Vinayaditya

Vinayaditya ((680 – 696 CE) followed his father, Vikramaditya I on to the Chalukya throne. His reign was marked by general peace and harmony. He earned the titles "Yuddhamalla", "Sahasarasika", "Satyashraya".

Northern expedition

Inscriptions speak of many victories to Vinyaditya. He had fought alongside his father against the Pallavas. According to the Jejuri record of 684, he defeated the Pallavas, Kalabhras, Keralas and the Kalachuri of central India. from the Kolhapur plates of 678 he defeated the kingdoms of Lanka and Kamera which according to Dr. S. Nagaraju was Khmer or Cambodia. The Vakkaleri plates confirm the Chalukya levying tribute on Kamera, Lanka and Parasika (Persia).According to Dr. Sircar, it is very possible that the chiefs of Lanka and Persia may have sought protection from the Chalukya, considering the unstable political situation in those countries. During this time, Persia was under Islamic invasion.

Vinayaditya sent an expedition to the north under the command of his son Vijayaditya. According to some accounts, Vijayaditya was captured and held prisoner and after a period of incarceration, escaped and returned to the Chalukyan kingdom to be crowned the monarch of the empire.

We do not have any further information on this expedition. Vinayaditya sent an ambassador to the Chinese court in 692.

Vijayaditya succeeded his father in 696.
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References

* Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
* Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
* Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat (2001). Concise History of Karnataka, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002).
* South Indian Inscriptions - http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/
* [http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm History of Karnataka, Mr. Arthikaje]