country along the Eastern Coast from the borders of Orissa as far south 

 as the borders of the Pallava country. The Pallava kingdom was a 

 powerful one, possessing the coast from its junction with the Chalukyas 

 down to the northern border of the Chola territories, i.e., just south of 

 Kanchl. The Cholas remained within their own borders and the 

 Pandiyans in theirs, while the Kongu kings, who governed (apparently) 

 the old Chera country east of the Malayalam tracts along the coast, 

 although they were still independent and powerful, were beginning to 

 feel the effect of the attacks of the little kingdom of the Hoysala 

 Ballalas, then rising into power and destined to subvert many of the 

 surrounding monarchies. 



In A.D. 1023, by an intermarriage between the two dynasties, the 

 Chola sovereign acquired possession of the whole of the Eastern 

 Chalukyan dominions. This was followed, apparently at the beginning 

 of the reign of his successor, Eajendra Kulottunga Chola (1064 — 

 1113), by the complete subversion of the Pallavas by the Cholas, and 

 the annexation to the latter kingdom of their possessions. Rajendra 

 also conquered the Pandiyans, and established a short dynasty of 

 " Chola-Pandiyan " kings at Madura. A little later the Hoysala 

 Ballalas entirely overthrew the Kongu kings and seized their territories, 

 so that the whole of the south of India passed at that time through a 

 period of great political disturbance, which resulted in the Cholas 

 obtaining almost universal sovereignty for a short period, checked, 

 however, by the power of the Hoysala Ballalas above the ghats in 

 Maisur. 



This latter powder was increased in importance by its conquest of the 

 Kadambas and Kalachuris to its immediate north about the beginning 

 of the thirteenth centurj'-, and by the downfall of the great Western 

 Chalukyan dynasty about A.D. 1184, which was caused partly by its 

 wars with the Kadambas and partly by the rise of the Ballalas. A 

 little later the Cholas lost their northern possessions, which were seized 

 by the Granapatis of Orangal. 



We now find ourselves in the thirteenth century, the three great 

 southern powers being the Cholas and Pandiyans — both seemingly 

 losing strength — and the Hoysala Ballalas, rapidly growing in power. 

 What might have occurred it is needless to enquire, though imagination 

 readily depicts the impetuous Ballalas sweeping down from the ghats 

 and succeeding in subverting the ancient dynasties of the plains ; but 

 a new power now appears on the scene, which was destined to acquire 

 universal dominion in course of time — the power of the Musalmdns. 



Delhi had been captured by the Ghazni Ghorians in 1193, and a 

 dynasty established there which lasted till A.D. 1288. The Khiljis 

 succeeded (1288 — 1321), and Alau-d-din Khilji despatched the first 

 Muhammadan expedition into the Dakhan in A.D. 1306. Four years 

 later the Musalman armies under Malik Kafur swept like a torrent 

 over the peninsula, 



Devagiri and Orangal were both reduced to subjection, the capital 

 of the Hoysala Ballalas was taken and sacked, and the kingdoms both 

 of the Cholas and Pandiyans w^ere overthrown. Anarchy followed 

 over the whole south — Musalmdn Governors, representatives of the old 

 royal famil^s, and local chiefs being apparently engaged for years in 



