At the close of the reign of Vrmaladitya (1011-18 A.D.)-
the succession to the Vengi throne was in dispute. His son
Rajaraja Narendra, through the Chola princess Kundavai, was
appointed crown prince and succeeded his father on the throne
of Vengi. But Vijayaditya VII, who was the step-brother of
Rajaraja Narendra, seized power with the help of Jayasimha II,
the Western Chalukyan ruler. Rajaraja Narendra naturally
sought the help of his maternal uncle and overlord, the Chola
emperor Rajendra Chola I. The latter promptly dispatched
forces to his aid. The tradition of fighting on two fronts in
the north, which was started by Rajaraja Chola, was continued
by his son as well. Rajendra Chola I sent a powerful army
against Rattapadi to divert the attenton of Jayasimha II and
prevent him from sending effective help to Vijayaditya VII.
With this, the king of Kalyani was compelled to take steps for
the defence of his kingdom. On the Eastern Chalukyan front,
the Chola army ted by the general Soliyavarasan defeated
Vijayaditya and his Kalinga and Odda supporters in several
battles, took possession of the country on behalf of Rajaraja
Narendra and proceeded afterwards on a grand military expedition
to the Gangetic valley. To protect the rear of his army
campaigning in the Gangetic valley, Rajendra Chola I had his
sojourn on the banks of the Godavari, during which he enthroned
his nephew Rajaraja Narendra as the ruler of Vengi
and celebrated the latter's coronation on 16th August 1022 A.D.
He even gave his daughter Ammangai in marriage to his nephew
who had by her a son Rajendra named after him
Rajaraja Narendra was constantly beset with difficulties during his long rule of 41 years. His half-brother Vijayaditya never gave up his designs upon the throne. He managed probably with the help from the Western Chalukya court tooust his brother, seize the throne and keep himself in power between 1031 A.D. and 1035 A.D. Even after this, Rajaraja Narendra did not enjoy peaceful reign. About, the year 1042 A.D. the new ruler of Kalyani, Ahavamalla Somesvara I, with whom Vijayaditya VII allied himself, sent an expedition against Vengi. Rajendra Chola I sent some Chola forces to Vengi under his Brahman general Rajaraja Brahmamaharaja. A bloody battle took place at Kalidindi in the West Godavari district. The result of the battle was indecisive. A lull prevailed in the warfare after this battle.
Rajadhiraja I (1042-52 A.D.), the son and successor of Rajendra Chola I, in his eagerness to restore the Chola hegemony over Vengi to its former absolute state, led an expedition into the coastal Telugu country in 1044-45 A.O. He fought a battle at Dhannada (Dharanikota in the Guntur district) and compelled the Western Chalukyan army along with Vijayaditya VI! to retreat in disorder. He then entered into me Western Chaiukyan dominions and set fire to the Kollipaka fort on the frontier between the Kalyani and Vengi territories This relief for Rajaraja Narendra, however, was only temporary, for in 1047 A.O. itself, Vengi and Kalinga were lost by the Cholas. The Western Chalukyas held them almost upto the end of Chola Virarajendra's reign (1062-69 A.D.). It is very strange that somehow Rajadhiraja I suddenly lost interest in the Vengi affairs and never made any attempt to re-establish his authority in the Telugu country. Rajaraja Narendra realised that to continue fight with the Western Chalukyas was waste and hence concluded peace with Somesvare I. In order to show his respect towards Karnatakas, he assumed their titles like 'Satyasrayakulasekhara' and "Samastabhuvanasraya" Somesvara appointed one of his Pradhanis. Narayanabhatta as the Sthanapati in the court of Rajamahendravarem to look after his imperial affairs. This Narayanabhatta was a distinguished scholar. He assisted Rajaraja Narendra's court poet and purohit Nannayabhatta in the composition of his Telugu Mahabharata
The death of Raiaraja Narendra in 1061 A.D. offered another opportunity to the Kalyani court to strengthen its hold on Vengi.
