Chola conquest of the Anuradhapura Kingdom
Chola invasion and occupation of Anuradhapura, 993–1070 CE.
The Chola conquest of the Anuradhapura Kingdom was a military invasion and occupation of the Sinhalese kingdom by the Chola Empire, lasting roughly from 993 CE to 1070 CE. The conquest followed earlier conflicts between the Cholas and a Pandya-Sinhalese alliance, and was driven partly by the Chola desire to recover royal treasures held in Anuradhapura. The period of Chola entrenchment in Sri Lanka ended when Vijayabahu I recaptured the north, east, and central parts of the island and restored Sinhalese sovereignty.
Quick Facts
- Part of
- Chola–Sinhalese wars
- Date
- 992–1017
- Location
- Anuradhapura Kingdom
Facts from the source article.
History
Before the mid-tenth century, military expeditions from South Indian forces into Anuradhapura were brief and ad hoc, aimed at short-term gains followed by withdrawal. With the ascension of the imperial Chola kings Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra I, a new strategy emerged: ruthless plunder and destruction of major political and religious centers, followed by the establishment of semi-permanent fortified encampments for wide-ranging raids. The tirumagal inscription of Rajaraja I, dated to 993 AD, first mentions Anuradhapura among his conquests. The capital at Anuradhapura was utterly destroyed, and the administrative center was moved to Polonnaruwa, renamed Jananathamangalam. A Shiva temple called Rajarajeshvara was erected at Mahatirtha, renamed Rajaraja-pura.
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