The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c13.s1.t7: Vijayāditya IV
The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c13.s1.t7
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Vijayāditya IV
v2.c13.s1.t7.1
Vijayāditya IV, surnamed Kollabhigaṇḍa, ruled only for a period of six months. Short as it was, however, his reign was not uneventful. As soon as he ascended the throne he found it necessary to lead an expedition into Kalinga. The circumstances in which he was thus obliged to invade Kalinga are unknown to us. Very probably the Eastern Gangas under their energetic king Vajrahasta III had repudiated the Eastern Cālukya supremacy and asserted their independence. However that may have been, we know that Kollabhigaṇḍa penetrated into Kalinga at the head of his army and overthrew the enemy who had opposed him near the city of Viraja.³ The victory, however, was transformed into a disaster owing to Vijayāditya's death either in the battle itself or immediately afterwards. The army, deprived of its leader, had to turn back, and the nobles and officers hastened homewards to take part in the anticipated war of succession.
v2.c13.s1.t7.2
³ *ARE*, 1917, pt. ii, para. 26; 1918, pt. ii, para. 5.
v2.c13.s1.t7.3
The death of Vijayāditya IV marks the beginning of a period of struggles for the supreme power and of civil war. Kings followed one another in a rapid and bewildering series. Within the short space of a dozen years Vengi passed in turn under the rule of no fewer than six monarchs, none of whom had either the strength or the ability to dominate and control the government. The situation was further aggravated by the appearance of foreign invaders who found it convenient thus to profit by the disturbed conditions.