Chola Empire Navy

Timeline

1. c. 1025–1030Waters off Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula · Indian OceanRajendra I led a Chola fleet on an expedition against Southeast Asian ports such as Srivijaya, capturing booty and establishing symbols of overlordship; the expedition demonstrated the Chola navy's blue-water combat capability and laid the foundation for Indian Ocean maritime hegemony in the mid-11th century.
2. 1041–1044Coromandel Coast ports · Tamil NaduIn Rajendra I's late years the Chola navy maintained control of Sri Lankan waters, with fleets sailing from east-coast ports to support island campaigns; warship organization, sailor levies, and port tariff systems are traceable in inscriptions, and the navy and temple-donation economy supported each other.
3. 1044–1050Northern waters of Sri Lanka · Northern ProvinceAfter acceding, Rajaraja I personally led Chola fleets ashore in Sri Lanka several times, capturing Anuradhapura and other places; a large-scale expedition was launched as early as 1044, with the navy handling the transport of troops and materiel as the core force of Chola military activity in this period.