Rajendra I Biography: Wikipedia, Death, Parents, Siblings, Wife, Children, Age, Net Worth

Rajendra I, also known as Rajendra Chola I, was a distinguished monarch of the Chola dynasty who ruled from 1014 to 1044 CE.

The son of the illustrious Rajaraja Chola I, he ascended the throne following his father’s reign and significantly expanded the empire’s power and territorial reach.

During his tenure, Rajendra I led the Chola Empire to its greatest territorial extent.

His military campaigns extended Chola influence far beyond South India, encompassing the entire island of Sri Lanka, parts of northern India reaching the Ganges River, and vast areas in Southeast Asia.

These included the Srivijaya empire (comprising present-day Sumatra, Java, and the Malay Peninsula), as well as regions such as Kedah, Tambralinga, and Pegu.

Profile

• Full Name: Rajendra Chola I
• Stage Name: Rajendra I
• Born: 26 July 971 AD
• Died: 1044
• Age: 73 years old
• Birthplace: Thanjavur, India
• Nationality: Indian
• Occupation: Member of the Chola dynasty
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Rajaraja I, Thiripuvana Madeviyar
• Siblings: Rajadhiraja Chola I
• Spouse: Tribhuvana (Vanavan Mahadevi), Puteri Onangki, Mukkokilan, Panchavan Mahadevi, Viramahadevi
• Children: Rajendra II, Rajadhiraja I, Virarajendra
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: Unknown

Early Life And Education

Rajendra Chola I was born on 26 July 971 AD in Thanjavur, India, into the prestigious Chola dynasty.

He was the son of the renowned emperor Rajaraja Chola I and his queen Vaanathi, also known as Thiripuvana Madeviyar.

Raised in a royal environment, Rajendra received extensive training in warfare, governance, and Tamil culture.

A member of the Tamil ethnic group, he practiced Hinduism and was deeply rooted in the religious and cultural traditions of his time.

He had several siblings, including his elder brother Rajadhiraja Chola I, who later succeeded him as emperor.

Career

Rajendra Chola I began his early career by participating in key military campaigns that strengthened and expanded the southern boundaries of the Chola Empire.

He successfully subdued the Western and Eastern Chalukyas, suppressed rebellions in the Chera and Pandya regions, and completed the conquest of Sri Lanka, bringing the entire island under Chola rule.

His ambitions later turned northward, leading to a triumphant campaign through Kalinga and into Bengal, where he defeated the Pala king Mahipala I.

This victory earned him the title “Gangaikonda Chola” (the Chola who took the Ganges), and he commemorated the achievement by establishing a new capital, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, symbolized by its grand Shiva temple and artificial lake.

In 1025 CE, Rajendra launched an ambitious naval expedition against the Srivijaya Empire in Southeast Asia.

His forces captured strategic ports across present-day Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern Thailand, including Kadaram (Kedah) and Pannai.

These conquests secured vital maritime trade routes and asserted Chola dominance across the Bay of Bengal.

Rajendra also extended his influence to the Laccadive and Maldives Islands, renaming them “Munnir Palantivu Pannirayiram” (Twelve Thousand Islands and the Ocean Where Three Waters Meet), further establishing the Chola Empire as a formidable naval and commercial power.

Beyond military conquests, Rajendra I was a visionary administrator and cultural patron.

He integrated newly acquired territories with efficient governance, developed infrastructure such as roads, irrigation networks, and temples, and promoted internal stability.

A devout Shaivite, he supported religious tolerance and extended patronage to Buddhist institutions in both India and abroad.

Under his reign, Tamil literature, architecture, and the arts flourished, marking a golden age of Chola culture.

By the end of his rule in 1044 CE, Rajendra had transformed the Chola Empire into a dominant force in Asia, leaving a legacy of administrative excellence, cultural richness, and imperial grandeur.

Social Media

Rajendra Chola does not have social media accounts.

Personal Life

Rajendra I had several queens, including Tribhuvana (also known as Vanavan Mahadevi), Mukkokilan, Panchavan Mahadevi, Puteri Onangki, and Viramahadevi—the latter committed sati upon his death.

He fathered seven sons: Rajarajan, his eldest, who died young; Rajadhiraja Chola I, who succeeded him and ruled from 1044 to 1054; Manukula Kesari, who fell in battle in 1021; Sanga Varman; Rajendra II; Rajamahendran; and Virarajendra, who also later ascended the throne.

Rajendra I is also known to have had at least two daughters: Arulmoli Nangaiyar Piranar and Ammangadevi.

His lineage played a significant role in continuing the legacy of the Chola Empire, with multiple sons rising to power and contributing to the empire’s military and administrative strength.

Rajendra I died in 1044 in Brahmadesam, present-day Tiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu.

Net Worth

Rajendra I‘s exact net worth is unknown, but his wealth came from the immense revenues of the Chola Empire at its height, including land taxes, trade duties, and war spoils.

His successful conquests across South and Southeast Asia brought vast riches—gold, jewels, and elephants—which he used to fund monumental projects like the city of Gangaikondacholapuram and its grand temples.