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86-534: The Was and other types of staves were signs of authority in Ancient Egypt . For this reason they are often described as "sceptres", even if they are full-length staffs. One of the earliest royal sceptres was discovered in the 2nd Dynasty tomb of Khasekhemwy in Abydos . Kings were also known to carry a staff, and Pharaoh Anedjib is shown on stone vessels carrying a so-called mks -staff. The staff with

172-449: A daily wage. All cultivable land was held in one of the three broad classes of tenure; peasant proprietorship called vellan-vagai , service tenure, and eleemosynary tenure resulting from charitable gifts. The vellan-vagai were the ordinary ryotwari village of modern times, having direct relations with the government and paying a land-tax liable to periodic revision. The vellan-vagai villages fell into two broad classes; one directly paid

258-426: A disciplined bureaucracy. Their patronage of Tamil literature and their zeal for building temples resulted in some of the greatest works of Tamil literature and architecture. The Chola kings were avid builders, and regarded temples in their kingdoms as both places of worship and of economic activity. A prime example of Chola architecture is Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , which

344-440: A golden eagle . It is frequently shown on medallions of the later empire, which have on the obverse a half-length figure of the emperor , holding in one hand the sceptrum Augusti , and in the other the orb surmounted by a small figure of Victory . The codes of the just and the cruel sceptre are found in the ancient Tamil work of Tirukkural , dated before 5th century CE . In its chapters 55 ( Sengol ) and 56 ( Kondungol ),

430-705: A major role in inter-regional and overseas trade. The best-known guilds were the Manigramam and Ayyavole , who followed the conquering Chola armies. The encouragement of the Chola court furthered the expansion of Tamil merchant associations and guilds into Southeast Asia and China. The Tang dynasty of China, the Srivijaya Empire under the Sailendras, and the Abbasid Kalifat at Baghdad were

516-573: A major role in the army; the empire had numerous war elephants that carried houses or huge howdahs on their backs. These howdahs were full of soldiers who shot arrows at long range and fought with spears at close quarters. The Chola army was mostly composed of Kaikolars —men with strong arms who were royal troops receiving regular payments from the treasury. Chola rulers built several palaces and fortifications to protect their cities. The fortifications were mostly made of bricks but other materials like stone, wood, and mud were also used. According to

602-674: A shrine at the top, with little images of the Virgin Mary , Saint Andrew , and Saint James the Great in it. This sceptre was, it is believed, made in France around 1536 for James V . Great seals usually represent the sovereign enthroned, holding a sceptre (often the second in dignity) in the right hand, and the orb and cross in the left. Harold Godwinson appears thus in the Bayeux Tapestry . The earliest English coronation form of

688-555: A variable annual revenue to the state and the other paid fixed-rate dues to public institutions like temples to which they were assigned. The prosperity of an agricultural country depends to a large extent on the facilities provided for irrigation. Apart from sinking wells and excavating tanks, Chola rulers built large, stone dams across the Kaveri and other rivers, and cut channels to distribute water over large tracts of land. Rajendra Chola I dug near his capital an artificial lake that

774-714: Is mentioned in the corrupted form as Raja Chulan in the Malay chronicle Sejarah Melayu . Rajendra also completed the conquest of the Rajarata kingdom of Sri Lanka and took the Sinhala king Mahinda V a prisoner; he also conquered Rattapadi —territories of the Rashtrakutas, Chalukya country, Talakkad , and Kolar , where Kolaramma temple still has his portrait statue—in Kannada country. Rajendra's territories included

860-478: Is represented on painted vases as a long staff tipped with a metal ornament. When the sceptre is borne by Zeus or Hades , it is headed by a bird. It was this symbol of Zeus, the king of the gods and ruler of Olympus , that gave their inviolable status to the kerykes , the heralds, who were thus protected by the precursor of modern diplomatic immunity . When, in the Iliad , Agamemnon sends Odysseus to parley with

946-558: Is said to have dispatched Nagama's son Viswanatha, who defeated his father and restored Madurai to Vijayanagara rule. The fate of Virasekhara Chola, the last of the line of Cholas, is not known. It is speculated he either fell in battle or was executed along with his heirs during his encounter with Vijayanagara. The Government of the Chola empire was monarchical , similar to the Sangam age . The empire consisted of various kingdoms, vassals, chiefdoms and areas of influence owning alliance to

