Vikramaditya I

Vikramaditya I (Kannada: ವಿಕ್ರಮಾದಿತ್ಯ ೧) (655–680 CE) was the third son and followed his father, Pulakeshin II on to the Chalukya throne. He restored order in the fractured kingdom and made the Pallavas retreat from the capital Vatapi.

Early crises

After the death of Pulakeshin II the Chalukya kingdom descended into anarchy. The feudatories of the empire declared their independence. Even two of Pulakeshin's sons, who were ruling parts of the kingdom as viceroys, declared their intention to set up independent dominions. Vikramaditya, with the help of his maternal grandfather Bhuvikarma of Western Ganga Dynasty set himself the task of repelling the Pallava invasion and restoring the unity of his father's kingdom.

Vikramaditya was able to end Pallava's occupation, which had lasted for thirteen years and captured Vatapi. He defeated his brothers and other feudatories who wished to divide the empire. Vikramaditya then declared himself king of the Chalukyas (655). He rewarded his younger brother Jayasimhavarma who was loyal to him, with the viceroyalty of Lata in the southern Gujarat.