Someshvara I
Someshvara I was a king of the Western Chalukyas. Also known as "Ahavamalla" or "Trilokamalla", Someshvara succeeded his father Jayasimha II to the throne.
His several military successes in Central India made him a formidable ruler of a vast empire. During his rule, the Chalukyan empire extended to Gujarat and Central India in the north. The Hoysalas of the Malenadu regions of Mysore were his vassals in the South. Vinayaditya's daughter or sister called Hoysala Devi was one of his queens. In the west, Someshvara I retained control over the Konkan. In the east he was able to extend his influence up to Ananthapur and Kurnool. Despite many defeats during his wars with the Cholas of Tanjore, he managed to play king-maker at Vengi on several occasions.
According to the historian Ganguli, the Cholas "could not wrest from him any part of his kingdom". According to the historian Sen, Someshvara I's rule was a "brilliant period" in the history of the Western Chalukyas that would reach its zenith under Vikramaditya VI. Historian Tripathi claims the Chalukya influence was felt in far-off Eastern India as well. He shifted his capital from Manyakheta to Kalyani. He patronized the Kannada language scholar Shridharacharya who wrote Jatakatilaka, the earliest available work on astrology in the language, and the now extinct Chandraprabhacharite on Belles-lettres.
Wars with the Cholas
According to the historian Kamath, soon after his coronation, Someshvara I interfered in the affairs of Vengi and invaded the region but faced defeat against the Chola monarch Rajadhiraja Chola at Amaravathi. The Cholas followed this by invading Chalukya territory. According to the historian Sastri, Rajadhiraja defeated Someshvara I in the battle of Dannada on the banks of the Krishna River compelling the Western Chalukya armies to retreat, and the fort at Kollipakki was razed to the ground. This was followed by victories at Kampili and Pundur. According to the historians Chopra et al., the details of the sack of Kampili is recorded in the Manimangalam inscription. A victory pillar with the Chola emblem was installed at Yetagiri. Finally, the Cholas plundered Kalyani, the Chalukya capital in c.1045. Rajadhiraja performed the Virabhisheka in the destroyed enemy capital and assumed the title Vijayarajendra. However, according to Sastri and Sen, in a dramatic recovery, Someshvara I drove the Cholas out of Vengi by c.1050 and re-established his influence, not only in Vengi but also in Kalinga. Sen further claims Someshvara I took the battle right to the heart of the Chola empire. According to Kamath there was a Chalukya counterattack and a raid on Kanchipuram.For a while the Cholas did not press their cause either in Vengi or Kalinga. However, in c.1054, the Cholas responded by invading Koppal where King Rajadhiraja Chola was killed and Someshvara I had to mourn the death of his brother Jayasimha. However, according to Sastri, the Cholas were able to convert defeat into victory when their crown prince Rajendra II mounted a surprise counterattack and pushed the Chalukya armies back. Rajendra II crowned himself on the battlefield, mounted a victory pillar at Kollapura and returned to his capital Gangaikondacholapuram with much booty which including the Chalukya queens Sattiyavvai and Sangappai. Hostilities continued and in c.1059 Rajendra Chola II invaded the Chalukya kingdom but was defeated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Someshvara I constructed a temple at Annigeri in the modern Dharwad district to celebrate this success. However, according to Sen, in the battle of Mudakkarru on the banks of the Tungabhadra in c.1059, Someshvara I suffered another defeat.
Politics of succession erupted again over the Vengi throne in c.1061 after the death of the Eastern Chalukya King Rajaraja Narendra. Someshvara I installed Saktivarman II, son of Vijayaditya II, on the throne. This went against the wishes of the Cholas who wanted their own blood line from the Vengi family at the helm. The Cholas desired to crown Rajendra, son of the deceased king Rajaraja Narendra. There was a brief respite for Someshvara I over Vengi affairs but the new Chola monarch Rajendra II appears to have defeated Someshvara I in several encounters, including in a major battle at Kudalasangama in c.1062. The historians Chopra et al., claim this Kudalasangama was actually at the confluence of Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers. On this occasion, Someshvara I had sent two armies, one under his general Chamundaraya and another into Gangavadi under his sons prince Vikramaditya VI and Jayasimha. However, Rajendra II defeated both armies and thus Someshvara I's effort to erase the defeat at Koppal failed. In c.1063, Rajendra II and his son Rajamahendra died leading to the coronation of Virarajendra as the new Chola king.