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1032-544: The Maldives islands. Rajaraja Chola I was an energetic ruler who applied himself to the task of governance with the same zeal he had shown in waging wars. He integrated his empire into a tight, administrative grid under royal control and strengthened local self-government. In 1000, Rajaraja conducted a land survey to effectively marshall his empire's resources. He built Brihadeeswarar Temple in 1010. Rajendra conquered Odisha and his armies continued north and defeated

1118-749: The Western Ganga dynasty . Later, Aditya I defeated the Pallavas and occupied the Tondaimandalam . In 925, Aditya's son Parantaka I conquered Sri Lanka, which was then-known as Ilangai. Parantaka I also defeated the Rashtrakuta dynasty under Krishna II in the Battle of Vallala. Later, Parantaka I was defeated by Rashtrakutas under Krishna III and the Cholas' heir apparent Rajaditya Chola

1204-481: The caste system played a role in Chola governance. According to Kathleen Gough , the Vellalars , the dominant aristocratic caste, provided taxes and tribute to the monarchy and military Temples in the Chola era acted as both places of worship and centres of economic activity, benefiting the community. Some of the output of villages was given to temples, which reinvested some of the wealth accumulated as loans to

1290-594: The regalia drawn up in 1649, when everything was destroyed. For the coronation of Charles II of England , new sceptres with the Cross and the Dove were made, and though slightly altered, they are still in use today. Two sceptres for the queen consort , one with a cross, and the other with a dove, have been subsequently added. The flags of Moldova and Montenegro have sceptres on them, clasped by eagles. Was (sceptre) Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1376-514: The 10th to 11th centuries because Chola rulers like Chembian Maadevi extended their patronage to metal craftsmen. Wootz steel was a major Chola export. Farmers occupied one of the highest positions in society. These were the Vellalar community, who formed the nobility or the landed aristocracy of the country and were an economically powerful group. Agriculture was the principal occupation for many people besides landowners. The Vellalar community

1462-674: The 12th century, the growing influence of the Hoysalas replaced the declining Chalukyas as the main player in Kannada country but they also faced constant trouble from the Seunas and the Kalachuris, who were occupying the Chalukya capital. The Hoysalas found it convenient to have friendly relations with the Cholas from the time of Kulothunga Chola III, who had defeated Hoysala Veera Ballala II, who had subsequent marital relations with

1548-466: The 9th century mentions a sceptre ( sceptrum ), and a staff ( baculum ). In the so-called coronation form of Æthelred the Unready , a sceptre ( sceptrum ), and a rod ( virga ) appear, as they do also in the case of a coronation order of the 12th century. In a contemporary account of Richard I ’s coronation , the royal sceptre of gold with a gold cross ( sceptrum ), and the gold rod with a gold dove on

1634-565: The Chalukyas. Virarajendra then marched against Vengi and probably killed Saktivarman II, son of Vijayaditya VII. In the midst of this, in 1063, Rajendra II died; because his son Rajamahendra had predeceased him, Virarajendra returned to Gangaikonda Cholapuram and was crowned the Chola king (1063–1070). Virarajendra split the Western Chalukya kingdom by persuading Chalukya prince Vikramaditya IV to become his son-in-law and to seize

1720-667: The Chola Empire's main trading partners. The Chola dynasty played a significant role in linking the markets of China to the rest of the world. The empire's market structure and economic policies were more conducive to a large-scale, cross-regional market trade than those enacted by the Chinese Song dynasty . A Chola record gives their rationale for engagement in foreign trade: "Make the merchants of distant foreign countries who import elephants and good horses attach to yourself by providing them with villages and decent dwellings in

1806-411: The Chola Empire. Kulottunga Chola I administered the province through his sons, whom he sent there as viceroys. There was a prolonged fight between Kulottunga Chola I and Vikramaditya VI. Kulothunga's long reign was characterized by unparalleled success and prosperity; he avoided unnecessary wars and earned the admiration of his subjects. Kulottunga's successes resulted in the well-being of the empire for

