Jatavarman Vira Pandyan II (also called Sadayavarman Vira Pandyan or Veera Pandyan) was a
Pandyan Prince and co-King, who ruled regions of
Tamilakkam
Tamiḻakam (Tamil: தமிழகம்; Malayalam: തമിഴകം), refers to the geographical region inhabited by the ancient Tamil people, covering the southernmost region of the Indian subcontinent. Tamilakam covered today's Tamil Nad ...
, in southern
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, between 1253–1275 CE.
Shared Rule
Jatavarman Vira Pandiyan II was crowned between 22 and 27 June 1253. He was one of many Pandyan princes who ruled the Pandyan imperial kingdom in the middle part of the 13th century, adhering to a common practice of shared rule involving Princes in the Pandyan government and one King asserting primacy in the Pandyan Kingdom. Vira Pandyan was a brother, lieutenant and contemporary prince of the Lord Emperor
Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I
Jatavarman Sundara I, also known as Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan, was a emperor of the Pandyan dynasty who ruled regions of Tamilakkam (present day South India) between 1250–1268 CE.Sethuraman, p124 He is remembered for his patronage of the ...
of the imperial Pandyas and
Maravarman Vikkiraman II
Maravarman Vikkiraman II ( ta, இரண்டாம் மாறவர்மன் விக்கிரம பாண்டியன்) was a Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1250–1251 CE.
Shared rule
Maravarman Vik ...
in his early years. He was also a contemporary of his nephew,
Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I
Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I ( ta, முதலாம் மாறவர்மன் குலசேகர பாண்டியன்) was a Pandyan emperor who ruled regions of South India between 1268–1308 CE, though history profess ...
(1268–1308 CE), Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I's successor as Lord Emperor
He got killed by Aditya Karikalan(Chola empire)
(''Ellarkku Nayanar'' - Lord of All).
Conquests
In 1263, Vira Pandyan lead Sundara Pandyan I's armies conquered the
Jaffna kingdom
The Jaffna Kingdom ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாண அரசு, si, යාපනය රාජධානිය; 1215–1624 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, was a historical kingdom of what today is northern Sri Lanka. It came i ...
, repeating the victory of Sundara Pandyan I in 1258. Here he decisively defeated
Chandrabhanu
Chandrabhanu (died 1262) or Chandrabhanu Sridhamaraja was the King of Tambralinga Kingdom in present-day Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra and the Jaffna Kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. A Javaka, he was known to have ruled from during the period of ...
of
Tambralinga
Tambralinga ( sa, Tāmbraliṅga) was an Indianised kingdom located on the Malay Peninsula, existing at least from the 10th to 13th century. It was under the influence of Srivijaya for some time, but later became independent from it. The name ha ...
, a usurper of the island's northern Tamil throne, subjugated the other king of the island and proceeded to plant the Pandyan bull victory flag and Pandyan double fish carp insignia at
Koneswaram temple,
Konamalai and ''
Trikutagiri''. Chandrabhanu's son
Savakanmaindan
Savakanmaindan (or Savakan Maindan, Saavanmaindan and Javakanmaindan; died 1277) was a monarch of the kingdoms of Tambralinga and Jaffna. He was the son of the Savakan king Chandrabhanu of Tambralinga of the ''Padmavamsa'' (lotus dynasty), Capt ...
submitted to Pandyan rule in the Tamil country and was rewarded. He was allowed to retain control of the Jaffna kingdom while Sundara Pandyan I remained supreme Lord Emperor of Pandyan.
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
, upon his visit to Pandyan and Jaffna, described Sundara Pandyan's empire as the richest in the world, and Vira Pandyan as "one of five brother kings" in which Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I was the eldest.
[Aiyangar, P.65]
References
{{reflist
Pandyan kings
Tamil history