Parakrama Pandyan I

Parakrama Pandyan I was a Pandyan king 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 ...

, ruling from the Pandyan capital in

Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...

. He was besieged in the

Pandyan Civil War (1169–1177) The Pandyan Civil War from 1166 to 1182 was precipitated by rival claims of succession to the Pandyan throne. The Civil War began between Parakrama Pandyan and his nephew Kulasekhara Pandyan and lasted for next 15 years between successive Pa ...

by his contemporary, rival and throne claimant Kulasekhara Pandyan in 1169, a vassal of the

Chola Dynasty The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

. Parakrama Pandyan I sought assistance from the Ceylonese king

Parakramabahu I of Polonnaruwa Parākramabāhu I ( Sinhala: මහා පරාක්‍රමබාහු, 1123–1186), or Parakramabahu the Great, was the king of Polonnaruwa from 1153 to 1186. He oversaw the expansion and beautification of his capital, constructed extensiv ...

, but was subsequently executed. Kulasekhara Pandyan ascended to the Madurai throne, but was eventually forced to seek refuge in Chola country in 1171. Parakrama Pandyan I's son Vira Pandyan III ascended on the Pandyan throne before he was defeated by Chola forces. In 1212, a succeeding namesake royal of the dynasty,

Parakrama Pandyan II Parakrama Pandyan II, also Pandu Parakramabahu of Polonnaruwa or Parakrama Pandu, was a Pandyan king who invaded the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa in the thirteenth century and ruled from 1212 to 1215 CE. His namesake royal Parakrama Pandyan I had rule ...

, invaded Ceylon and became monarch at

Polonnaruwa Poḷonnaruwa, ( si, පොළොන්නරුව, translit=Poḷonnaruva; ta, பொலன்னறுவை, translit=Polaṉṉaṟuvai) also referred as Pulathisipura and Vijayarajapura in ancient times, is the main town of Polonnaruwa Dis ...

for three years with the title Parakrama Pandya of Polonnaruwa. Pandyan kings Tamil history Pandyan Civil War (1169–1177) {{Asia-royal-stub