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1892-621: The Chola emperor and was followed by Raja Raja Chola I , the greatest Chola monarch. Under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I , the Chola Empire reach its Imperial state. At its peak, the empire stretched from the northern parts of Sri Lanka northwards to the Godavari – Krishna river basin, up to the Konkan coast in Bhatkal, the entire Malabar Coast (the Chea country) in addition to Lakshadweep and

1978-652: The Chola empire in 848 CE. Vijayalaya took an opportunity arising out of a conflict between the Pandya and Pallava empires in c. 850, captured Thanjavur from Muttarayar , and established the imperial line of the medieval Chola dynasty. Thanjavur became the capital of the Imperial Chola empire. Under Aditya I , the Cholas along with the Pallavas defeated the Pandyan dynasty of Madurai in 885, occupied large parts of Kannada country, and had marital ties with

2064-402: The Chola empire, Justice was mostly a local matter; minor disputes were settled at village level. Minor crimes were punished with fines or a direction for the offender to donate to a charitable endowment. Even crimes such as manslaughter or murder were punished with fines. The king heard and decided crimes of the state, such as treason; the typical punishment in these cases was either execution or

2150-480: The Chola monarch. This continued during the time of Rajaraja Chola III, the son and successor of Kulothunga Chola III The Hoysalas played a divisive role in the politics of Tamil country during this period. They exploited the lack of unity among the Tamil kingdoms and alternately supported one Tamil kingdom against the other, thereby preventing the Cholas and Pandyas from rising to their full potential. During

2236-708: The Chola period several guilds, communities, and castes emerged. The guild was one of the most significant institutions of south India and merchants organised themselves into guilds. The best known of these were the Manigramam and Ayyavole guilds though other guilds such as Anjuvannam and Valanjiyar were also in existence. Members of the Vellalar caste were sent to northern Sri Lanka by the Chola rulers as settlers. The Ulavar caste were agricultural workers and peasants were known as Kalamar. The Kaikolar community were weavers and merchants who also maintained armies. During

2322-425: The Chola period, they had predominant trading and military roles. During the reign of the Imperial Chola rulers (10th–13th centuries), there were major changes in the temple administration and land ownership. There was more involvement of non- Brahmin peoples in temple administration. This can be attributed to the shift in financial power. Skilled classes like weavers and merchants had become prosperous. Land ownership

2408-439: The Cholas recovered the province of Vengi by defeating Chalukya Someshvara III; the Cholas also recovered Gangavadi from the Hoysalas. The Chola empire, though not as strong as between 850 and 1150, was still largely territorially intact under Rajaraja II (1146–1175) a fact attested to by the construction of the third grand, chariot-shaped Airavatesvara Temple at Dharasuram on the outskirts of modern Kumbakonam . Up to 1215, during

2494-540: The Cholas was caused by the Pandyas in 1279. The Pandyas steadily gained control of Tamil country and territories in Sri Lanka, southern Chera country, Telugu country under Maravarman Sundara Pandiyan II and his able successor Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan , before inflicting several defeats on the joint forces of the Cholas under Rajaraja Chola III, and the Hoysalas under Someshwara, his son Ramanatha. Fromn 1215,

2580-618: The Eastern Chalukyan princes had married into the imperial Chola family and felt they belonged to it as much as to the Eastern Chalukya dynasty. The Chalukya prince Rajendra Chalukya of Vengi had "spent his childhood days in Gangaikonda Cholapuram and was a familiar favourite to the princes and the people of the Chola country" according to Kalingathuparani , an epic written in praise of him. Following

2666-632: The Emperor. Several of these vassalages had some degree of autonomy. Several historians have described the governmental system of the Cholas as a form of Feudalism . However, others including Burton Stein reject this due to differences between the governance of the Cholas and that of traditional feudalism in contemporary Europe . The Chola empire was divided into several provinces called mandalams which were further divided into valanadus , which were subdivided into units called kottams or kutrams . At local government level, every village

