- in 890AD, Vijayalaya Chola captured power from Pallavas and reestablished Cholas w/ capital at Tanjore
- Aditya I was initially important ruler who expanded kingdom through a matrimonial alliance w/ Eastern Chalukyas
- next ruler, Parantaka I further defeated Rashtrakutas and expanded kingdom
- Raja Raja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola are regarded as most powerful rulers
- Raja Raja I defeated Pandayas & Cheras and captured some of their territories
- also captured north east Sri Lanka
- in 1100AD, RRI laid foundation of Brihadeshwara Temple at Tanjore
- regarded as one of the architectural wonders of India
- also believed to be climax of Dravida temple style
- next ruler, Rajendra I completely defeated Chera & Pandaya and completely annexed Sri Lanka
- first ruler from S India who marched to Gangetic Delta
- defeated Pala ruler Mahipala but didn’t annex Pala area and returned back
- to celebrate victory, he took title of Gangaikondi and created new city on banks of Kaveri, Gangaikondcholapuram
- with the same name, he also created a temple
- Rajendra I first Indian ruler to cross Bay of bengal and attack cities of Shrivijaya of Malaya Peninsula
- invasion led to increased cultural exchange between India and Malaya Peninsula
Important Aspects of Chola Rule
- first rulers who functioned as banking financial institutions
- They patronized construction of temples in many parts of Tamil land
- temples place of worship, centre of education and economic activity
- also understood importance of rainwater harvesting and wrote many inscriptions about the same
Divided their kingdom into many sub divisions
known for decentralized rule:
- Cholamandalam (Tondaimandalam)
- Mandalam - province
- Valanadu - district
- Nadu - block
- Kottam - village
- Ur - smallest administrative division
Banking and Financial Institutions
- in ancient times, Shreni were banking and financial institutions
- they also formulated rules of trade and controlled it
- Shreni headed by either Jyesthaka or Shresthaka
- in 6th Century BCE, first coin of India released in Mahajanpada age, which was a punch marked silver coin