Somesvara II (reign 1068–1076 CE) who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Somesvara I (Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Somesvara I. During his reign Somesvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI. Eventually Somesvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI.
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Chola invasion [edit]
Almost immediately after coming to power, Somesvara II had to face an invasion by the Chola forces led by Virarajendra Chola. The Chola army invaded the Chalukya country and laid a siege to the town of Gutti in (Kurnool district) and attacked Kampili. Instead of assisting his brother in order to save the Chalukya kingdom, Vikramaditya turned the troubles of his brother into his opportunity to capture the Chalukya throne.
Vikramaditya's Opportunism [edit]
Vikramaditya saw the opportunity presented by the confusion in the kingdom due to the Chola invasion. Vikramaditya seduced Somesvara's feudatories from their loyalty towards the monarch, and with their aid, entered into negotiations with the Chola king Virarajendra.
Vikramaditya made his alliance with Virarajendra.
Chalukya civil war [edit]
The political situation drastically changed when Virarajendra died in 1070 and his son Athirajendra Chola came to the Chola throne. Kulothunga Chola I eventually came to the Chola throne in a confusion created by civil disturbances in which Athirajendra was assassinated. As Vikramaditya was antagonistic towards Kulothunga, Somesvarea II went into an alliance with Kulothunga and prepared to attack Vikramaditya.
The conflict eventually occurred in 1075 when Kulothunga launched an attack on Vikramaditya. Somesvara aided Kulothunga Chola by attacking Vikramaditya's rear. What resulted was a brief civil war in which Somesvara suffered heavy defeats. Vikramaditya captured the Chalukya king and imprisoned him. Vikramaditya VI proclaimed himself the Chalukuya king in 1076.
See also [edit]
| Preceded by Somesvara I |
Western Chalukyas 1068 –1076 |
Succeeded by Vikramaditya VI |
References [edit]
- Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
- Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
- Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat (2001). Concise History of Karnataka, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002).
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