Vinayaditya died in 1098 and was succeeded by his son Ereyanga who ruled till 1102. His death was marked by the first important territorial acquisitions by the Hoysalas. Ballala, Ereyang’s first son (AD 1102 AD 1108) succeeded his father and is known to history as Ballala I. Ereyanga had three son’s viz., Ballala, Vishnuvardhana, and Udayaditya.

Of these Ballala I and Vishnuvardhana ruled after him in succession but Udayaditya did not. Ereyanga was about 60 years old when his father died. He was advantageously matrimonially connected with the Gangas and the Pandyas of Uchchangi.

Ballala I ruling from AD 1102 to AD 1108 had the advantage of the close cooperation of his brother Vishnuvardhana in facing the problems of government and war. Ballala and his brother prepared for a number of campaigns with a view to extending the Hoysala kingdom. Soon after his accession it became clear that the governors of the southern districts of the western Chalukyan Empire had decided to become independent.

The Hoysalas began to make profit out of this confused situation. They began by attacking the Pandyas of Uchchangi; the Tatter were defeated and they almost transferred their allegiance from the Chalukya to the Hoysala. Emboldened by this the Hoysalas crossed the Tungabhadra and attacked the north-eastern territories. In these campaigns Vishnuvardhana who was then known as Bittiga took an important part.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The battle was generally aimed against the Changalvars and the Kongalvars. It evidently ended in at least a temporary victory for the Hoysalas. Ballala I though ambitions to build up a great kingdom had the wisdom to follow a cautious policy. He was lucky in that he could lead personally a peaceful life leaving the turbulent and dangerous affairs of state to Vishnuvardhana. Ballala and his brother were both brought up by Jaina teachers but the former was not only tolerant towards other religions but it also seems that he became a Saiva reminding one of Mahendravarman I.

Ballala’s title “a crest jewel among Saivas” shows that his devotion to Siva was extraordinary. Vishnuvardhana who was also in the early part of his life under the influence of Jaina teachers made a similar departure but in his case it was Vaishnavism. He built a number of Vaishnava temples of which the Chennakesava temple at Belur is one of the finest monuments created by the Hoysalas.

Ballala had no sons and to beget one he married a number of wives late in his life i.e., in the year 1103. But the succession of Vishnuvardhana to the thone in 1108 shows that these marriages were fruitless and Ballala I had died sonless.