Vishnuvardhana - Conquests

Conquests

Vishnuvardhana worked closely with his elder brother Veera Ballala I in matters of administration and military campaigns. Vishnuvardhana's first major conquest was the Cholan territory of Gangavadi in 1115, which is now a major portion of south Karnataka. Vishnuvardhana's general Gangaraja wrested the territory from the Cholas.

Vishnuvardhana now assumed the title Talakadugonda and Veera Ganga, minted coins with these legends and in celebration of his successes against his overlords the Chalukyas, he built the Kirthinarayana temple at Talakad and also initiated construction of the Chennakesava Temple at Belur. Chola commanders like Adigaiman may have helped Vishnuvardhana in his conquest. Being Vaishnava Hindu by faith, the Chola commander may not have been treated well by Kulothunga Chola I. One Hoysalan epitaph notes that Vishnuvardhana burned the Gangavadi city of Talakad and polluted the waters of river Kaveri by throwing the corpses of his enemies into it. This pollution of the Kaveri is mentioned in multiple inscriptions in the Hassan district where he identifies his contemporary on the Chola throne and one of his opponents as Rajendra Chola. He claims to have burnt the chief of the Gangas and polluted the waters of the Kaveri by throwing the corpses of his enemies into it and thus drove Rajendra Chola to use the wells in the vicinity. He also claims to have captured Talakkad and burnt the hearts of the Tulu kings. This Rajendra Chola is none other than the Eastern Chalukya king Kulothunga Chola I who also called himself Rajendra Chola. Vishnuvardhana assumed many titles like Buja bala ganga, Vira ganga, Nolambavadigonda, Talakadugonda, etc. and minted coins with his title in 1117.

The Hoysalas defeated Chalukyan king Vikramaditya VI at Kennagala in 1118, and at Hallur in 1120. Vishnuvardhana captured the fort of Hanagal, subdued the Kadambas of Banavasi. However Vishnuvardhana suffered reversals at the hands of Chalukya commander Achugi of Gulbarga and had to submit to the Chalukya overlordship. After the death of Vikramaditya VI in 1126 Vishnuvardhana recaptured Hanagal, Uchchangi, Bankapura and Banavasi-12000 province and marched up to Lakkundi in Gadag district.

Towards the end of his life, Vishnuvardhana had wrested many territories that were hitherto under the control of other ruling dynasties. Though not fully able to conquer South India from the Chalukyas, Vishnuvardhana was able to rise the territory to the dignity of a real kingdom and laid the foundations for the conquests that were to follow by his successors Veera Ballala II and III.

There is controversy regarding the year in which Vishnuvardhana died. Though some historians claim he lived up to 1152. the proof from Yalladahalli inscription shows that his younger son Narasimha I was already the king in 1145. The demise of Vishnuvardhana is fixed at 1141 by other scholars.