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2752-588: The Etruscan. Under the Republic , an ivory sceptre ( sceptrum eburneum ) was a mark of consular rank. It was also used by victorious generals who received the title of imperator , and its use as a symbol of delegated authority to legates apparently was revived in the marshal's baton . Under the Roman Empire , the sceptrum Augusti was specially used by the emperors, and was often of ivory tipped with

2838-605: The Ganges–Hooghly–Damodar basin, as well as Rajarata of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The kingdoms along the east coast of India up to the river Ganges acknowledged Chola suzerainty. Diplomatic missions were sent to China in 1016, 1033, and 1077. From the period of Rajaraja, the Cholas engaged in a series of conflicts with the Western Chalukyas . The Old Chalukya dynasty had split into two sibling dynasties,

2924-461: The Hoysalas and the Cholas, and dispossessed the Hoysalas, defeating them under Jatavarman Sundara Pandiyan at Kannanur Kuppam. At the close of Rajendra's reign, the Pandyan empire was at the height of its prosperity and had replaced the Chola empire in the view of foreign observers. The last-recorded date of Rajendra III is 1279; there is no evidence he was immediately followed by another Chola prince. In around 1279, Kulasekhara Pandiyan routed

3010-484: The Hoysalas from Kannanur Kuppam and in the same war, the last Chola emperor Rajendra III was routed and the Chola empire ceased to exist. The Chola empire was completely overshadowed by the Pandyan empire and sank into obscurity by the end of the 13th century until period of the Vijayanagara Empire . In the early 16th century, Virasekhara Chola, king of Tanjore , rose out of obscurity and plundered

3096-528: The Later Cholas between 1218, starting with Rajaraja III to the last emperor Rajendra III , was not as strong as those of the emperors between 850 and 1215. Around 1118, the Cholas lost control of Vengi to the Western Chalukya and Gangavadi (southern Mysore ) districts to the Hoysala Empire . Immediately after the accession of king Vikrama Chola, the son and successor of Kulothunga Chola I,

3182-775: The Pandyans gradually became a major force in Tamil country and consolidated their position in Madurai-Rameswaram-Ilam-southern Chera country and the Kanyakumari belt, and had been steadily increasing their territories in the Kaveri belt between Dindigul, Tiruchy, Karur, and Satyamangalam and in the Kaveri Delta , Thanjavur, Mayuram, Chidambaram, Vriddhachalam, and Kanchi. The Pandyans marched to Arcot ; Tirumalai, Nellore, Visayawadai, Vengi, and Kalingam by 1250. The Pandyas steadily routed

3268-586: The Rajaraja commissioned in 1010. They were also well known for their patronage of art. The development of the sculpting technique used in Chola bronzes of Hindu deities that were built using a lost wax process, was pioneered in their time. The Chola tradition of art spread, and influenced the architecture and art of Southeast Asia. Vijayalaya , a descendant of the Early Cholas , reestablished resp. founded

3354-648: The Western Chalukyan dominions and set fire to the Kollipaka fort on the frontier between the Kalyani and Vengi territories. This brought relief for Rajaraja Narendra, who was now firmly in control at Vengi, with Rajadhiraja I proceeding to the Chalukyan capital, displacing the Chalukyan king Someshvara I, performing his coronation at Manyakheta, and collecting tribute from the defeated king, who had fled

3440-673: The Western and Eastern Chalukyas . Rajaraja's daughter Kundavai was married to the Eastern Chalukya prince Vimaladitya, who ruled from Vengi. The Western Chalukyas felt the Vengi kingdom was in their natural sphere of influence. Cholas inflicted several defeats on the Western Chalukyas. The frontier mostly remained at the Tungabhadra River for both kingdoms and resulted in the death of king Rajadhiraja . Rajendra's reign

3526-560: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 947334460 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:43:06 GMT Chola The Chola Empire , which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas , was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that

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3612-595: The administration was improved and the Emperors were able to exercise closer control over the parts of the empire. The administrative structure expanded, particularly during and after the reign of Rajaraja. The government at this time had a multi-tiered, large, land-revenue department that was largely concerned with maintaining accounts. Corporate bodies such as the Ur, Nadu, Sabha, Nagaram, and sometimes local chieftains, undertook The assessment and collection of revenue, and passed

