Vijayalaya

Vijayalaya Chola
Parakesari
Vijayalaya's Territories c. 850 CE
Reign	c. 850 – c. 870 CE
Successor	Aditya I
Died	871 CE
Issue	Aditya I

Vijayalaya Chola was a king of South India Thanjavur, (r. 850 – 870 CE) and founded the imperial Chola Empire. He ruled over the region to the north of the river Kaveri.

The ancient Chola kingdom once famous in Tamil literature and in the writings of Greek merchants and geographers faded into darkness after c. 300 CE. Cholas during this period almost completely disappeared from their native land. They seem to have held on to their old capital city of Urayur. This 'dark' age of Tamil history came to an end with the ascendency of the Pandyas and the Pallavas. The Cholas had to wait for another three centuries until the accession of Vijayalaya in the second quarter of the ninth century to re-establish their dynasty. It should not be assumed, however, that the new Chola dynasties were necessarily related to the ancient Chola dynasties of the early centuries CE.

We know very little of the fate of the Cholas in this long interval. What is certain however is that when the power of Cholas fell to the lowest ebb and that of the Pandyas and Pallavas rose the north and South of them, this ancient dynasty was compelled to seek refuge and patronage under their more successful rivals. The Cholas, though not prominent or powerful as they were earlier were not completely in danger of extinction and continued to hold sway over a limited area consisting of what are the districts of Mayiladuturai, Chidambaram, Thanjavur, Tiruchy and Pudukkottai in modern Tamil Nadu.

Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur . At this time there was a great struggle going on between the Pallavas and the Pandyas for the political supremacy of South India. In this disturbed state of affairs, Vijayalaya seems to have found a good opportunity to defeat the Pandyas, and make himself the ruler of Thanjavur and the surrounding Chola country. He also defeated the Pallavas.

Vijayala Chola conquered Thanjavur from Elango Mutharaiyar who was the final ruler of Mutharaiyar dynasty. It is said that in the year 852 CE Vijayalaya Chola waged war with Pandya's. While Vijayalaya Chola and Mutharaiyar King defeat the Pandya's. Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out united Chola Kingdom at Thanjavur with help of Muttaraiyar king Sattan Paliyilli (826–852 CE)Mutharaiyar. Cholas became so powerful that Pallavas were also wiped out from Thanjavore region at a later stage.