Kopperunchinga I

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Kopperunchinga I (reigned c.1216 - 1242 CE) was a Kadava chieftain, who during thirteenth century CE played a major role in the political situation of the Tamil country. Kopperunchinga, who was a minor official in the service of the Chola king Kulothunga Chola III (1178-1218 CE), utilised an opportunity arising out of the Pandyan invasion of the Chola country, consolidated his power and became an independent king. Inscriptions of Kopperunchinga I are not many since his principality was only in the making during the major part of his life, when he was actively engaged in conflict with other powers.

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[edit] Rise of Kopperunchinga

Kopperunchinga I, who is referred variously as Jiya-Mahipati, Alagiyasiyan, Sakalbhuvana-chakravartin Kopperunjinga and Manavalapperumal was a subordinate of Kulothunga Chola III between 1191 and 1195. During this period the Chola empire was declining after years of conflict with the Chalukyas and the Pandyas. During the final years of Kolothunga III's rule, the Pandya Maravarman Sundara Pandya defeated Kulothunga and made the Chola subordinate to Pandya rule, thus marking the beginning of the final demise of the Cholas. Kulotunga was defeated in battle and fled his country and sought the assistance of his northern neighbours such as the Hoysalas and the Telugu Chola kings. Kopperunchinga I who was related to the Chola King by marital ties and was an officer under Kulottunga Chola III until c.1213, took advantage of the confusion and strengthened his position by garrisoning the town of Sendamangalam in the former South Arcot district, converting it into a military stronghold.

[edit] Consolidation

[edit] Hoysala battle

Kopperunchinga's ambition to increase his power brought him into conflict with the Yadava king Vira Narasimha, with whom he fought a battle at Uratti in 1222 - 1223. Soon after this he had another engagement with the Hoysala king Vira Narasimha in 1224 CE. Hoysala's won this battle and the Kadavas were suppressed for a while. By re-establishing the Chola supremacy, the Hoysala king assumed the title Establisher of the Chola country and the destroyer o the demon Kadavaraya.

[edit] Defeat of the Cholas

Kopperunchinga's setbacks with the defeat did not deter him long. He soon defeated the Chola king Rajaraja Chola III at the battle of Tellaru and imprisoned the king and his ministers at Sendamangalam in 1231- 1232. A Chola inscription states that Kopperunchinga was helped by the Lanka king Parakrama Bahu II in this battle. To signal this victory Kopperunchinga I assumed the title Sakalabhuvanachakravartin (Emperor of the Universe) and the epithet Solanai-sirai-yittu-vaittu Sonadu-konda Alagiyasiyan (Alagiasiyan who imprisoned the Chola and conquered the Chola country).

[edit] Defeat of the Hoysalas

To counter Kopperunchinga's rise, Hoysala army invaded the northern Chola country and occupied Kanchipuram until around 1240 CE. They engaged Kopperunchinga's troops and sacked two of his towns. When the Hoysala army was preparing to lay siege to the Kadava capital of Sendamangalam, Kopperunchinga sued for peace and released the Chola king. Kopperunchinga engaged the Hoysala armies at Perumbalur near Tiruchi in 1241 CE and killed the Hoysala generals Kesava, Harihara-Dandanayaka and others and seized their women and property. To protect against further attacks from the Hoysalas, Kopperunchinga built a fort at Tiruvenkadu on the banks of the river Kaveri.

[edit] Charitable endowments

Kopperunchinga I was a patron of Tamil literature and a great devotee of god Nataraja at Chidambaram where he constructed the southern gopura (tower) of the temple. To mark his victory over the Hoysalas, he performed several deeds of munificence during a pilgrimage to various sacred places on the southern bank of the river Kaveri in Solamandalam.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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