3698-466: The advent of Christianity , the sceptre was often tipped with a cross instead of with an eagle. However, during the Middle Ages , the finials on the top of the sceptre varied considerably. In England , from a very early period, two sceptres have been concurrently used, and from the time of Richard I , they have been distinguished as being tipped with a cross and a dove respectively. In France,

3784-414: The ancient Tamil text Silappadikaram , Tamil kings defended their forts with catapults that threw stones, huge cauldrons of boiling water or molten lead, and hooks, chains, and traps. Chola soldiers used weapons such as swords, bows, javelins, spears, and steel shields. Several Chola weapons utilized Wootz steel . The Chola navy was the zenith of ancient India sea power. It played a vital role in

3870-507: The battlefield. While the Chalukyans kept creating trouble through Vijayaditya VII, Vengi remained firmly under the control of the Cholas. Someshvara I again launched an attack on Vengi and then the Cholas in 1054. After Rajadhiraja died, Rajendra II crowned himself on the battlefield. He galvanized the Chola army, defeating the Chalukyas under Someshvara I. The Chalukya king again fled the battlefield, leaving behind his queen and riches in

3956-444: The confiscation of property. The Chola military had four elements; the cavalry, the elephant corps, several divisions of infantry, and a navy. The Emperor was the supreme commander. There were regiments of bowmen and swordsmen, the latter of which were the most-permanent and most-dependable troops. The Chola army was spread all over the country and was stationed in local garrisons or military camps known as Kodagams . Elephants played

4042-488: The consent of the Kalyani court, established himself permanently in the kingdom. Meanwhile, prince Rajendra Chalukya, son of Rajaraja Narendra through the Chola princess Ammangai, was brought up in the Chola harem. Rajendra Chalukya married Madhurantakidevi, the daughter of RajendraII. To restore him on the Vengi throne, RajendraII sent his son Rajamahendra and brother ViraRajendra against the Western Chalukyas and Vijayaditya VII. Chola forces marched against Gangavadi and repelled

4128-430: The course of trade. These corporations had mercenary armies for the protection of their merchandise. There were also local organisations of merchants called " nagaram " in big centres of trade like Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram. Hospitals were maintained by the Chola kings, whose government gave lands for that purpose. The Tirumukkudal inscription shows a hospital was named after Virarajendra . Many diseases were cured by

4214-467: The death of the death of Adhirajendra, Rajendra Chalukya established himself on the Chola throne as Kulottunga I (1070–1122), beginning the Later Chola or Chalukya-Chola period. Kulothunga I reconciled himself with his uncle Vijayaditya VII and allowed him to rule Vengi for the rest of his life. The Eastern Chalukya line came to an end with Vijayaditya's death in 1075 and Vengi became a province of

4300-405: The doctors of the hospital, which was under the control of a chief physician, who was paid annually eighty kalams of paddy, eight kasus , and a grant of land. Apart from the doctors, other remunerated staff included a nurse, a barber who performed minor operations, and a waterman. The Chola queen Kundavai established a hospital at Tanjavur and gave land for its perpetual maintenance. During

4386-592: The dominions of the Pandya prince in the south. The Pandya, who was under the protection of the Vijayanagara , appealed to the emperor and the Raya accordingly directed his agent ( Karyakartta ) Nagama Nayaka, who was stationed in the south, to put down the Chola. Nagama Nayaka then defeated the Chola but the once-loyal officer of Krishnadeva Raya defied the emperor and decided to keep Madurai for himself. Krishnadeva Raya

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4472-470: The expansion of the empire, including the conquest of the Sri Lanka islands and naval raids on Srivijaya. The navy grew both in size and status during the medieval Cholas reign. Chola admirals commanded much respect and prestige, and naval commanders also acted as diplomats in some instances. From 900 to 1100, the navy grew from a small entity to that of a potent power projection and diplomatic symbol in Asia, but

4558-698: The forces of the Pala dynasty of Bengal , and reached the Ganges river in northern India. Rajendra built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram to celebrate his victories in northern India. Rajendra I successfully invaded the Srivijaya kingdom in Southeast Asia, which led to the decline of the empire there. This expedition left such an impression on the Malay people of the medieval period his name

