Someshvara II

Someshvara II (IAST: Someśvara; r. 1068 – 1076 CE) who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Someshvara I (Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Someshvara I. During his reign Someshvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI. Eventually Someshvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI.

Old Kannada inscription dated c.1068 AD of Western Chalukya King Bhuvanaikamalla Someshvara II
Chalukya dynasties
Kalyani / Western Chalukyas
Tailapa II 957–997
Satyashraya 997–1008
Vikramaditya V 1008–1015
Jayasimha II 1015–1042
Someshvara I 1042–1068
Someshvara II 1068–1076
Vikramaditya VI 1076–1126
Someshvara III 1126–1138
Jagadhekamalla II 1138–1151
Tailapa III 1151–1164
Jagadhekamalla III 1163–1183
Someshvara IV 1184–1200

Chola invasion

Almost immediately after coming to power, Someshvara II had to face an invasion by the Chola forces led by Virarajendra Chola. The Chola army invaded the Chalukya country and laid a siege to the town of Gutti in (Kurnool district) and attacked Kampili. Instead of assisting his brother in order to save the Chalukya kingdom, Vikramaditya turned the troubles of his brother into his opportunity to capture the Chalukya throne.

Vikramaditya's Opportunism

Vikramaditya saw the opportunity presented by the confusion in the kingdom due to the Chola invasion. Vikramaditya seduced Someshvara's feudatories from their loyalty towards the monarch, and with their aid, entered into negotiations with the Chola king Virarajendra.

Vikramaditya made his alliance with Virarajendra.

Chalukya civil war

The political situation drastically changed when Virarajendra died in 1070 and his son Athirajendra Chola came to the Chola throne. Kulothunga Chola I eventually came to the Chola throne in a confusion created by civil disturbances in which Athirajendra was assassinated. As Vikramaditya was antagonistic towards Kulothunga, Someshvara II went into an alliance with Kulothunga and prepared to attack Vikramaditya.

The conflict eventually occurred in 1075 when Kulothunga launched an attack on Vikramaditya. Someshvara aided Kulothunga Chola by attacking Vikramaditya's rear. What resulted was a brief civil war in which Someshvara suffered heavy defeats. Vikramaditya captured the Chalukya king and imprisoned him. Vikramaditya VI proclaimed himself the Chalukuya king in 1076.

See also
Preceded by
Someshvara I		 Western Chalukyas
1068–1076		 Succeeded by
Vikramaditya VI

References
  • Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
  • Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
  • Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat (2001). Concise History of Karnataka, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002).


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