The Eastern Calukyas
Summary
The Eastern Chalukyas of Vishnuvardhana and Vijayaditya I ruled parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana between the 8th and 10th centuries. Vishnuvardhana (709–746 CE) held titles like *Samastabhuvanasraya*, *Tribhuvanankuia*, and *Visamasiddhi*, with six known inscriptions documenting his reign. Key grants include the Ganapavaram plates (land to Nuri-darman in Ariyeru), Pasapubarru plates (land to Kedavasdarmen in Parandi), Setapadu inscription (land gift by an unidentified king possibly linked to Vishnuvardhana II or IV), Peravali inscription (grant to Viradarman in Peravali), Musinikunda plates (land for a Jain temple in Bijavida, issued in 762 CE by Kubja-Visnuvardhana’s queen Ayyana-Mahadevi), and Jalayiuru plates (land grant by Moghinduvardja’s daughter to a Brahmana in Plolnandu-visaya). During his later reign, the Pallava general Udayacandra defeated the Nisida chief Prithivyighra, who had invaded the southern Eastern Chalukya territory, and annexed parts of the kingdom. Vijayaditya I (ruled c. 762–808 CE) succeeded his father, assuming titles like *Tribhuvanankuda*, *Vijayasiddhi*, and *Vikramaditya*. His reign saw political upheaval, including the fall of the Badami Chalukyas to the
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Conclusion
This study of Visnuvardhana II's reign through land grant inscriptions reveals strategic royal women's agency in administrative acts, Pallava dynasty connections through marriage alliances, and territorial disputes with the Nisidas that prompted military interventions by Pallava allies. The documented land transactions demonstrate both the consolidation of power through royal patronage of temples and the fluid geopolitical boundaries of the period. The evidence of Udayacandra's military campaigns underscores the Eastern Calukyas' vulnerability to northern invasions and their reliance on external alliances for territorial integrity. These findings collectively highlight the complex interplay of regional powers, dynastic politics, and socio-religious patronage in shaping the Eastern Calukya kingdom's trajectory during this period.