Kulothunga II
Kulothunga II (died c. 1150 CE), also known as Tiruchirru Chola, was a monarch of the Chola dynasty in southern India who served as co-regent from 1133 CE and sole emperor from 1135 to 1150 CE, succeeding his father Vikrama Chola.[1][2] His rule preserved the expansive Chola territories, including core regions south of the Tungabhadra River and influences in Sri Lanka, amid a period of relative internal stability following prior expansions.[1] Kulothunga II prioritized administrative continuity and religious patronage over extensive military campaigns, capturing limited eastern territories such as Vengi from the Eastern Chalukyas to consolidate power.[1] He resided primarily in Chidambaram rather than the traditional capital of Gangaikonda Cholapuram, reflecting his deep devotion to Shaivism, and commissioned significant works including the renovation of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, where he raised its iconic gopurams and financed repairs.[2][3] Inscriptions from his era record endowments to temples, such as land grants, precious metals, and livestock, underscoring his support for Shaivite institutions and cultural projects like the Thiru Thondar Puranam by Sekkizhar.[2][4] A devout Shaivite, Kulothunga II's policies have sparked debate; some inscriptions and accounts suggest he temporarily relocated a Vishnu idol from the Chidambaram temple during renovations, interpreted by critics as bias against Vaishnavism, though contemporaries dispute this as mere logistical necessity rather than persecution.[2][5] He was succeeded by his son Rajaraja Chola II, maintaining dynastic continuity amid emerging pressures from neighboring powers.[1]