Pandya Dynasty

(6th–14th c.) Southern Indian dynasty
whose capital was in the city of Madurai
in the state of Tamil Nadu. The Pandyas
existed as a regional power as early as
the late sixth century, when they fought
the Pallava dynasty of Kanchipuram for
control of the peninsula. The Pandyas at
one time became vassals to the Chola
dynasty when the latter reigned over all
496
Pandrenthan
of southern India, but with the decline of
the Cholas the Pandyas became the
dominant regional power, eventually
absorbing the Chola kingdom in 1279. At
their zenith in the thirteenth century the
Pandyas controlled most of the southern
part of India, but were in turn conquered
and annexed early in the fourteenth century by the Sangama dynasty, also known
as the Vijayanagar dynasty after their
capital city.