Legend "Chola, conqueror of the Gangas" in Tamil, seated tiger with two fish. The Chola dynasty[a] (Tamil: [t͡ʃoːɻɐr]) was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire.
The Chola kings were South Indian Tamil rulers of unknown antiquity, antedating the early Sangam poems (c. 200 ce). The dynasty originated in the rich Kaveri (Cauvery) River valley.
He was called Raja-Raja, King of Kings, and he belonged to one of the most astonishing dynasties of the medieval world: the Cholas. His family transformed how the medieval world worked - yet they...
Cholas: How a dynasty in India created a cultural and economic ... - BBC
Under Rajaraja Chola I (r. 985 – 1014 AD) and his successor, Rajendra Chola (r. 1014 –1044 AD), the Chola Dynasty reached its pinnacle. Under these two rulers, the Cholas conquered Sri Lanka, expanded their territory to the north as far as the Ganges River, and even brought maritime Southeast India under their sphere of influence.
The Cholas formed one of three ruling families in Tamil-speaking south India during the first two centuries CE. In the mid-ninth century the family came to dominate the region, building an empire that would last more than four hundred years.
Originating in the fertile plains of the Tamil region, the Cholas ruled over vast territories that stretched from present-day southern Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu. This article aims to study in detail the origins, rise, major rulers, and contributions of the Cholas, as well as other related aspects.
Karikala Chola was the most famous among the early Chola kings, while Rajaraja Chola, Rajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola I were notable emperors of the medieval Cholas.