Vijayalaya Chola

The first medieval Chola ruler was Vijayalaya who in 848 AD re-established the Chola rule. His capital was Thanjaur. The question, whether Vijayalaya was from the same Chola Dynasty, is not resolved. Vijayalaya was able to get benefit from the Pandya-Pallava rivalry. He perhaps captured Thanjaur in 848 AD by removing the Mutharaiyars, a family that belonged to the Pandya Clan or was a feudatory of Pandyas. Vijayalaya was a Pallava feudatory. Because of this victory, the Cholas became powerful and Vijayalaya wiped out both the Pandyas and Pallavas from the Thanjaur area. Vijayalaya renovated Thanjaur and built solesvara temple at Padukottai.

The rise of the Chola power miffed both the Pallavas and Pandyas. The Pandya King Varagunavarman II and Pallava King Nandivarman III became allies to block the rising Chola Power. Nadivarman III died in 869 AD and a dispute arose between his son Nripatunga and Aparajita Pallava, stepbrother of Nriptunga. Aparajita came in the side of Cholas. The armies of Chola and the Pandya met at Sripurambiyam, near Kumbakonam. Aditya Chola I led the Cholas.