1. CHALUKYADYNASTY (c. 600- 1300 CE)
ORIGIN& NOMENCLATURE- CHHATRIYA
1. From the palmof lordBrahma onthe requestof Indrafor the endof evil increasingonearth(Chuluka-
Jala)- Vilhan’s Vikramankdevahcarita (Courtpoetof the Kalyani),
2. As perthe inscriptional claim theynursedbythe Sapta Matrikas ("sevendivinemothers"),
3. From the footof lordKartikeya- Badami Inscriptionof VikramadityaVI(1076-1126 CE),
4. By goddessHariti at the time of payment(Ardhadaan)-Badami, HyderabadandMahakoot Inscription,
5. Chalkaor Chalukawasthe founderof thisdynasty- Dr.D.C.Sirkar
BADAMI/VATAPI/ WESTERN CHALUKYA (600-1200 CE)
Previous Dynasty- Kadamba Dynasty of Vanvaashi (345–525 CE-Northern Karnataka and the Konkan)
Sources-
Inscription(Kannada Script and Sanskrit Language) -
1. Badami inscriptionof PulkesinI
2. Aihole Inscriptionof PulkesinII- Bestsource forgenealogyandothers
3. HyderabadCopperPlate- Title Parmeshwarof PulkesinII
4. Mahakut Inscription-KingKirtivarman’sVictorySage
5. OtherCopperPlates- Karnool,Talmachi, Kodem,Yevur,Neelgunda, Nausari,Gadhawa,Raigarh,
Pattadakal,Nerur(talksaboutkingMangaleshachivments).
Lit. Sources-
1. Hiuen-tsang’s(c.602-664 CE) Si-yu-ki'or'Recordof the WesternCountries',
2. PersianScholarMuhammadibnJarir al-Tabari (839-923 CE),
3. Vilhan’s Vikramankdevahcarita (Courtpoetof the Kalyani),
RULERS (Total about 15 but the main rulersare only04 )
Sl.No. Rulers Reign Remarks/Achievements
1. Jayasimha c. 500-520 The first known ruler through an inscription of Aihole and Mahakut
(nṛpaḥ ("king")). He never issued an inscription. Vassal of the Kadambas ?.
According to the Daulatabad inscription of Jagadekamalla, Jayasimha was "the
destroyer of the pomp of the Kadambas". Titles- Vallabha, Shri-vallabha,
and Vallabhendra.
2. Ranaraga c. 520-540 Vassal of the Kadambas ?. Mentioned in the inscriptions of Aihole and Mahakut.
“his fondness for war elicited the affection of his own people and caused vexation
of mind to his enemies/ युद्ध के लिए उनके शौक ने अपने ही िोगों के स्नेह को
खत्म कर दिया और अपने िुश्मनों के लिए मन की च िंता का कारण बना - Mahakut
Insc.” The Kalyani Chalukya court poet Ranna calls him Raṇarāga-siṃha.
BADAMI/VATAPI/
WESTERN
CHALUKYA
600-1200 CE
VENGI/EASTERN
CHALUKYA
621-973 CE
GUJARAT/SOLANKI/
RAJPUT CHALUKYA
950-1300 CE
KALYANI/WESTERN/
LATER CHALUKYA
973-1200 CE
2. 3. Pulakeshin I 540–566 1. First Independentruler of Chalukyaof Badami, who established
the capital Badami,
2. Virud/Titles- Maharaja, Satyashraya, Vallabha,Dharma-maharaja,
Rana-vikrama, Shri-prithvi-vallabha,
3. He ruled in present-day ofMH & KR statesin the
western Deccan region of India,
4. Pulakeshinperformedthe Ashvamedhasacrifice to assert his
sovereignstatus,
5. Wife- Durlabha-devi,
6. Succeeded by his sons, first KirttivarmanI, and then Mangalesha.
4. Kirtivarman I 566–597 1. Who finally established the capital Badami,
2. Title- Maharaja, Shri-prithvi-vallabha, Vallabha, and Satyashraya,
Puru-rana-parakrama,
3. Ruled over present KR, GA, MH and AP,
4. Defeated- the Nalas (present-day CH and OD),
The MauryasofKonkana(CoastalregionofMH)- thegovernorappointedby
Kirttivarman was Svamiraja, a Chalukya chief, who according to the Nerur
inscription, was defeated and killed by Mangalesha,
The Kadambas- Ajavarman, the son of Krishnavarman II,
The Alupas (On the coastal region of KR), and
The Gangas of Talakad (On the left bank of river Kaveri in KR).
5. Mahakuta Pillar inscription state about the defeat
- Vanga, Anga, Kalinga, Vattura
(unidentified), Magadha, Madraka, Kerala(Cherasof western Tamil
Nadu and central Kerala), Ganga, Mushaka (northern
Kerala), Pandya, Dramila (possibly
the Pallava), Choliya, Aluka and Vaijayanti. Poetic Exaggeration
6. The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II states that Kirttivarman was
"the night of doom" for the Nalas, Mauryas, Kadambas.
