Lanka was attacked by the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha (815-862) during the reign of the Sinhala king Sena I (824-844), probably because Sena's father had expelled the legitimate heir, Mahendra, and had arranged his death. Mahendra appears to have spent his exile with the Pandyas, who now proceeded to occupy northern Lanka for a short while, taking him much booty. Sena I's son Sena II (844-879) gave refuge to a rebel son of the Pandya king and later invaded the Pandyan realm, capturing Madura. He killed the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha in 862 and placed his son Varaguna II on the Pandys throne.
Varaguna II (862-880) suffered a crushing defeat at Sripurambiyam in 880 by Aparajita Pallava who was assisted by Prithivipati I Ganga and Aditya I Chola. When Varaguna returned to the Pandya homeland from his defeat of 880 he was defeated by the combined armies of his brother Parantaka Vira-narayana Pandya (878-900), and the Sinhala king Sena II. The Pandyan throne later passed to Parantaka's son Maravarman Rajasimha II (900-920), who was expelled from his lands (909) by his neighbor Parantaka I Chola (907-953) who conquered the Pandya capital at Madura and gave himself the title Madhurantaka (Madura destroyer) in his first regnal year, followed by the title Maduraikonda (Madura capturer) in his third year.
Rajasimha II requested Sinhala help and Kasyapa VI (907-917) sent an army, but in 915, Parantaka Chola defeated the Pandya - Sinhala coalition at the battle of Vellur, near Madura. Rajasimha Pandya took refuge in Lanka, then moved on to his mother's home in Kerala. In 920 and Parantaka Chola gave himself the new title 'Maduralyum-ilamum-konda' (Madura and Lanka capturer). There ensued a period of Chola domination in the Pandya country that was to last until the Cholas were defeated by the Rashtrakutas at the battle of Takkolam in 949. This defeat enabled Vira Pandya to throw off Chola suzerainty and regain control of his lands. He brought renewed prosperity to the Pandyas and sat upon the throne until the last years of the century (949-990).
The Chola crown, such as it was, passed from Parantaka (950-953) to his second son Gandaraditya (953-957) and thence to another son named Arinjaya (957). Then the crown passed to Arinjaya's son Parantaka II (Sundara Chola: 957-973). When Parantaka II died in 973 his son Aditya II was murdered by Parantaka's cousin Uttama Chola (973-985) who took the title `Madhurantaka'. In the summer of 985 Rajaraja, son of Parantaka II, ascended the throne in succession to Uttama Chola.
In about 990 Rajaraja Chola in the words of one of his inscriptions, "deprived the Pandyas of their splendor". He appointed one of his sons as Chola - Pandya viceroy at Madura. Rajaraja Chola's known inscriptions range in date from his 2nd. to his 31st. regnal years. He annexed the northern half of Lanka, dislodging the Sinhala king Mahendra V, ruining Anuradhapura and making Polonnaruwa his capital on the island. One of the greatest south Indian sovereigns, Rajaraja associated his son Rajendra Chola in government during 1012 and then died in 1014. Rajendra Chola mounted the throne as paramount king in 1014. After four years sole rule, he associated his own son Rajadhiraja in government during 1018. Rajendra Chola succeeded in expanding the substantial realm recently consolidated by his father Rajaraja. He extended Chola occupation over the whole island of Lanka in 1018.
Rajadhiraja Chola, associated in kingship since 1018, ruled independently from the time of his father's death in 1044. He maintained Chola authority over most of Lanka, despite a series of revolts. He continued the struggle with the Chalukyas, defeating Somesvara Chalukya, but losing his own life in battle at Koppam in 1052. His younger brother Rajendra II ascended the throne and ruled until 1064. He was succeeded by the third brother, Virarajendra (1063-1070), who had been created Yuvaraja the previous year. Conflicts persisted between Somesvara Chalukya and these three Chola kings without any substantial change in their mutual frontiers. Virarajendra crushed another rebellion in Lanka. Virarajendra's son Adhirajendra was associated with his father from 1068, but died a few months after Virarajendra in 1070.
