Vijayalaya Chola - Rise of Vijayalaya

Rise of Vijayalaya

Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur in 848 CE.

It is not stated in any of the records, how Vijayalaya defeated to capture Thanjavur. During the 8th century Tanjore was ruled by a family of chiefs known as the Mutharaiyars. Historians have suggested that they may have belonged to the Pandya clan. At this time there was a great struggle going on between the Pallavas and the Pandyas for the political supremacy of South India. In this disturbed state of affairs, Vijayalaya seems to have found a good opportunity to defeat the Muttaraiyan chiefs, and make himself the ruler of Thanjavur and the surrounding Chola country. He also defeated the Pallavas.

Vijayala Chola conquered Thanjavur from Elango Mutharaiyar who was the final ruler of Mutharaiyar dynasty. It is said that in the year 852 CE Vijayalaya Chola waged war with the Muttaraiyar king Sattan Paliyilli (826–852 CE) in the neighbouring east, and captured his territory of Thanjavur. While Vijayalaya Chola was a Pallava feudatory, the Muttaraiyan chief was a Pandya feudatory. Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur. As a result of this defeat of Muttarayar chiefs, Cholas became so powerful that Pallavas were also wiped out from Thanjavore region at a later stage.