Chola Empire

Empire Level 2 ★ Major power

c. 848 CE – 1279

Tamil maritime empire of Rajaraja I and Rajendra I.

🗺 See on map in 1018

Capital: Thanjavur / Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Region: South
Duration: 431 years
Main period: Chola & Major Southern Kingdoms

Changing extent

c. 848 CE — ~150 km radius: Vijayalaya captures Thanjavur
c. 985 CE — ~450 km radius: Rajaraja I
c. 1017 — ~600 km radius: Rajendra I — Sri Lanka and the Ganga expedition
c. 1150 — ~400 km radius
c. 1220 — ~250 km radius: Decline

Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).

Rulers

Vijayalaya King
Captured Thanjavur.
c. 848 CE – c. 871 CE
Aditya I King
c. 871 CE – c. 907 CE
Parantaka I King
c. 907 CE – c. 955 CE
Rajaraja I King
Brihadisvara temple; conquest of northern Sri Lanka.
985 CE – 1014
Rajendra I King
Ganga expedition; naval raid on Srivijaya.
1012 – 1044
Kulothunga I King
Chalukya-Chola union.
1070 – 1122
Rajendra III King
Last Chola.
1246 – 1279

Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.

Key events

Year	Event	Place
985 CE	Rajaraja I becomes Chola king	Thanjavur
c. 993 CE	Chola invasion of Sri Lanka Anuradhapura was sacked and the Sinhalese capital abandoned.	Anuradhapura
1010	Brihadisvara Temple completed Rajaraja I's great temple.	Thanjavur
1014	Rajendra I becomes Chola king	Thanjavur
1017	Chola conquest of Sri Lanka completed Northern Sri Lanka became the Chola province of Mummudi-chola-mandalam.	Anuradhapura / Polonnaruwa
c. 1023	Rajendra's Ganga expedition; Gangaikonda Cholapuram founded Chola armies reached the Ganga and a new capital commemorated the victory.	Gangaikonda Cholapuram
1025	Chola naval expedition to Srivijaya Rajendra I raids Kadaram and the Srivijaya ports. Srivijaya's ports were raided, securing Chola trade routes to China.	Nagapattinam
1279	End of the Chola dynasty The Pandyas became the dominant Tamil power.	Thanjavur

Sites & monuments

Brihadisvara Temple

Religious monument · 1010

Personalities

Author of the Periya Puranam on the Nayanar saints

Author of the Tamil Ramavataram (Kamba Ramayanam)

📚 Recommended reading on the Chola Empire

Reference

A History of South India

K. A. Nilakanta Sastri · Oxford University Press

The classic survey of the south, from prehistory to the fall of Vijayanagara.

UPSC Mains State PSC General reading

Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗

Reference

The Colas

K. A. Nilakanta Sastri · University of Madras

The definitive study of the Chola empire, its kings and administration.

General reading

Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗

Reference

A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India

Upinder Singh · Pearson

The most complete modern textbook on ancient India, rich in sources, maps and archaeology.

UPSC Mains General reading

Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗

Textbook

Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)

NCERT · NCERT

The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims SSC State PSC

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Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Chola Empire for a significant part of its history.

Anuradhapura Kingdom ★

Sri Lanka · c. 437 BCE – c. 1017

Pallava Dynasty ★

South · c. 275 CE – c. 897 CE

Chahamanas (Chauhans) of Shakambhari ★

West · c. 650 CE – c. 1194

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire ★

North · c. 730 CE – c. 1036

Pala Empire ★

East · c. 750 CE – c. 1161

Rashtrakuta Empire ★

Deccan · c. 753 CE – c. 982 CE

Ghaznavid Empire ★

Northwest · c. 977 CE – c. 1186

Polonnaruwa Kingdom ★

Sri Lanka · c. 1070 – 1232

Sultanate of the Maldives ★

Islands · c. 1153 – 1968

Malla Dynasty of Nepal ★

Himalaya · 1201 – 1769

Delhi Sultanate ★

North · 1206 – 1526

Ahom Kingdom ★

Northeast · 1228 – 1826

Western Ganga Dynasty

South · c. 350 CE – c. 1000

Northeast · c. 350 CE – c. 1140

Pandya Kingdom (First Empire)

South · c. 590 CE – c. 920 CE

Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi

Deccan · c. 624 CE – c. 1075

Kalachuris of Tripuri

Central · c. 675 CE – 1212

Guhilas of Medapata

West · c. 728 CE – 1303

Tomaras of Delhi

North · c. 736 CE – c. 1152

Thakuri Kingdom of Nepal

Himalaya · c. 750 CE – 1200

Chera Perumals of Makotai

South · c. 800 CE – c. 1124

Paramara Dynasty

Central · c. 800 CE – 1305

Hindu Shahis

Northwest · c. 822 CE – c. 1026

Chandela Dynasty

Central · c. 831 CE – 1315

Habbarid Emirate

Northwest · c. 854 CE – c. 1011

Utpala Dynasty of Kashmir

North · c. 855 CE – c. 1003

Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat

West · c. 940 CE – 1244

Western Chalukyas of Kalyani

Deccan · c. 973 CE – c. 1189

Lohara Dynasty of Kashmir

North · c. 1003 – c. 1171

Hoysala Empire

South · c. 1026 – 1343

Soomra Dynasty

Northwest · c. 1026 – 1351

Sena Dynasty

East · c. 1070 – 1230

Eastern Ganga Dynasty

East · c. 1078 – 1434

Gahadavala Dynasty

Gangetic Plain · c. 1089 – c. 1197

Khasa Malla Kingdom

Himalaya · c. 1100 – c. 1400

Zamorins of Calicut

South · c. 1124 – 1766

Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)

West · c. 1128 – 1949

Kakatiya Dynasty

Deccan · c. 1163 – 1323

Ghurid Empire

Northwest · c. 1175 – 1206

Seuna (Yadava) Dynasty

Deccan · c. 1187 – 1317