Kulothunga's Accession
When Virarajendra died and his son and successor Adhirajendra was assassinated a few months later in 1070 C.E in the Chola capital The Chola dynasty was without a lineal successor in the Vijayalaya Chola line.
For three generations the Eastern Chalukyan princes had married in to the Imperial Chola family and they came to feel that they belonged as much to the Chola family as to the Eastern Chalukyan. Further Rajendra Chalukya of Vengi, according to Kalingaltuparani, an epic written in praise of Kulothunga's invasion of Kalinga, 'spent his childhood days in Gangaikonda Cholapuram and was a familiar favourite to the princes and the people of the Chola country'. It is under these circumstances, Rajendra Chalukya moved into the 'Political vacuum created by the death of Adhirajendra' and established himself on the Chola throne as Kulothunga Chola I. Since then Kulottunga I and his descendants came to be known as the Chalukya-Cholas in history.
Kulothunga I reconciled himself with his uncle Vijayaditya VII and allowed him to rule Vengi during the remaining years of his life. With Vijayaditya's death in 1075 C.E., the Eastern Chalukyan line came to an end. Vengi became a province of the Chola Empire. Kulottunga Chola I administered the province through his sons by sending them as Viceroys. However there was a prolonged fight between him and Vikramaditya VI over the possession of Vengi, which frequently changed hands.
This perpetual struggle between the two great rulers ended in the Vengi kingdom slipping out of the Chola hands in 1118 C.E.
Read more about this topic: Later Cholas