Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya, the powerful maritime State, which ruled the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the neighbouring islands?

1. Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta)
2. Prataparudra (Kakatiya)
3. Rajendra I (Chola)
4. Vishnuvardhana (Hoysala)

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• Rajendra Chola (1012- 1044 CE):  He led the naval expedition against the Sri Vijaya empire of Southeast Asia. The empire was led by the Sailendra dynasty and extended over the Malay peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the neighbouring islands. The expeditions led to the conquest of Kadaram and a number of other places in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. He also led the expedition up to the Godavari River and sent a victorious expedition to north India. The Chola army crossed the Ganges by defeating a number of rulers on its way. To commemorate this successful north Indian campaign, Rajendra founded the capital near the mouth of the Kaveri River and named it Gangaikondacholapuram. He also constructed the famous Shiva temple in that city. Rajendra Chola also conquered southern Sri Lanka, effectively bringing the entire island under Chola rule during his reign.
• Rajendra Chola assumed the titles, such as:
  • Mudikonda Cholan (the crowned Chola)
  • Gangaikonda Cholam (Chola who conquered the Ganga)
  • Kadaramkondan (conqueror of Kadaram)
  • Pandita Cholan (scholarly Cholan)

Option (a) is incorrect

• The Rashtrakuta Dynasty, founded by Dantivarman, ruled parts of the Indian subcontinent from the 6^th to 10^th CE. Amoghavarsha I ruled the Rashtrakuta dynasty for 64 years (c. 814 – 878 CE). He was a follower of Jainism, and his reign was known for cultural development. He patronised many scholars, including Mahaviracharya, Jinasena (teacher of Amoghavarsha), Virasena, Shakatayan and Sri Vijaya. Among the successors of Amoghavarsha I, Krishna III (934 – 963 CE) was famous for his expeditions. He marched against the Cholas, defeated the Chola king, Prantaka I, in 949 CE in the Battle of Takkolam and annexed the northern part of the Chola empire. He went as far as Rameswaram and occupied it for some time. After his death, the power of the Rashtrakutas declined.

Option (b) is incorrect

• The Kakatiya dynasty was a Telugu dynasty ruled from Warangal from the 12^th and 14^th centuries. Prataparudra succeeded Rani Rudramma Devi (r. c. 1262–1289 CE), one of the few prominent women rulers in Indian history. In 1309 CE, he was defeated by Malik Kafur, a general of Alauddin Khilji. To avoid further destruction, he agreed to pay annual tribute to Delhi, thereby temporarily preserving his kingdom.

Option (d) is incorrect

• The Hoysala Kingdom was a Medieval Kingdom that ruled most of present-day Karnataka, parts of Tamil Nadu and southwestern Telangana between the twelfth and the fourteenth centuries CE. Originally, the Kannada Hoysalas were feudatories of the Western Chalukyas. In 1108, Vishnuvardhana became a ruler and started asserting his independence by fighting his overlord, Vikramaditya VI (Western Chalukyas of Kalyani) and the Chola Empire. Vishnuvardhana’s grandson Veera Ballala II became the ruler in 1173 and formally declared his independence.

Answer: (c) Rajendra I (Chola); Difficulty Level: Easy