1173 Polonnaruwa invasion of Chola

The 1173 invasion of Polonnaruwa was a significant military campaign conducted by the Chola dynasty of South India, aimed at annexing the Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Under the leadership of King Rajendra Chola II, the expedition sought to capitalize on the political fragmentation of Sri Lanka, particularly the decline of the Sinhala kingdom. The Chola forces advanced into Polonnaruwa, the then-capital of the Sinhalese, employing a combination of naval and land strategies. The invasion led to the temporary occupation of Polonnaruwa, asserting Chola dominance in the region and influencing the cultural and political landscape of Sri Lanka. This event was part of the broader Chola expansionist policy during the medieval period, which had lasting implications for South Asian geopolitics.