Veera Ballala II

Veera Ballala II

Veera Ballala II (Kannada: ವೀರ ಬಲ್ಲಾಳ) (1173–1220 CE) was perhaps the greatest monarch of the Hoysala Empire. This is proven by his successes against the Seuna, Southern Kalachuri, Pandya and the waning Kalyani Chalukya dynasties. His period also saw prolific literary activity in Kannada. He patronised Ranna and Rudrabhatta. During his forty seven years of rule, the Hoysala kingdom consolidated to the extent of being called an independent empire. The Kedareshvara temple at Halebidu and Amrutesvara Temple in Chikmagalur were some important temples built by him.