Vira Narasimha II[a] was theHoysala king of Kuntala from 1220 until 1234, with his kingdom located in what is nowKarnataka in India.[2] During his reign the Hoysalas gained much influence in the affairs of the Tamil country. He defeated theKadavas andPandyas and levied a tribute. He acted as a support toChola kingRajaraja Chola III, who was possibly his son-in-law, against Pandya incursions.[3] During his rule, Vira Narasimha made Kannanur Kuppam nearSrirangam his second capital, with an intent to maintain close watch and control over affairs in Tamil country. Later he fought for the Chola cause again and marched all the way toRameswaram.[citation needed] TheKannada poet Sumanobana was the court poet of King Vira Narasimha II.
During the rule of Vira Narasimha II, a Hoysala army was stationed atKanchi possibly to avert anyincursion from theTelugu Chodas of Nellore, theKakatiya dynasty ofWarangal and thePandyas ofMadurai. The Chola monarch Rajaraja III defied the Pandyas by not paying their annual tribute. Sundara Pandya went on the offensive and routed the Cholas in the battle of Tellaru. Vira Narasimha II rushed to the aid of the Cholas, defeated theSouth Arcot chiefs and capturedSrirangam.Magadai Mandalam was invaded again in 1220–1238. The Hoysala commanders Appanna and Samudra-Gopayya then reachedChidambaram, routing on their way the Kadava chiefs who were Pandya's allies, in the battle of Perumbalur. Finally, receiving news that the Kadava chiefs were willing to release the Chola monarch Rajaraja III from Sendamangalam where he was held captive and consider the Cholas a free kingdom, the Hoysalas escorted the Chola monarch back to Kanchi in 1231. At the same time, Vira Narasimha II himself had defeated Sundara Pandya in the battle of Mahendramangalam. AtSrirangam, Narasimha II built amantapa (mandapam) in the temple during his halt there en route the march against the Pandya. TheKoyilolugu recording the history of theSrirangam temple mentions the Kannada king Vira Narasimharaya II to have built themantapa in the temple and set up a pillar of victory at Setu (Rameswaram).[4]
Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, A Concise history of Karnataka from pre-historic times to the present, Jupiter books, MCC, Bangalore, 2001 (Reprinted 2002) OCLC: 7796041
K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002),ISBN0-19-560686-8