The Chola throne then passed to another branch of the family in the person of Kulottunga Chola (1070-1120), a great-grandson of Rajaraja Chola. The Cholas did not enjoy peaceful occupation of the Pandya country, being upset during later decades by successive revolts of Pandya princes fomented from Lanka. During the period of Chola decline leading up to Kulottunga's accession Lanka became independent under Vijaya-bahu (1055-1110), who had occupied Polonnaruwa in 1070 and crowned himself king in 1073. The subsequent peace established between Vijaya-bahu and Kulottunga in 1088 was cemented by a marriage. The Chola throne then passed to Vikrama Chola's son Kulottunga II (1133-1150) in 1135 and thence to Kulottunga's son Rajaraja II (1146-1173) in 1150.
During the reigns of Rajaraja II and his brother (or cousin) Rajadhiraja II (1163-1179) the increasing power of the Pandya princes was checked by the civil war of 1169 to 1177 between Kulasekhara Pandya on the one side and Parakrama Pandya, followed by his son Vira Pandya, on the other side. Kulasekhara was initially supported by Rajadhiraja Chola II (1163-1179), while Parakrama-bahu (1153-1186) of Lanka assisted Parakrama Pandya and his son. The Cholas succeeded in installing Kulasekhara Pandya, but he then entered alliance with Lanka and the Cholas replied by de-throning him in favor of his rival Vira Pandya (1177).
With the Pandya leadership thus weakened the Chola king was still able to maintain some semblance of suzerainty. Kulottunga Chola II (1178-1216) led three campaigns into the Pandya country. He de-throned Vira Pandya in favor of Vikrama Pandya during 1182, definitively defeated Vira Pandya, who had taken refuge in Kerala, during 1189 and finally defeated the new Pandya king Jatavarman Kulasekhara (1190-1216) in 1205, a king whom he re-installed at Madura as his feudatory.
Jatavarman Kulasekhara laid the foundations of Pandyan resurgence. His inscriptions have been found through the Madura - Ramnad - Tinnevelly region and he was recognized as suzerain in Travancore. Jatavarman's brother Maravarman Sundara Pandya (1216-1238) defeated Kulottunga Chola III in 1216 and thereby established the new (third) Pandyan Empire. The Chola king only retained his crown by virtue of Hoysala support and thenceforth the Pandyas and the Hoysalas replaced the Cholas as chief powers in the Penninsula. Kulottunga Chola accepted his reduced status as a Pandyan vassal and died soon afterwards, leaving the Chola throne to Rajaraja Chola II (1216-1246). He continued to pay tribute to the Pandyas for several years, but then turned and invaded the Pandya country in 1229. Maravarman Sundara Pandya again routed the Chola army; and again the Chola king only retained his crown through support from the Hoysalas.
Maravarman Sundara Pandya II (1238-1251) was a weaker king. His lands were invaded by Rajendra Chola III (1246-1279). However, Maravarman was followed by one of the greatest Pandya monarchs, Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I (1251-1268). He first defeated the Chera king Udayamartanda and then forced the Hoysalas to withdraw after defeating them at Kannanur, near Trichinopoly. He reduced the Chola king Rajendra III to vassalage (1258) and defeated Kop Perunjinga, the Kadava king of Sendamangalam, also re-installing him as a feudatory. By 1256 northern Lanka had also been reduced to vassalage. Within six years of Jatavarman's accession his suzerainty was acknowledged by Chera, Chola and Kadava kings, part of Lanka was under his control and the Hoysalas had felt his power. During ensuing years Jatavarman took Kanchi from the Telegu-choda chief Gondagopala and he defeated the Kakatiya king Ganapati. The Chola king remained a vassal until 1279, but his lands had been incorporated within the Pandyan administration since the late l250's.
When Jatavarman died in 1268 the realm passed to his brother Maravarman Kulasekhara Pandya (1268-1310), the last great Pandya monarch. During the reigns of these two kings associate kingship was enjoyed by their three brothers and, later, by two sons of Maravarman Kulasekhara. as associate kings they all held the rank of Yuvaraja. Maravarman Kulasekhara Pandya consolidated the Pandyan hold over Kerala, northern Lanka and Cholamandalam. In 1279 he suppressed the Chola monarchy and expelled the Hoysala king Ramanatha from the southern province of Kannanur. About 1284 Maravarman's general, Arya Chakiavarti, invaded Lanka and returned with a tooth relic of the Buddha. Maravarman later returned this relic to Parakrama-bahu III (1302-1310) when that Sinhala monarch came to Madura to pay him homage. In 1310 Jatavarman Sundara Pandya III, Yuvaraja since 1303, murdered his father Maravarman and took the throne.
Text edited from
* Oriental Coins: Michael Mitchiner
London, Hawkins Publications, 1978.