5. Mangalesha 597–609 1. He became the kingbecause Kirttivarman'sson PulakeshinII was a
minor.
2. Ruled over today’s GJ, MH, GA, KR & AP,
3. Title- Mangaleshvara, Mangalisha, Mangalaraja, andMangalarnava
("ocean of auspiciousness")Mangaleshmeans prosperouslord,
Shri-prithvi-vallabha, Prithvi-vallabha,Maharaja, Rana-
vikranata ("puissantinwar"), and Uru-rana-vikranta ("puissantlike
Uruin war").
4. Defeated- Kalachuri kingBuddharaja,
Konkan coastalregion of MaharashtraandGoa after conquering Revati-
dvipa(Sindhurgain MH) from the rebel ChalukyagovernorSvamiraja,
War with his nephew PulakeshinII, a sonof KirttivarmanI.
6. Pulakeshin II 609–642 WAR-
1. With the Family and to solveinner issues,
2. War with north Indian Rulers
3. War with South Indian Rulers
4. War with Sri Lanka rulers
Major War-
3. 1. Harsh Vardhan of Vardhan dynasty North India,Uttar Pradesh
2. Mahednra Vardhan of Pallava dynasty in South India,Tamilnadu
Minor War-
The Chinese pilgrimXuanzang visited Pulakeshin's kingdomin 641–642 CE. He calls the Chalukya kingdom "Mo-ho-
la-cha" (the Chinese transcription of "Maharashtra") and Pulakeshin ("Po-le-ke-she") as "a man of farsighted
resource and astuteness who extends kindness to all".
War with the relative-
1. Pulakeshin overthrewand killed his uncle Mangalesha in c.610–611 CEaccordingto Hyderabad inscription.Because
when Pulakeshin becamean adult, Mangalesha rejected his claimto the throne and possibly appointed his own son
as the heir apparent.
To control multiple rivals-
2. He suppressed a rebellion by Appayika and Govinda,
3. Defeated the Bhogivarman of Kadambas dynasty (Uttara Kannada dist., KR) of Banavasi in the south. The region
divided in to two The major part granted to the Alupas under the name kadamba-mandala; and The rest part
Nagarakhanda division of Banavasi was given to the Sendrakas.
Friends-
4. The Alukas ? (Dynasty on the coast of KR),
5. The Gangas (Southern KR) of Talakadu recognized his suzerainty.
Minor War-
6. He consolidated the Chalukya control over the western coast by subjugating the Mauryas of Konkana.
7. His Aihole inscription also credits him with subjugating the Latas (Southern Part of GJ), the Malavas (RJ& MP), and
the Gurjaras (South GJ) in the north.
Most notable military achievement
1. In the north- Victory over Harsha-vardhana (c. 606-647 CE), whose failure to conquer the Chalukya kingdom is
attested by the Chinesepilgrim Xuanzang “Shiladitya (thatis,Harsha) had conquered the nations from east to west,
and had marched with his army to remote parts of India:only thepeople of Mo-ho-la-cha (Maharashtra) had refused
to accept his suzerainty”. K. V. Ramesh and K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, date the battle to c. 612 CE or before, based on
the 612–613 CEHyderabad inscription of Pulakeshin.“harsha (mirth) of Harsha melted away by fear,as his elephants
fell in the battle”… Aihole inscription. The other inscription from his reign mentioned this battle is the Bijapur-
Mumbai inscription Accordingto D.P.Dixit the Rashtrakutas, who ultimately overthrew the Chalukyas several years
after Pulakeshin's death, also boast that they defeated the dynasty that claimed victory over Harshavardhana, thus
indirectly confirming Pulakeshin's achievement.
2. In the east- Rulers of Dakshina Kosala (CH & Western OD) and Kalinga (OD).
4. 3. Defeated the Vishnukundina dynasty (c.420-624 CE) ruler, and after that Pulkeshin II appointed his brother Vishnu-
vardhana (Also known as Kubj-Vishnuvardhan) asthegovernor of eastern Deccan; this brother later established the
independent Eastern Chalukya dynasty of Vengi.
4. In the south- Againstthe Pallavas kingMahendravarman I (600–630 CE),but was ultimately defeated, and probably
killed by the son of Mahendravarman I Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE).
Virud /Biruda (epithet) Upadhi-
Family Virud- Satyashraya ("refuge of truth"), Shri-prithvi-vallabha, Vallabha, Shri-vallabha
Bhattaraka, Maharajadhiraja ("King of great kings"), Parameshvara ("Supreme Lord") after defeating Harsha, as
attested by his Bijapur-Mumbai inscription. Xuanzang callshimPu-lo-ki-she.Al-Tabari callshimParamesa or Pharmis.
Name-
Historian K. V. Ramesh theorizes that Ereya was the pre-coronation name of Pulakeshin
Bijapur-Mumbai inscription mentions the variant "Eraja",
Peddavaduguru (Anantpur dist. of Andhra Pradesh) inscription calls him "Ereyatiyadigal”.