Kulottunga I and the Golden Age of Chola Trade

The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History · Nov 5, 2026 · 7m · transcript

This episode explores the reign of Kulottunga Chola I, often called the 'Harun al-Rashid of the East,' during the late eleventh century. While his predecessors focused on military conquest from Bengal to Sri Lanka, Kulottunga shifted the empire’s focus toward diplomatic consolidation and economic integration across the Indian Ocean. We examine how he secured trade privileges for Chola merchants in distant lands like Song China and the Seljuk Empire through treaties rather than swords. The conversation details the role of the Manigramam guilds in managing pearl fishing and spice…