Parantaka I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parantaka I |
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| Parakesari Varman, Maduraium Eelamum Konda Parakesarivarman, Veera Cholan, Irumudi Cholan | |
Chola Empire under Parantaka Chola I in 915 CE
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| Chola Emperor | |
| Reign | 907 CE - 955 CE |
| Predecessor | Aditya I |
| Successor | Gandaraditya |
| Born | Veera Narayanan 873 CE Tiruvottiyur, Chola Empire (Modern day Chennai Tamil Nadu, India) |
| Died | 955 CE (aged 82) Tiruvottiyur, Chola Empire (Modern day Chennai Tamil Nadu, India) |
| Consorts | 11 Total Including: Ko "Kizhan Adigal" Iravi Nili Solamadeviyar |
| Issue | Rajaditya Gandaraditya Uttamasili Arinjaya Viramadevi Anupama. |
| Dynasty | Chola |
| Father | Aditya I |
| Mother | Tribhuvanamadeviyar |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Parantaka Chola I (Tamil: பராந்தக சோழன் I; 873 CE–955 CE) was a powerful Chola emperor. He ruled for 48 years, from 907 CE to 955 CE. During his time, the Chola Empire grew much larger and stronger. He defeated the Pandya king and also won a big battle against the Rashtrakutas. His reign was a time of great success and wealth for the Chola kingdom.
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Conquering the Pandya Kingdom
Parantaka I wanted to make his empire bigger, just like his father. In 915 CE, he attacked the Pandya kingdom. He captured their main city, Madurai. After this victory, he took the special title Madurain-konda, which means "Capturer of Madurai."
The Pandya king, Maravarman Rajasimha II, asked for help from Kassapa V, the king of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka sent an army to help the Pandyas. But Parantaka I defeated both armies in a battle at Vellore. The Pandya king had to run away to Sri Lanka. Parantaka I then took control of the entire Pandya country.
Parantaka I spent many years making sure the Pandya region was fully under his control. He wanted to celebrate his victory by having a special crowning ceremony in Madurai. He planned to wear the royal symbols of the Pandya kings. However, the Pandya king had taken these symbols with him to Sri Lanka for safekeeping.
Later, Parantaka I tried to get the Pandya crown and jewels by invading Sri Lanka. But the Sri Lankan king, Udaya IV, hid them in the Rohana hills. So, Parantaka I's army had to return without the treasures. After these events, he took another long title: Maduraiyum Eelamum Konda Parakesarivarman. This means "Parakesarivarman who conquered Madurai and Sri Lanka."
Battles Against the Rashtrakutas
Parantaka I's father, Aditya I, had two sons: Parantaka I and Kannara Deva. Parantaka was the older son. When Aditya I died, the Rashtrakuta king, Krishna II, wanted his grandson Kannara Deva to become the Chola king. But Parantaka I became king in 907 CE.
Because he was disappointed, Krishna II attacked the Chola kingdom. Prince Indra III led the Rashtrakuta army, while King Parantaka and his son, Prince Rajaditya, led the Chola forces. In 911 CE, a big battle happened at Vallala. Many Rashtrakuta soldiers died, and their army became weak. Krishna II had to pull back his forces. The Cholas chased them away from their land and won the war. This early victory against the Rashtrakutas was one of Parantaka Chola's first big successes.
Parantaka I's Vast Empire
At the peak of his power, Parantaka I's kingdom covered almost all of the Tamil country. It stretched north all the way to Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Records show that Parantaka I was a great military leader. He made many conquests and expanded the Chola Empire significantly. He defeated kings from other kingdoms by 912 CE.
However, later in 949 CE, the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III attacked the Cholas again. Parantaka sent his son, Prince Rajaditya, to lead the army. Sadly, the Cholas lost this battle, and Prince Rajaditya was killed while fighting on an elephant.
Building and Religious Contributions
Even though Parantaka I spent most of his long rule fighting wars, he also cared a lot about his people and his kingdom. He was very interested in how his country was run. He set up rules for how village meetings should work. These village groups had existed for a long time, but Parantaka I made many good changes to help local governments work better.
Old copper plates show that Parantaka I helped farming by digging many canals across the country. He also used the wealth gained from his wars to give money to many temples. It is said that he covered the roof of the Chidambaram Siva Temple with gold. He was a very religious person and a strong follower of Lord Siva.
Records from an ancient temple near Tiruchirappalli mention that he started services there with 108 helpers. These helpers performed many rituals.
Family Life
From old writings, we know some things about Parantaka I's personal life. He had many wives, and at least eleven of them are mentioned in records. He was religious but also open to different faiths. Many members of his family built temples and gave gifts to shrines throughout the kingdom.
Rajaditya was Parantaka I's oldest son. He had several other sons, including Arikulakesari, Gandaraditya, and Uttamasili. He also had at least two daughters named Viramadevi and Anupama.
Parantaka I had strong friendships with the Chera Perumal rulers. These ties were made even stronger by two marriages. It is believed that he married two Chera princesses, who were the mothers of his sons Rajaditya and Arinjaya.
Parantaka I had many special names, like Viranarayana (Brave Narayana), Vira-Chola (Brave Chola), and Irumadi-Sola (Chola with two crowns), which referred to his control over both the Chola and Pandya kingdoms. He was also called Panditavatsalan (fond of learned men) and Surachulamani (the crest jewel of heroes).
Parantaka I died in 955 CE. His second son, Gandaraditya, became the next Chola king.
Images for kids
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Thyagaraja Temple
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Sculpture in Tiruvottiyur.
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Chola-Chera Perumal relations (around 9th-10th centuries CE)
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See also
- Battle of Takkolam
