Chola Dynasty of south Indian rulers originated in the Cauvery Valley. Uraiyur now Tiruchchirappalli was its oldest capital. The Chola chronology is difficult. Vijayalaya began the occupation of the territory of the Pallavas, which was extended under Aditya I known as the destroyer of Madurai, defeated Sinhalese invaders and untied the lands of the Chos and the Pandyas between 926 and 942. Coming to terms with the Rashtrakutas, he took Nellore from them but their king, Krishna III seized Tondaimandalam. Rajaraja I an able administrator protected Vengi and occupied the Gangesvadi territory annihilating the western Gangas. By 996 he had conquered Kerala and acquired. His son Rajendra Chola Deva I outdid Rajaraja`s achievements. He placed a son on the throne at Madurai, completed the conquest of Ceylon, overran the Deccan and sent an expedition to the north that penetrated to the Gangas water to the new capital Gangesikondacholapuram.

The Chola ruler Virarajendra attempted to render the Chalukya Empire in the Deccan harmless, but his death enabled Vikramaditya Chalukya to dabble in Chola family quarrels. Rajendra II extended Chola influence into the South Asian region especially Sri Vijaya and Kheda in Malaya.