Evidently after Adhirajendra there was no suitable successor and so the nearest relative though on the maternal side namely Rajendra II, Eastern Chalukya, naturally took over the government of the Chola kingdom because he could do so. When he did so the Chalukya- Chola dynasty of rulers was founded.

The dynasty founded by Vijayalaya (850) was in power till 1071 when Kulottunga became king. During this period of two centuries and a quarter the Tamil country saw many developments in various fields of activity.

In government, building up of the military machine, encouragement of the peaceful arts, and development of religion and philosophy as well as the growth of literature the Imperial Chola period may be deemed the ir.It fruitful. So far as literature was concerned, it can be treated as the silver age of Tamil literature, the golden age being the age of the Sangam. Administration

The Chola emperor was a despot in the sense that his government was run by his unrestricted discretion. There was a large bureaucracy which had steadily grown from Sangam times and had now proliferated sufficiently to meet the demands of the emperor. His ministerial counsel was an advisory body which ultimately carried out the wishes of the king. As in ancient times there were two layers of government, the royal at the capital and the rural at the village.

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Both these layers were developed greatly so that while the imperial officers assisted the king in the last functions of the newly expanding kingdom, the village administration became specialised also. Among the ministers there was no division of portfolio nor was there collective responsibility. Ministers like Naralokavira and Karunakarattondaiman (an officer under Kulottunga I) were essentially servants of the king and could be entrusted with civil as well as military duties.

Their main functions were to advise the king on matters of government, levy taxes, dispense justice and look after the safety of the kingdom and well being of the subjects. In post-Sangam times the ministers were called mantris, mahamatras, etc. The Wiseman in the court and the favourite poet of the king had much influence with the ruler. Karuvur Thevar, Jayankondar, and Ottakkuttar were very influential with their kings.

King Anabhaya held Sekkilar a poet of the Saiva canon in great esteem. The king personally attended to the duties of dispensation of justice and command of the army. He could also depute commanders-in-chief to lead their armies on important expeditions. Karunakaran did so for Kulottunga. The king’s palace establishment was large. He had a number of wives, the chief among whom was permitted to share the throne but not government. There were personal guards for the king who were closely attached to him and who protected him when he was alive and died with him when he died. They were called the Velaikkarar.