The Colas c23.47

c23.47

This survey of the relations between the Telugu-Cōḍas and Kulōttunga throughout his reign shows clearly that the Telugu-Cōḍas did not once find themselves strong enough to defy Kulōttunga for any length of time. And the statement in the Śrīrangam epigraph that ‘Kulōttunga entered Kāñcī with his anger abated’ shows that the campaign was of the nature of a punitive expedition directed against vassals who had raised the standard of revolt. The Cōḷa supremacy was certainly still maintained in its full vigour up to Cuddapah and Nellore at the time of Kulōttunga’s accession.¹⁰¹ And, except for the short interlude now engaging our attention, Kulōttunga’s inscriptions do not give a contrary impression. There were many indications, to which we have drawn attention in the course of the narrative, that the feudatories of the empire were increasing in their strength and that the moment the central government passed into incompetent hands, the empire would go to pieces. But Kulōttunga III was by no means a weak ruler and on the whole he succeeded, in the midst of many troubles, in maintaining the integrity of his inheritance. The temporary loss of Kāñcīpuram in this reign and the need that arose for recovering it after a fight were the first clear indications of what was coming in the future.