Thanjavur of the Chola dynasty

Timeline

1. c. 985–1014Thanjavur · ThanjavurRaja Raja I built the Brihadeeswarar Temple (the Great Temple) in Thanjavur, establishing its status as the religious and political center of the capital; court administration, markets and artisan settlements expanded around the temple, and Thanjavur became the core from which the Chola Empire ruled the Tamil region.
2. 1041–1044Thanjavur court · ThanjavurIn his later years Rajendra I still used Thanjavur as his seat of rule; although he built Gangaikonda Cholapuram as a new capital, the Great Temple of Thanjavur continued to expand and accumulated a large number of inscriptional donation records; during this period imperial naval expeditions and the Sri Lankan wars were directed from the Thanjavur court.
3. 1044–1050Thanjavur · ThanjavurAfter Rajadhiraja I acceded to the throne he continued to use Thanjavur as an important capital and launched several expeditions against Sri Lanka; markets around the Great Temple flourished, bronze casting and inscriptional records of temple endowments were active, and Thanjavur maintained its position as the Chola Empire's religious and economic hub.