Chola Empire (848–1279)

Chola Empire
848–1279
Capital	Thanjavur
Dominant mode of production	Feudalism
Government	Monarchy
History
• Chola Dynasty started	3rd century BCE
• Chola Empire starts	848
•	848
• Collapse of the Chola Empire	1279
Preceded by Succeeded by Pandya dynasty (portion) Pandya dynasty Hoysala Kingdom Vijayanagara Empire

Chola Empire (c. 9th century – 1279 CE) was a powerful South Indian polity that emerged as one of the most advanced states in pre-modern Asia. Originating in the fertile Kaveri River delta of present-day Tamil Nadu, the Cholas built their strength on agricultural surplus, craft production, and maritime trade. They developed a complex state apparatus marked by centralized monarchic rule, temple-based economic redistribution, and an advanced bureaucracy that integrated both hereditary and appointed officials. At its height under rulers such as Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I, the empire expanded across much of southern India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, projecting power through a sophisticated navy and extensive tributary networks. The Cholas patronized Tamil literature, monumental architecture, and bronze sculpture, while also facilitating the spread of Hinduism, Tamil culture, and Indian Ocean commerce. While often romanticized in nationalist and colonial historiography, the Chola Empire was not a “golden age” for all; its social order was structured around caste hierarchies, religious institutions, and systems of tribute that extracted surplus from peasants and laborers. Understanding the Chola period requires viewing it as part of the long history of class society in the Indian subcontinent, shaped by both local material conditions and integration into broader Indian Ocean trade systems.