Chalukya Dynasty (Based on NCERT)

Chalukya Dynasty (Chalukya of Badami/Vatapi – Main Branch)

Chalukya Dynasty: There were mainly three branches of the Chalukya dynasty, the first was the Chalukyas of Badami/Vatapi which is also called the original branch, the second was the Chalukyas of Vengi which is also called the eastern branch and the third was the Chalukyas of Kalyani which is also called the western branch.

There were mainly three branches of Chalukyas-

1. Chalukyas (original branch) of Badami/Vatapi.
2. Chalukyas (Eastern Branch) of Vengi.
3. Chalukyas of Kalyani (Western Branch) .

Chalukyas of Badami/Vatapi (543-757 AD)

• This dynasty was founded by Pulakeshin I.
• According to the Mahakoot inscription, the names of two more rulers also come before this. Jai Singh and Ranrag were not independent rulers but were feudatories under the Kadamba rulers.
• The original branch of the Chalukyas originated in Vatapi/Badami (Bijapur, Karnataka).
• The Chalukya dynasty was ruled by Harshavardhana in the north and the Pallava dynasty in the south. And the Chalukya dynasty took iron from both the states and established their power.

Chalukya Dynasty of Badami/Vatapi

Pulakeshin I (543-566 AD)

• Founder of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami.
• He had assumed many titles like "Stayshraya", "Ranvikram", "Shriprithviballabh".
• Ashwamengh and Vajpeya Yagyas were performed by this.
• He had two sons, Kirtivarman I and Mangalesh. Being the eldest son, Kirtivarman I became the next ruler after the death of his father.

Kirtivarman I (566-597 AD)

• Kirtivarman I ascended the throne in the year 566 AD after the death of his father.
• He assumed the titles of "Puru-Ranparakram" and "Satyashray".
• As soon as the rule came in hand, he conquered the surrounding states and started accepting his suzerainty. Kadambas of Banavasi, Mauryas of Konkan, Nalvanshis of Bellary-Kurnool region, etc. were prominent in this. After defeating the states, he accepted his subjugation and left it but did not completely merge it into his kingdom.
• The mention of the Bahusuvarna-Agnishtom Yagya performed by him is found in the Mahakuta pillar inscription.
• At the time of his death, due to his three sons being minors, the next ruler became his brother Mangalesh.
• Started the construction of Guha temples in Badami.

Mangalesh (597-610 AD)

• After the death of his brother Kirtivarman I, he ascended the throne in the year 597 AD.
• As soon as he became the ruler like his brother, he invaded the Kalachuri ruler Buddharaj and Revati Island, the capital of the Konkan region. With this, the Kadambas were completely eradicated and absorbed into their kingdom.
• Contrary to the policy of his brother, Mangalesh used to completely integrate the defeated state into his kingdom after the war.
• Mangalesh was a follower of Vaishnaya religion. It assumed the title of "Param Bhagavatam".
• The construction of the Guha temples of Badami was completed.

Pulakeshin II (610-642 AD)

• Pulakeshin II became the next ruler of the Chalukya dynasty by killing his uncle Mangalesh.
• It assumed the titles of "Satyashraya Sri Prithviballabh Maharaj", "Dakshinapatheswara", "Parambhattaraka" and "Maharajadhiraja".
• Important information about it is obtained from the Aihole rock article composed by Rajkavi Ravikirti.
• At the time when Pulakeshin II became the ruler, a huge kingdom of the Chalukya dynasty had been established in the south of Vindhyachal mountain.
• Therefore, for ease of governance, he divided his kingdom into two parts. He himself ruled one part whose capital was Vatapi and the other part was handed over to his brother Vishnuvardhana whose capital was established at Vengi.
• This new state, whose capital was made Vengi. They are also known as Eastern Chalukyas or Chalukyas of Vengi.
• According to the Aihole inscription, Pulakeshin II defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of river Narmada.
• The conflict between the Chalukyas and the Pallava dynasty also started during this period. He attacked Kanchi, the capital of the Pallava dynasty and defeated the Pallava ruler Mahendravarman and captured the northern part of his kingdom. But the Pallava ruler was successful in saving his capital.
• After a few years, Pulakeshin II again attacked Kanchi, the capital of the Pallavas. At this time the ruler of the Pallava dynasty was Narasimhavarman, son of Mahendravarman, who badly defeated Pulikeshin II.
• The Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang came to the court of Pulakeshin II in 641 AD.

Vikramaditya I (655-680 AD)

• He ascended the throne 13 years after the death of his father Pulakeshin II. In these 13 years, the dispute over power in the Chalukya state (former
• On behalf of the family of ruler Mangalesh) continued.
• Made his younger brother Jai Singh the governor of Lat. Who later came to be called the Chalukyas of the South.

Vinayaditya (680-696 AD)

• After the death of his father, he became the ruler in 680 AD.
• Vinayaditya continued the struggle with the Pallavas. Records show that he also fought with the Pandyas and the Cholas.
• He was killed in a battle during the conquest of Uttarapatha (north of Vindhyachal mountain).

Vijayaditya (696-733 AD)

• He again attacked Kanchi, the capital of the Pallavas, defeated the then Pallava ruler Parameshwaravarman II and collected taxes from him.
• At the same time, a Shiv temple was also constructed at Pattadakal.

Vikramaditya II (733-746 AD)

• He defeated Nandivarman, the ruler of the Pallava dynasty with the help of his feudal lord of the Ganga dynasty, and assumed the title of "Kanchikonda".
• At the same time, the Rashtrakutas took control of Lat and from there ended the Chalukya dynasty of Lat. These Rashtrakutas later established their dynasty by completely eliminating the Chalukya dynasty.

Kirtivarman II (746-757 AD)

• Kirtivarman II became the ruler of the vast Chalukya Empire but he was an incompetent ruler.
• A Rashtrakuta leader named Dantidurga defeated him and laid the foundation of a new Rashtrakuta dynasty.

 

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