The earliest mention of the Cholas is found in Ashoka’s inscriptions. The Cholas are mentioned as neighboring states in Ashoka’s second major rock edict.
After this, the Chola dynasty was established in the 9th century by Vijayalaya (850-871 AD). Initially, these Cholas were vassals of the Pallavas. Vijayalaya made Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) the capital and built the temple of Nishumbha Devi in ​​Thanjavur. Vijayalaya assumed the title of Narakesari.
Aditya I (871-907 A.D.)
He made the Cholas completely independent from the Pallavas. He defeated the last Pallava ruler Aparajita and killed him on the battlefield. Aditya-1 assumed the titles of Tondanadu, Kodandaram, and Narakesari.
Parantaka – I (907-955 A.D.)
Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna-III defeated Parantaka-I in the battle of Tavakolam (Tamil Nadu) and captured Tondaimandalam.
Uttama Chola and Madurekonda were the titles of Parantak-I. Uttaramerur inscription is related to Parantak-I from which information about local self-government is obtained.
Venkata Madhava, the commentator of the Rigveda, was his court writer.
Gunraditya (055-357 A.D.)
Arinjaya (957 A.D.)
Parantak-I (957-75 AD)
His title was Sundar–Chola
Uttama Chola (973-85 AD)
He was the first to issue gold coins in the Chola dynasty.
Rajaraja (985-1014 AD)
He was the first Chola ruler who started maintaining a permanent army and navy.
Ravivarman, the ruler of the Chera dynasty of Kerala, was defeated in the battle of Kandalur (Kerala).
He defeated Sri Lanka’s ruler Mahendra V and took over northern Sri Lanka. He razed Sri Lanka’s capital Anuradhapura to the ground and built a new capital, which was named Jayanath Mandal.
Rajaraja Chola conquered Maldives. Rajaraja provided shelter to Chalukya prince Shaktivarman and Vimaladitya of Vengi (Andhra Pradesh). Vimaladitya married his daughter and helped Shaktivarman in becoming the ruler of Vengi.
The famous Rajarajeswara or Vriddheshwar temple of Thanjavur was built by Rajaraja Chola.
Rajendra Chola (1014-44 A.D.)
He was the most powerful ruler of the Chola dynasty. He conquered the entire Sri Lanka.
After defeating Mahipal, the ruler of the Pala dynasty of Bengal, he assumed the title of Gangaikonda (meaning conqueror of the Ganges river) and founded a city called Gangaikondacholapuram (Trichyanapalli – Tamil Nadu). He defeated Sagram Kulothunga Varman, the ruler of the Srivijaya Empire of Indonesia.
Rajendra Chola is known as Pandit Chola. He was the first ruler who established control over the trade between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. During his time, the Bay of Bengal was called the Lake of Cholas.
Rajadhiraja (1044-52 A.D.)
He defeated the Chalukya ruler of Kalyani (Karnataka) Someshwara-1 and got himself crowned in Kalyani. Someshwara defeated Rajadhiraja in the battle of Koppam (Kerala) and killed him
The word Annamerutajin was used for Rajadhiraja, meaning the one who was killed in the battlefield while riding an elephant.
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Rajendra – II (1052-64 A.D.)
He defeated Someshwar in the Battle of Kopiyam and got himself crowned on the battlefield.
Rajendra II again defeated Someshvara in the Battle of Kundalasangam.
Virarajendra (1064-1070 A.D.)
He invited Someshwar to the battle of Kudalasangam but due to ill health Someshwar himself did not go and sent his armies which were defeated by Veerarajendra. Being humiliated Someshwar committed suicide by jumping into the Tungabhadra river.
Adhirajendra (1070 A.D.)
Adhirajendra was murdered by the people at the instigation of Kulothunga I, the Chalukya crown prince of Vengi, and the Chola empire came under the control of the Vengi branch of the Chalukyas.
Kulothunga-I (1070-1120 A.D.
He was a staunch Shaivite ruler. He expelled the Vaishnavite saint Ramanujacharya and all the Alvar saints from his empire.
Vikrama Chola (1120-1133 A.D.)
He rebuilt the Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram (Karnataka).
Kulotunga-II (1133-1155 A.D.)
He got the idol of Govindaraja located in the Nataraja temple of Chidambaram thrown into the sea which was taken out by Ramanujacharya and installed in the Tirupati temple.
During the reign of Vijayanagara ruler Ramrai, this idol was re-installed in the Nataraja temple.
Rajendra III
He was the last ruler of the Chola dynasty.