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No. 35.]
THE SMALLER LEIDEN PLATES OF KULOTTUNGA I.
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to Rājēndra-Chola I. three sons, of whom the first was Rājādhirāja I".1 Rājēndradēva and Virarājēndra are distinctly called Rajadhiraja's younger brothers;' and they succeeded to the Chola throne one after another.
A careful examination of the lowest and the highest regnal years of the inscriptions of the successive Chöļa kings Räjöndra-Chöļa I., Rājādhirāja I., Rājëndradëva, and Virarājëndra as well as the results of the calculation of the astronomical details furnished in many of them establishes :(1) that Rajendra Chola I. counted his regnal years from A.D. 1011, though his actual
rule began in A.D. 1014-154 and lasted till A.D. 1044, and that he installed his
eldest son Rājādhirāja I. heir-apparent in A.D. 1018; (2) that Rājādhirāja I. counted his regnal years from A.D. 10186 though his rule actually
began in A.D. 1044' and lasted till A.D. 1053-48 and that in his turn he
installed his younger brother Rājēndradēva as his heir-apparent in A.D. 1052 ; (3) that Rājēndradēva counted his regnal years from A.D. 1052° though his rule actually
began in A.D.1054 and lasted till A.D. 106510 and that he installed his next younger
brother Virarājēndra as his heir-apparent in A.D. 1062 ; and (4) that Virarājēndra counted his regnal years from A.D. 106211 though his rule actually
began in A.D. 1064-5 and lasted till A.D. 1069.12 Besides the above named kings there were also two others who, as the inscriptions left by them prove, had actually ruled over the Chola dominions, even though it be for short periods only. These are Rājakēsarivarman Rajamahēndradēva and Parakēsarivarman Adhirājēndra. The inscriptions of the first so far found, are dated in the 2nd and 3rd years 18 while those of the Becond, which are somewhat more numerous, are also dated in the 2nd and 3rd years.14
As Rājakēsarivarman Rājamahēndra claims to have defeated Ahavamalla at Mudarkāru and gained victory over Jayasimha who commanded his forces, it looks pretty certain that he must have reigned after Rājēndradēva. Since he and Virarājēndrs are both styled Räjakësarivarman, they may be considered to have ruled conjointly, for otherwise Virarājēndra should have borne the title Parakësari and not Rājakēsari as he is actually called in all his records. Since one of the
1 Trav. Arch. Series, Vol. III, p. 157, v. 73. * Tid., vv. 74-76.
. Above, Vol. VII, p. 7. It has been shown that the reign was counted from a date between the 26th November A.D. 1011 and the 7th July 1012.
"The earliest year found in his inscriptions is the 3rd. $ Anntal Report on Epigraphy for 1915-16, p. 118, para. 14.
• Above, Vol. VII, p. 7. The reign is determined to count from a date between 15th March and 3rd December A.D. 1018.
* The earliest year found for him in inscriptions is the 26th.
* The latest known date is the 36th year. See No. 262 of the Madras Epigraphical Collection for 1921, where the king is called Rājakēsarivarman alias Vijayarājēndradēvs which was another name for Rājādhiraja I.
Above, Vol. VII, p. 7. His reign is determined to have commenced approximately on the 28th May A.D. 1052.
10 Madras Epigraphical Collection for 1927-28, No. 63, which is dated in the 11th year of the king's reign. His earliest inscription is of the 2nd year.
11 The commencement of his reign is determined to have fallen between the 11th September A.D. 1062 and the 10th September A.D. 1063.
1. The earliest date known for him is the 2nd year and the latest 8th. See 8. 1. I., Vol. V, No. 976 and Vol. III, No. 57.
13 8. I. I., Vol. II, No. 56 and Vol. VII, No. 743. 14 No. 123 of the Madras Epigraphical Collection for 1926 and 8. I. I., Vol. II, No. 57. 15 See text of No. 743 of 8. I. I. (Texts), Vol. VII.