4644-421: The golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near, and touched the top of the scepter." Among the early Greeks , the sceptre ( Ancient Greek : σκῆπτρον , skeptron , "staff, stick, baton") was a long staff, such as Agamemnon wielded ( Iliad , i) or was used by respected elders ( Iliad , xviii. 46; Herodotus 1. 196), and came to be used by judges, military leaders, priests, and others in authority. It

4730-404: The government of India decided to install this golden sceptre, Sengol in the newly inaugurated Indian Parliament . The presentation of the sceptre to the first Indian Prime Minister in 1947 was claimed as a 'symbol of transfer of power from British to India', which has been stirred up debates among few historians, who point to the lack of sources that portray the event as an official event. With

4816-412: The inscribers had a high level of literacy and education. The text in these inscriptions was written by court poets and engraved by talented artisans. Education in the contemporary sense was not considered important; there is circumstantial evidence some village councils organised schools to teach the basics of reading and writing to children, although there is no evidence of systematic education system for

4902-450: The king royal justice would ensure a happy future for him, and that injustice would lead to divine punishment. The Cholas, who were in possession of parts of the west and east coasts of peninsular India, engaged in foreign trade and maritime activity, extending their influence to China and Southeast Asia. Towards the end of the 9th century, southern India had developed extensive maritime and commercial activity. South Indian guilds played

4988-622: The leaders of the Achaeans , he lends him his sceptre. Among the Etruscans , sceptres of great magnificence were used by kings and high priests. Many representations of such sceptres occur on the walls of the painted tombs of Etruria. The British Museum , the Vatican, and the Louvre possess Etruscan sceptres of gold, elaborately and minutely ornamented. The Roman sceptre probably derived from

5074-414: The local economy and as sources of products made by nagaram artisans for international trade. At the top of this economy were elite merchant groups ( samayam ) who organised and dominated the regions international maritime trade. The Chola Empire's main export was cotton cloth. Uraiyur, the capital of the early Chola rulers, was a centre for cotton textiles Tamil poets praised. Chola rulers encouraged

5160-647: The longest history seems to be the heqa -sceptre (the " shepherd's crook "). The sceptre also assumed a central role in the Mesopotamian world, and was in most cases part of the royal insignia of sovereigns and gods. This continued throughout Mesopotamian history , as illustrated in literary and administrative texts and iconography. The Mesopotamian sceptre was mostly called ĝidru in Sumerian and ḫaṭṭum in Akkadian . The Biblical Book of Genesis refers to

5246-453: The masses. Vocational education was through hereditary training, in which the father passed on his skills to his sons. Tamil was the medium of education for the masses; monasteries ( matha or gatika ) were centres of learning and received government support. Under Chola kings, there was generally an emphasis on a fair justice system, and the kings were often described as sengol-valavan , the king who established just rule; and priests warned

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5332-399: The next 100 years but Kulothunga lost the territories in the island of Lanka and began to lose control of the Pandya territories. Under Rajaraja Chola III and his successor Rajendra Chola III, the Later Cholas were quite weak and experienced continuous trouble. One feudatory the Kadava chieftain Kopperunchinga I held Rajaraja Chola III as a hostage for some time. At the close of

5418-428: The peak of ancient Indian maritime capacity . Around 1070, the Cholas began to lose almost all of their overseas territories but the later Cholas (1070–1279) continued to rule portions of southern India. The Chola empire went into decline at the beginning of the 13th century with the rise of the Pandyan dynasty , which ultimately caused the Chola's downfall. The Cholas established a centralized form of government and

5504-454: The possession of the victorious Chola army. The Cholas consolidated their hold on Vengi and Kalinga. Although there were occasional skirmishes with the Chalukyas, they were repeatedly defeated by both the Cholas and the Vengi princes, who openly professed loyalty to the Chola empire. Following the death of Rajaraja Narendra in 1061, another opportunity for the Kalyani court to strengthen its hold on Vengi arose. Vijayaditya VII seized Vengi and with

