Satyasraya - Invasion of Vengi

Invasion of Vengi

Satyasraya continued the aggressive policies of his father Tailapa II. He quickly identified the growing Chola power as his nemesis and resented their increasing influence in the Vengi region and with the Eastern Chalukyas. He sent an army led by one of his generals Baya Nambi to invade the Eastern Chalukyan kingdom in 1006 C.E. to overthrow the Chola-Chalukya alliance and bring the east coast under his control. The general entered Vengi from the south, reduced the forts of Dharanikota and Yanamadala to ashes and established himself at Chebrolu (Guntur district). Rajaraja Chola distracted the attention of Satyasraya by sending his son Rajendra Chola I to invade Rattapadi in the west and thus compelled him to withdraw his army from Vengi for the defence of his realm.

According to Chalukya records, Satyasraya gained success in war against the Cholas, though this is not supported by any epigraphical or inscriptional evidence, especially considering that for several years after his war with the Cholas led by Raja Raja Chola I's son Rajendra Chola I in 1007-08 AD, the inscriptions of Satyasraya himself are issued from places far away from his capital Manyakheta, like Kogali and Kadambalige in Chitradurga district of modern Karnataka claiming him to be 'ruling from' those places.

During his reign the Paramaras and Chedi, rulers of areas that are modern Gujarat and Central India reconquered the territory that they had lost to the Chalukyas earlier. Satyashraya, however, subdued the Shilahara king Aparijitha ruler of North Konkana. He was drawn into a war with the Cholas under Raja Raja Chola I because of their close association with the Eastern Chalukya kingdom of Vengi, which was cemented through marriage. Perceiving this to be an increased interference of Cholas in his sphere of influence, Satyasraya invaded Vengi in 1006 AD.