Veera Ballala II

Amriteshwara temple 1196, Chikkamagaluru district

Veera Ballala II (Kannada: ವೀರ ಬಲ್ಲಾಳ) (1173–1220 CE) was the greatest monarch of the Hoysala Empire^{[citation needed]}. This is proven by his successes against the Seuna, Southern Kalachuri, and the waning Kalyani Chalukya dynasties. He caused the demise of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty. His period also saw prolific literary activity in Kannada. He patronised Ranna and Rudrabhatta. During his forty seven years of rule, the Hoysala kingdom consolidated to the extent of being called an independent empire. The Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu and Amritheswara temple in Chikmagalur were some important temples built by him.

Ballala's revolt

Ballala II was unhappy with the shrinking size of the Hoysala kingdom during the rule of his not too popular father Narasimha I. With the help of some malnad chiefs, Ballala II overthrew his father and assumed control of the kingdom. He later ensured the same Malnad chiefs could not rise against him.

Wars against Kalachuri, Chalukya and Seuna

Profile, Kedareshwara Temple in Halebidu

During his early rule in 1178 Ballala II captured Hanagal and tried to reach Belvola where he faced defeat against the Kalachuri. Bijjala Kalachuri had occupied the Kalyani, capital of the Western Chalukyas king, Tailapa III between 1155–1158 AD and was still ruling in 1168 AD before his death. 'Three of his sons ruled in quick succession up to 1183, but none of them had the ability to turn Bijjala's usurpation to good account, though they continued to war against the Hoysalas under Veera Ballala II', 'and met with some initial successes'. The skirmishes and setbacks to Veera Ballala II against the Kalachuris happened during the period 1175-1183 AD. In subsequent years, Veera Ballala II once again pressed his claims over these northern territories. He captured Balligavi from the Kalachuri and defeated Chalukya Somesvara IV in 1187. 'Before 1189' the Seuna-Yadava ruler Bhillama (1187–1191) 'invaded the Western Chalukyakingdom and seized its northern districts'. 'He spent some years in the south organizing his new conquests. His pressure compelled the Western Chalukya ruler Somesvara IV to shift his capital to Banavasi' and 'Kalyani passed into the hands of the Seuna-Yadavas. Meanwhile, Veera Ballala II struck a blow on his account and defeated Somesvara IV and his general Brahma in a series of battles, the last of which occurred in 1190 AD. That was the end of Western Chalukya power'. There naturally ensued a contest between Veera Ballala-II and Bhillama. Several battles were fought and in the final engagement near Soraturu and Lakkundi near Gadag. Bhillama was defeated in 1191 AD and Veera Ballala II advanced the northern frontier of his empire to the Malaprabha and Krishna rivers'.

However, 'Veera Ballala II was not left in undisturbed possession of his northern conquests' by the Seuna-Yadavas, who rapidly expanded their territories under Jaitrapal (Jaitugi), who warred against the Kakatiyas'. 'Jaitugi's son and successor Singhana the greatest ruler of the Seuna-Yadava dynasty. During his rule the kingdom expanded from Narmada to Tungabhadra, reaching its zenith at the expense of Hoysalas in the south, Kakatiya dynasty in the east, Paramaras and Chalukyas in the north. Singhana-II resumed the war against the Hoysala Veera Ballala II ten years after his accession in 1210 and was assisted by the Kadambas of Konkan and other feudatories who had been resisting Veera Ballala II already for some years. As a result of Singhana-II's campaigns, by 1216 AD Ballala-II lost almost all the territory he had gained by his wars against Somesvara IV and Bhillama'.

Relations ship with Cholas

Ballala II was married to a daughter of Kulothunga Chola III and vice versa. Initially, Ballala II attacked the forces Kulothunga Chola III, who had continued Chola hegemony over the provinces of Gangavadi, Kolar in the Kannada country. However, Kulothunga Chola III, who also held the Pandya country and Eelam, modern Sri Lanka, proved to be a strong adversary and he inflicted a defeat on Ballala II. Ballala II thought it fit to turn enemity into friendship by entering into a marital relationship with Kulothunga III. This helped him in his own troubles against other adversaries like the Kalachuris under Bijjala-II and the Seunas of Yadava country. He also reciprocated by fighting with Kulothunga III when the Pandyas attacked the Cholas, Ballala's sent crown prince Vira Narasimha II who fought successfully in the first war against the rampaging Pandyas and ensured victory for the Cholas. By virtue of this, Ballala II gained the title Cholarajyapratishtacharya and Kulothunga Chola III was given the title "Hoysala Purawaradheeshwaran" because of both his victory over Ballala II and his help to his brother in law Ballala II in his wars against the Kalachuris under Bijjala-II. There are is a confusion among historians as to the nature of marital relationship between Ballala II and Kulothunga Chola III. Some believe Ballala-II to be the son in law of Kulothunga Chola III and other historians believe it was vice versa.

References

• Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, A Concise history of Karnataka from pre-historic times to the present, Jupiter books, MCC, Bangalore, 2001 (Reprinted 2002) OCLC: 7796041
• K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002), ISBN 019560686-8
• 'Yādava Dynasty' Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite.

Preceded by Narasimha I

Hoysala 1173–1220

Succeeded by Vira Narasimha II

External links

• History of Karnataka, Arthikaje