5590-401: The reign of Rajaraja III, the Hoysalas sided with the Cholas, and defeated the Kadava chieftain Kopperunjinga and the Pandyas, and established a presence in Tamil country. Rajendra Chola III, who succeeded Rajaraja III, was a more competent ruler who led successful expeditions to the north, as attested to by his epigraphs found as far as Cuddappah. He also defeated two Pandya princes, one of whom

5676-479: The resurgence of the Pandyan dynasty as the most powerful rulers in South India. A lack of a controlling central administration in its erstwhile Pandyan territories prompted a number of claimants to the Pandya throne to cause a civil war, in which the Sinhalas and the Cholas were involved by proxy. Details of the Pandyan civil war, and the role played by the Cholas and Sinhalas, are present in the Mahavamsa and Pallavarayanpettai inscriptions. For three generations,

5762-406: The revenue to the centre. Rajaraja's reign initiated a massive project of land survey and assessment, and the empire was reorganised into units known as valanadus . The executive officer first communicated the order of the King to the local authorities. Afterwards, the records of the transaction was drawn up and attested by witnesses, who were either local magnates or government officers. In

5848-416: The royal sceptre was tipped with a fleur de lys , and the other, known as the main de justice , had an open hand of benediction on the top. Sceptres with small shrines on the top are sometimes represented on royal seals, as on the great seal of Edward III , where the king, enthroned, bears such a sceptre, but it was an unusual form; and one of the sceptres of Scotland , preserved at Edinburgh , has such

5934-416: The rule of Kulothunga Chola III, Chola administration and territorial integrity was stable and very prosperous, but during his rule, Chola power started declining following his defeat by Maravarman Sundara Pandiyan II in 1215–1216. Subsequently, the Cholas also lost control of the island of Sri Lanka and were driven out by the revival of Sinhala power. The decline of the Cholas was also marked by

6020-410: The sceptre of Judah . "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." In the First Persian Empire , the Biblical Book of Esther mentions the sceptre of the King of Persia . "When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther

6106-424: The settlements. Before the reign of Rajaraja I, huge parts of Chola territory were ruled by hereditary lords and local princes who were in a loose alliance with the Chola rulers. Thereafter, until the reign of Vikrama Chola in 1133, when Chola power was at its peak, these hereditary lords and local princes almost vanished from Chola records, and were either replaced with or became dependent officials, through whom

6192-400: The text deals with the just and the cruel sceptre, respectively, furthering the thought on the ethical behaviour of the ruler discussed in many of the preceding and the following chapters. The ancient treatise says it was not the king's spear but the just sceptre, known as "Sengol" in Tamil, that bound him to his people—and to the extent that he guarded them, his own good rule would guard him. It

6278-612: The throne of Kalyani for himself. When Virarajendra died in 1070, he was succeeded by his son Adhirajendra, who was assassinated a few months later, leaving the Chola dynasty was without a lineal successor in the Vijayalaya Chola line. Marital and political alliances between the Eastern Chalukyas began during the reign of Rajaraja following his invasion of Vengi. Rajaraja Chola's daughter married Chalukya prince Vimaladitya, and Rajendra Chola's daughter Ammanga Devi

6364-557: The top ( virga ), enter the historical record for the first time. About 1450, Sporley, a monk of Westminster , compiled a list of the relics there. These included the articles used at the coronation of Saint Edward the Confessor , and left by him for the coronations of his successors. A golden sceptre, a wooden rod gilt, and an iron rod are named. These survived until the Commonwealth , and are minutely described in an inventory of

6450-490: The weaving industry and derived revenue from it. During this period, weavers started to organise themselves into guilds. Weavers had their own residential sector in all towns; the most important weaving communities in early medieval times were the Saliyar and Kaikolar . During the Chola period, silk weaving attained a high degree of skill and Kanchipuram became one of the main centres for silk. Metalcrafts peaked during

6536-421: Was Maravarman Sundara Pandya II, and briefly made the Pandyas submit to Chola control. The Hoysalas, under Vira Someswara, were quick to intervene and sided with the Pandyas, and repulsed the Cholas to counter the latter's revival. In South India, the Pandyas had become a great power that banished the Hoysalas from Malanadu and Kannada country; the Hoysalas were allies of the Cholas on Tamil country. The demise of

