Nedunjeliyan II

Nedunjeliyan II
Reign	210 CE
Dynasty	Pandyan

Nedunjeliyan II (c. 210 CE) was the greatest of Early Pandya Kings. He defeated a confederacy of the Cholas and Cheras at Talaiyalanganam near Tiruvarur and conquered most of the Tamil country establishing him as the most important ruler of his time. His deeds have been described in detail in the Maduraikkanci.

Reign

Nedunjeliyan II was a descendant of Nedunjeliyan I. His reign has been arbitrarily fixed in the early part of the 3rd century AD. Nedunjeliyan II ascended the throne at an early age and almost immediately upon his accession, the kingdom was invaded by the Cheras and Cholas. Nedunjeliyan II, however, defeated the invaders and pursued the retreating forces as far as Talaiyalanganam deep inside Chola territory and inflicted a crushing defeat upon them. The Chera king Mandaranjeral Irumporai was taken captive by Nedunjeliyan.

Following his victory at Talaiyalanganam, Nedunjeliyan mounted a campaign against the Velirs and Millalai and Muttur.

References

• Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. A History of South India: From Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar. p. 115.