Somesvara II
Encyclopedia
Somesvara II who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Somesvara I
(Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Somesvara I. During his reign Somesvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI
. Eventually Somesvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI
.
. The Chola army invaded the Chalukya country and laid a siege to the town of Gutti in (Kurnool district
) and attacked Kampili. Instead of assisting his brother in order to save the Chalukya kingdom, Vikramaditya turned the troubles of his brother into his opportunity to capture the Chalukya throne.
Vikramaditya made his alliance with Virarajendra.
came to the Chola throne. Kulothunga Chola I
eventually came to the Chola throne in a confusion created by civil disturbances in which Athirajendra was assassinated. As Vikramaditya was antagonistic towards Kulothunga, Somesvarea II went into an alliance with Kulothunga and prepared to attack Vikramaditya.
The conflict eventually occurred in 1075 when Kulothunga launched an attack on Vikramaditya. Somesvara aided Kulothunga Chola by attacking Vikramaditya's rear. What resulted was a brief civil war in which Somesvara suffered heavy defeats. Vikramaditya captured the Chalukya king and imprisoned him. Vikramaditya VI
proclaimed himself the Chalukuya king in 1076.
Somesvara I
Somesvara I succeeded his father Jayasimha II as the Western Chalukya king. He was one of the greatest kings of the later Chalukya Dynasty. In spite of many reverses he managed to safeguard the integrity of the Chalukya kingdom. He founded the city of Kalyani, present day Basavakalyana and moved...
(Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Somesvara I. During his reign Somesvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Somesvara II. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title...
. Eventually Somesvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Somesvara II. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title...
.
Chola invasion
Almost immediately after coming to power, Somesvara II had to face an invasion by the Chola forces led by Virarajendra CholaVirarajendra Chola
Virarajendra Chola was one of the most under-rated Chola kings, mainly because a major part of his life was spent in the apprenticeship of his two elder brothers Rajadhirajan Chola I and Rajendra Chola-II, who along with Virarajendra Chola himself were the illustrious sons of their Chakravarti...
. The Chola army invaded the Chalukya country and laid a siege to the town of Gutti in (Kurnool district
Kurnool district
Kurnool District is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district...
) and attacked Kampili. Instead of assisting his brother in order to save the Chalukya kingdom, Vikramaditya turned the troubles of his brother into his opportunity to capture the Chalukya throne.
Vikramaditya's Opportunism
Vikramaditya saw the opportunity presented by the confusion in the kingdom due to the Chola invasion. Vikramaditya seduced Somesvara's feudatories from their loyalty towards the monarch, and with their aid, entered into negotiations with the Chola king Virarajendra.Vikramaditya made his alliance with Virarajendra.
Chalukya civil war
The political situation drastically changed when Virarajendra died in 1070 and his son Athirajendra CholaAthirajendra Chola
Athirajendra Chola reigned for a very short period of few months as the Chola king succeeding his father Virarajendra Chola. His reign was marked by civil unrest, possibly religious in nature, in which he was killed...
came to the Chola throne. Kulothunga Chola I
Kulothunga Chola I
Kō Rājakēsarivarman Abaya Kulōthunga Chōla was one of the greatest kings of the Chola Empire. He was one of the sovereigns who bore the title Kulottunga, literally meaning the exalter of his race.-Early life:...
eventually came to the Chola throne in a confusion created by civil disturbances in which Athirajendra was assassinated. As Vikramaditya was antagonistic towards Kulothunga, Somesvarea II went into an alliance with Kulothunga and prepared to attack Vikramaditya.
The conflict eventually occurred in 1075 when Kulothunga launched an attack on Vikramaditya. Somesvara aided Kulothunga Chola by attacking Vikramaditya's rear. What resulted was a brief civil war in which Somesvara suffered heavy defeats. Vikramaditya captured the Chalukya king and imprisoned him. Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI
Vikramaditya VI became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Somesvara II. Vikramaditya's reign is marked by the start of the Chalukya-Vikrama era. Vikramaditya VI was the greatest of the Western Chalukya kings and had the longest reign in the dynasty. He earned the title...
proclaimed himself the Chalukuya king in 1076.
See also
- Virarajendra CholaVirarajendra CholaVirarajendra Chola was one of the most under-rated Chola kings, mainly because a major part of his life was spent in the apprenticeship of his two elder brothers Rajadhirajan Chola I and Rajendra Chola-II, who along with Virarajendra Chola himself were the illustrious sons of their Chakravarti...
- Kulothunga Chola IKulothunga Chola IKō Rājakēsarivarman Abaya Kulōthunga Chōla was one of the greatest kings of the Chola Empire. He was one of the sovereigns who bore the title Kulottunga, literally meaning the exalter of his race.-Early life:...