(r. 1014–42) Monarch under whose rule
(and that of his father, Raja Raja) the
Chola dynasty reached the apex of its
power, stretching its influence from the
Tanjore region in Tamil Nadu, throughout southern India, and into southeast
Asia all the way to Malaysia. In 1023
Rajendra defeated one of the kings of
Bengal to extend his empire all the way
to the Ganges but was unable to maintain authority over this expansive
domain for long. He also fought a campaign against the Shrivijaya Empire in
modern Malaysia, to retain control of
trade from China. Like his father,
Rajendra was a great patron of templebuilding and other public monuments,
including the great temple at Gangaikondacholapuran, built to commemorate the victory that opened the way to
the Ganges.