A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c14.40

c14.40

Vikramāditya thus found himself placed between two enemies, his brother Someśvara at home and Kulottunga I in the Chola and Vengi countries. It was the task of Vikramāditya during the next six years to extricate himself from this dangerous situation. He continued to undermine the position of his brother Someśvara by inducing the feudatories of the empire to desert his cause. Among them were, besides his younger brother Jayasimha, and Vijayāditya, who were already on his side, the Kadamba ruler Jayakeśi of Konkan, Vinayāditya and his son Ereyanga of the Hoysala family just coming into prominence, the Pāndya ruler of Uccangi and even the distant Yādava ruler Seuna II of Devagiri. Someśvara had a difficult time, but he did his best with the support of a few loyal lieutenants to maintain himself at the head of the state and entered into an alliance with Kulottunga I. The preparations on both sides, military and diplomatic, were completed by about 1075 when the war began with a clash at Nangili in the Kolar district between the forces of Vikramāditya and Kulottunga. Vikramāditya was defeated and pursued by the Cholas up to the Tungabhadra with heavy fighting all the way. Kulottunga made himself the master of Gangavādi. But Someśvara who co-operated with Kulottunga by attacking Vikramāditya's rear was the worst sufferer. He fell into the hands of Vikramāditya who threw him into prison, proclaimed himself king (1076) and started a new era—the Chālukya-Vikrama era—to commemorate his accession.