visited India in the 7th century, wrote admiringly of Pulakesi and his Empire.

The clashes with the Pallava empire continued intermittently during his rule. Pulakesi was finally defeated by the Pallava king Narasimha Varman in 642 CE.

Re-Emergence and Decline

The Chalukya Empire was restored in 655 CE by Vikramaditya I; the clashes with the Pallava Empire continued until Vikramaditya II won a comprehensive victory against the Pallavas in 740 CE. However, the Chalukya Empire was again overthrown in 750 CE by the Rashtrakutas.

During the 970s, Tailapa II, a scion the Chalukya dynasty, overthrew the Rashtrakutas and recovered most of the Chalukya empire, except for Gujarat. Kalyani was the capital of the empire, and the Chalukyas of this period are known as the Kalyani Chalukyas. This time around, the Chalukyas kept clashing intermittently with the Chola empire in Tamil Nadu. Someshvara I, also known as Ahavamalla, defeated the Chola king Rajadhiraja Chola in 1052 CE. Vikramaditya VI (ruled 1076-1126 CE), also known as Vikramanka, was the next famous ruler of the dynasty.

The Chalukya dynasty went into decline after Vikramanka's death. In 1190 CE, the Empire succumbed to the Hoysalas of Dvarasamudra and the Yadavas of Yadugiri.

Legacy

The most enduring legacy of the Chalukya Dynasty is the architecture and art that they left. The rock-cut temples of Badami and Aihole, and the some of the celebrated paintings and sculptures of the Ellora and Ajanta caves are examples of the art that the Chalukya Empire patronized.

See Also

Ellora Caves

Hoysala Empire

Chola Empire

External Links