Cholas

Chola dynasty
300s BCE–1279 CE
Map showing the extent of the Chola empire c. 1030
Capital		Early Cholas: Poompuhar, Urayur, Tiruvarur, Medieval Cholas: Pazhaiyaarai, Thanjavur Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Languages		Tamil
Religion		Shaivism
Government		Monarchy
King
•	848–871	Vijayalaya Chola
•	1246–1279	Rajendra Chola III
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	300s BCE
•	Rise of the medieval Cholas	848 CE
•	Empire at its greatest extent	1030 CE
•	Disestablished	1279 CE
Succeeded by Pandyan dynasty
Today part of		India  Maldives  Sri Lanka  Singapore  Burma  Bangladesh  Cambodia  Laos  Vietnam  Malaysia  Indonesia

The Chola dynasty was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by Ashoka, of the Maurya Empire. As one of the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam, the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until the 13th century CE.

The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River, but they ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th century. The whole country south of the Tungabhadra was united and held as one state for a period of two centuries and more. Under Rajaraja Chola I and his successors Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola I the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South Asia and South-East Asia. The power of the new empire was proclaimed to the eastern world by the expedition to the Ganges which Rajendra Chola I undertook and by the naval raids on cities of the maritime empire of Srivijaya, as well as by the repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented the zenith of ancient Indian sea power.