The Chalukyas revived their fortune in 973 C.E. after the period of decline under the Rashtrakutas. Tailapa II, overthrew the Rashtrakuta Krishna III and re-established the Chalukyasn kingdom. He recovered most of the Chalukya Empire. This dynasty came to be known as the Western Chalukya dynasty. The Western Chalukyas ruled for another 250 years and were in constant conflict with the Cholas and their cousins the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. Satyasraya (997 – 1008 C.E.), Somesvara I (1042 – 1068 C.E.) and Vikramaditya VI (1076 – 1126 CE) were some of the greatest emperors of this dynasty.
*Tailapa II (973 – 997 A.D.)
Tailapa II or Ahavamalla had titles Nurmadi Taliapa and Satyashraya Kulatilaka. He re-established the Western Chalukya dynasty after a period of 220 years during which time they had been in eclipse. The revived Chalukya kingdom rose to its height of power under Vikramaditya VI. The revived dynasty came to be known as the Western Chalukyas or the Kalyani Chalukyas. He patronised Kannada poet Ranna. From the Gadag records, it is known that he ruled for 24 years. Tailapa defeated the remnants of the Rashtrakuta power by defeating Indra IV and his feudatory in the Godavari basin, Panchaladeva. The Cholas, who were experiencing a minor crisis of succession of their own, were in a position of weakness. Uththama Chola had replaced Parantaka Chola II and Tailapa claimed victory in a battle against Uththama in 980. Satyasraya, Tailapa's eldest son, who assisted his father in all his campaigns succeeded Tailapa in 997. Satysraya continued the aggressive policies of the Chalukyas.
*Satyasraya (997 – 1008 A.D.)
Satyasraya was also known as Sattiga or Irivabedanga. He was the king of the revived Western Chalukyas. He identified the growing Chola power as his nemesis and resented their increasing influence in the Vengi region and with the Eastern Chalukyas. During his reign the Paramaras and Chedi reconquered the territory that they had lost to the Chalukyas earlier. But Satyashraya was able to defeat Raja Raja Chola and the crown prince Rajendra Chola when they invaded parts of Karnataka. He also subdued the Shilahara king Aparijitha ruler of North Konkana. Seeing increased interference of Cholas in Vengi, Satyasraya invaded Vengi in 1006. *Vikramaditya V (1008 - 1015 C.E.) Vikaramaditya V succeeded Satyasraya on the Western Chalukya throne. Vikramaditya was Satyasraya's nephew and had a very uneventful short reign. Vikramaditya was followed on the throne by his brother Jayasimha II in 1015.
*Jayasimha II (1015 – 1042 A.D.)
Jayasimha II was also known as Jagadekhamalla and Mallikamoda. He succeeded his brother Vikramaditya V on the Western Chalukya throne. Jayasimha had to fight on many fronts to protect his kingdom. He patronised Vachanakara and Veerashaiva saint Devara Dasimayya, Kannada scholars Durgasimha who was also his foreign minister, Chavundaraya II and Sanskrit poet Vadiraja.
*Somesvara I (1042 – 1068 A.D.)
Somesvara I was also known as Ahavamalla or Trilokamalla. He succeeded his father Jayasimha II as the Western Chalukya king. He was one of the greatest kings of the later Chalukya Dynasty. He founded the city of Kalyani, present day Basavakalyana and moved his kingdom to that location. He had great faith in himself and managed to impart that to his many generals and feudatories. One of his queens was Hoysala Devi, a Hoysala princess.
*Somesvara II (1068 – 1076 A.D.)
Somesvara II who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Somesvara I (Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Somesvara I. During his reign Somesvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI. Eventually Somesvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI.
*Vikramaditya VI (1076 – 1126 A.D.)
Vikramaditya
VI was the most distinguished ruler of the Kalyani Chalukya dynasty and
scholars have considered his rule as a brilliant period in the history
of Karnataka.
During
the reign of Someshwara II Vikramaditya was the governor of Gangavadi.
