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Somesvara (Hoysala)

Somesvara, or Vira-Somesvara, was the Hoysala king from 1233 to about 1254, the son of Narasimha II. His records give the Peddore, the Krishna, as the northern border of his kingdom. In 1240 he marched against the Telugu Choda chief Tikka of Nellore, called Gandagopala; the Cuddapah gazetteer says that Tikka defeated him. He spent most of his reign in the Chola country, living at Kannanur near Srirangam.

Somesvara, also called Vira-Somesvara, was a king of the Hoysalas from 1233 to about 1254.12 His records make the Krishna the northern border of his kingdom.1 In 1240 he fought the Telugu Choda chief Tikka of Nellore, who claimed the victory.34

Who he was

Somesvara was the son of Narasimha II and his queen Kalale-Devi.1 B. Lewis Rice dated his accession to 1233, because a record of 1254 is dated in his 21st year.1 Most of his wars were in the south.1 He lived for years at Kannanur, north of Srirangam, which he built in the Chola country.2 When he died in 1254, the kingdom was divided between his sons Narasimha III and Ramanatha.2

The northern border

His records give the borders of his kingdom: Kanchi on the east, Belur on the west, Wainad on the south and the Peddore, or Krishna, on the north.1 S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar (1921) wrote that under Vira-Somesvara the Hoysala lands reached north “as far as the frontiers of the Krishna, perhaps even a little beyond”.5 He noted a record of Somesvara at Pandharpur, far to the north-west.5

The war with Tikka

In the Chola country the Hoysalas met the Telugu Choda chief Tikka, also called Tirukalatti I and Gandagopala.36 Tikka ruled from Nellore and fought for the weak Chola king of his day.4 Robert Sewell wrote that Somesvara attacked Tikka in 1240, with a general named Singana.3 An inscription in the Kadur district of Mysore says that on this march Somesvara heard that a son had been born to him.3 Rice dates the birth of his son Narasimha III, perhaps, to 12 August 1240, from the same record.2

The Cuddapah gazetteer (1915) says that Tikka defeated the Hoysala king, whom it calls Vira-Somesvara.4 The Nellore gazetteer (1942) says that Tikka claimed to have opposed the Hoysala successfully, and so earned the title Cholarajyasthapanacharya, “establisher of the Chola kingdom”.6 See Tikka I.

Where the sources disagree

  • Who won in 1240. Sewell records only that Somesvara attacked Tikka.3 The Cuddapah gazetteer says Tikka defeated him.4
  • The end of his reign. Rice dated his death to 1254.2 The Nellore gazetteer gives him the years 1233 to 1263.7
  • His dates in the Cuddapah gazetteer. It gives Vira-Somesvara the years 1234 to 1253.4

Footnotes

  1. B. Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions (1909), p. 105 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  2. Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions (1909), p. 106 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. Robert Sewell and S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (1932), p. 144 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. C. F. Brackenbury, Madras District Gazetteers: Cuddapah (1915), p. 32 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, South India and her Muhammadan Invaders (1921), p. 67 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  6. Gazetteer of the Nellore District, brought up to 1938 (1942), p. 44 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased except for the short phrase quoted. ↩ ↩2

  7. Gazetteer of the Nellore District (1942), p. 45 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased. ↩

Dynasties

Hoysalas

c. 1173–1343 CE

The Hoysalas ruled from Dorasamudra (Halebid) in the Mysore region. They first served under the Western Chalukyas and became independent under Vishnuvardhana in the 12th century. Ballala II took Nolambavadi; his inscriptions are at Parigi (1178) and Hemavati (1205–06) in Anantapur district, and he claimed to have taken Gooty. His successors fought the Seunas, Pandyas and Telugu Chodas for the Chola country. In the later 13th century, they held the Rayachoti region. Ballala III lost Dorasamudra to Malik Kafur in 1311 but still ruled parts of Anantapur to 1340. A Kakatiya general defeated him at Kanchi. He was killed fighting the Sultan of Madurai in 1342.

References

Sources (5)
  1. B. Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions (opens in a new tab), Archibald Constable, London, 1909, pp. 105–106. [Public domain]
  2. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, South India and her Muhammadan Invaders (opens in a new tab), Oxford University Press (Humphrey Milford), London, 1921, pp. 67. [Public domain]
  3. Robert Sewell (ed. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar), The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (Collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History (opens in a new tab), University of Madras, 1932, pp. 144. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  4. C. F. Brackenbury, Madras District Gazetteers: Cuddapah, Vol. I (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1915, pp. 32. [Public domain]
  5. W. E. Johns, Gazetteer of the Nellore District, brought up to 1938, Vol. A (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1942, pp. 44–45. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]

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