Vijayaditya VII seized Vengi and with the consent of his suzerain of Kalyani whom he had served loyally for several years, established himself permanently in the kingdom. Meanwhile prince Rajendra, son of Rajaraja Narendra through the Chola princess Ammangai was brought up in the Chola harem. He married Madhurantakidevi, the daughter of the new Chola ruler Rajendra II (1054-55 A.D. —1063 A.D.), who was the brother and successor of Rajadhiraja I. In order to restore him on the Vengi throne, the Chola ruler Rajendra II sent his son Rajamahendra and brother Virarajendra against the Western Chalukyas and Vijayaditya VII. The Chola forces marched against Gangavadi and drove away the Chalukyas. Virarajendra then marched against Vengi and probably killed Saktivarma It, son of Vijayaditya VII.
Rajaraja Narendra was constantly beset with difficulties during his long rule of 41 years. His half-brother Vijayaditya never gave up his designs upon the throne. He managed probably with the help from the Western Chalukya court tooust his brother, seize the throne and keep himself in power between 1031 A.D. and 1035 A.D. Even after this, Rajaraja Narendra did not enjoy peaceful reign. About, the year 1042 A.D. the new ruler of Kalyani, Ahavamalla Somesvara I, with whom Vijayaditya VII allied himself, sent an expedition against Vengi. Rajendra Chola I sent some Chola forces to Vengi under his Brahman general Rajaraja Brahmamaharaja. A bloody battle took place at Kalidindi in the West Godavari district. The result of the battle was indecisive. A lull prevailed in the warfare after this battle.
Rajadhiraja I (1042-52 A.D.), the son and successor of Rajendra Chola I, in his eagerness to restore the Chola hegemony over Vengi to its former absolute state, led an expedition into the coastal Telugu country in 1044-45 A.O. He fought a battle at Dhannada (Dharanikota in the Guntur district) and compelled the Western Chalukyan army along with Vijayaditya VI! to retreat in disorder. He then entered into me Western Chaiukyan dominions and set fire to the Kollipaka fort on the frontier between the Kalyani and Vengi territories This relief for Rajaraja Narendra, however, was only temporary, for in 1047 A.O. itself, Vengi and Kalinga were lost by the Cholas. The Western Chalukyas held them almost upto the end of Chola Virarajendra's reign (1062-69 A.D.). It is very strange that somehow Rajadhiraja I suddenly lost interest in the Vengi affairs and never made any attempt to re-establish his authority in the Telugu country. Rajaraja Narendra realised that to continue fight with the Western Chalukyas was waste and hence concluded peace with Somesvare I. In order to show his respect towards Karnatakas, he assumed their titles like 'Satyasrayakulasekhara' and "Samastabhuvanasraya" Somesvara appointed one of his Pradhanis. Narayanabhatta as the Sthanapati in the court of Rajamahendravarem to look after his imperial affairs. This Narayanabhatta was a distinguished scholar. He assisted Rajaraja Narendra's court poet and purohit Nannayabhatta in the composition of his Telugu Mahabharata
The death of Raiaraja Narendra in 1061 A.D. offered another opportunity to the Kalyani court to strengthen its hold on Vengi.
Vijayaditya VII seized Vengi and with the consent of his suzerain of Kalyani whom he had served loyally for several years, established himself permanently in the kingdom. Meanwhile prince Rajendra, son of Rajaraja Narendra through the Chola princess Ammangai was brought up in the Chola harem. He married Madhurantakidevi, the daughter of the new Chola ruler Rajendra II (1054-55 A.D. —1063 A.D.), who was the brother and successor of Rajadhiraja I. In order to restore him on the Vengi throne, the Chola ruler Rajendra II sent his son Rajamahendra and brother Virarajendra against the Western Chalukyas and Vijayaditya VII. The Chola forces marched against Gangavadi and drove away the Chalukyas. Virarajendra then marched against Vengi and probably killed Saktivarma It, son of Vijayaditya VII.
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