6622-607: Was a practice of ancient Indian kingdoms and dynasties, such as the Chola kings, to use a symbolic sceptre during coronations. One such sceptre was presented to Jawarhal Nehru on 14 August 1947 by the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam symbolising the transfer of power as followed by Ancient Hindu kings . It was displayed in the Allahabad Museum under the then Indian government wrongly marked as 'Golden walking Stick Gifted to Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru'. In 2023,

6708-535: Was a self-governing unit. A number of villages constituted a larger entity known as a kurram , nadu or kottam , depending on the area. A number of kurrams constituted a valanadu . These structures underwent constant change and refinement throughout the Chola period. Aside from the early capital at Thanjavur and the later one at Gangaikonda Cholapuram , Kanchipuram and Madurai were considered to be regional capitals where occasional courts were held. Similar to other medieval Indian societies,

6794-587: Was filled with water from the Kolerun and the Vellar rivers. An internal trade in several articles was carried out by organised mercantile corporations. The metal industries and the jewellers' art had reached a high degree of excellence. Sea salt was made under government supervision and control. Merchants organised into guilds that were described sometimes by the terms nanadesis ; these were powerful, autonomous corporations of merchants that visited other countries in

6880-409: Was followed by those of three of his sons in succession; Rajadhiraja I , Rajendra II , and Virarajendra . In his eagerness to restore Chola hegemony over Vengi to its former absolute state, Rajadhiraja I (1042–1052) led an expedition into Vengi country in 1044–1045. He fought a battle at Dhannada, and compelled the Western Chalukyan army and Vijayaditya VII to retreat in disorder. Rajendra then entered

6966-617: Was gradually reduced in significance when Cholas fought land battles to subjugate the Chalukyas of the Andhra-Kannada area in South India. Land revenue and trade tax were the main source of income. Chola rulers issued coins in gold, silver, and copper. The Chola economy was based on three tiers; at the local level, agricultural settlements formed the foundation to commercial towns nagaram , which acted as redistribution centres for externally produced items bound for consumption in

7052-461: Was killed in the Battle of Takkolam , in which the Cholas lost Tondaimandalam region to Rashtrakutas. The Cholas recovered their power during the reign of Parantaka II . The Chola army under the command of crown prince Aditha Karikalan defeated the Pandyas and expanded the kingdom to Tondaimandalam . Aditha Karikalan was assassinated in a political plot. After Parantaka II, Uttama Chola became

7138-555: Was married to the Eastern Chalukya prince Rajaraja Narendra . In 1070, Virarajendra Chola's son Athirajendra Chola was assassinated in a civil disturbance, and Kulothunga Chola I, the son of Ammanga Devi and Rajaraja Narendra , ascended the Chola throne, beginning the Later Chola dynasty. The Later Chola dynasty was led by capable rulers such as Kulothunga  I, his son Vikrama Chola , and other successors Rajaraja II , Rajadhiraja II , and Kulothunga III , who conquered Kalinga, Ilam , and Kataha . The rule of

7224-474: Was no longer a privilege of the Brahmins (priest caste) and the Vellalar land owners. There is little information on the size and the density of the population during the Chola reign. The stability in the core Chola region enabled the people to lead a productive and contented life but there are reports of widespread famine caused by natural calamities. The quality of the inscriptions of the regime indicates

7310-556: Was ruled by the Chola dynasty , and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence in southeast Asia . The power and the prestige the Cholas had among political powers in South, Southeast, and East Asia at its peak is evident in their expeditions to the Ganges , naval raids on cities of the Srivijaya Empire on the island of Sumatra , and their repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented

7396-456: Was the dominant secular aristocratic caste under the Chola rulers, providing the courtiers, most of the army officers, the lower ranks of the bureaucracy, and the upper ranks of the peasantry. In almost all villages, the distinction between persons paying the land tax ( iraikudigal ) and those who did not was clearly established. There was a class of hired day-labourers who assisted in agricultural operations on estates of other people and received

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