He had married a daughter of the Chola ruler Virarajendra. By the death
of Virarajendra in 1070 A. D. the alliance of Vikrama with the Cholas
became a liability because he had to divide his attention between the
pursuits of his differences at home with his brother, and the protection
of his young brother - in - law Adhirajendra on the Chola throne
against the designs of Kulottunga I of Vengi. Vikramaditya proceeded to
Gangaikonda Cholapuram and installed Adhirajendra on the throne after
suppressing attempts at rebellion. But, after some time, Kulottunga was
able to overthrow Adhirajendra.
Vikramaditya
slowly planned to depose his elder brother. In this attempt the Seunas,
the Hoysalas and the Kadambas of Hangala helped him. Someshwara II was
defeated and Vikramaditya assumed sovereignty in 1076 A. D. He marked
his accession to the throne by founding the new era called Chalukya
Vikram Era.
Vikramaditya
invaded Malava thrice and conquered the territories to the south of the
Narmada. The Paramara prince Jagadeva sought shelter in the Chalukya
Kingdom and became one of the trusted feudatories of Vikram. Jayasimha,
the younger brother of Vikramaditya, who had been appointed ruler of
Banavasi, rebelled and made an attempt to seize the throne in 1080. The
emperor defeated him and later pardoned him.
In
1085 Vikramaditya seized Kanchi from the Cholas and in 1088 he
conquered major pats of the Vengi Kingdom. Though Kulottunga captured
Vengi in 1099, the Chalukya ruler regained it in 1118. The Kadambas of
Goa, the Shilaharas, the Seunas and the Pandyas of Uchangi were the
other rulers who were subdued by Vikramaditya VI. The Hoysala Chief,
Vishnuvardhana, invaded the Chalukya Empire and Vikrama sent his able
commander Achugi against him. In 1122 the Hoysalas were defeated twice
and they had to remain loyal to the Chalukyas till the death of
Vikramaditya.
Except
for a few wars, the long reign of Vikramaditya VI was known for its
peace and tranquility. The emperor improved the system of administration
and gave sufficient attention to the welfare of the people. Though
Kalyani was the Capital of the empire, a number of subordinate capitals
were established at places like Etagiri, Vijayapura, Manneyakere and
Vikramapura.
Vikramaditya
was a well-known patron of learning. Bilhana the Kashmiri Pundit, who
wrote Vikramankadevacharita, was his court poet. Vijnanesvara, the
author of Mitakshara, became a famous authority on Hindu law. Kirthi
Verma wrote Govaidya during this period. Even the queens of Vikramaditya
were good administrators and patrons of arts. Permadideva and
Tribhuvanamalla were the titles assumed by Vikrama. Bhilhana considers
his rule as Ramarajya. "No single ruler of Karnataka prior to
Vijayanagara times has left so many inscriptions as this monarch and of
these records, a large majority are grants to scholars and centres of
religion". Viewed in terms of his achievements Vikramaditya VI stands
out as the most illustrious ruler of his dynasty. 
*Somesvara III (1126 – 1138 A.D.)
Somesvara III was a Western Chalukya king and son of Vikramaditya VI and Queen Chandaladevi. Someshvara III had to face the invasion of the Hoysala Vishnuvardhana but was able to suppress him. He lost some territory as the Vengi Chalukyas tried to gain freedom, but was able to maintain most of the vast empire left behind by his famous father. He was a scholar of merit and wrote the Sanskrit classic Manasollasa. He held titles like Tribhuvannamalla, Bhulokamalla and Sarvanjyabhupa.
*Jagadhekamalla II (1138 – 1151 A.D.)
Jagadhekamalla II followed Somesvara III to the Western Chalukya throne. His rule saw the slow decline of the Chalukya Empire with the loss of Vengi entirely, though he was still able to control the Hoysalas in the south and the Seuna and Paramara in the north Jagadhekamalla II himself was a merited scholar and wrote in Sanskrit Sangithachudamani a work on music.
*Tailapa III (1151 – 1164 A.D.)
Tailapa III succeeded Jagadhekamalla II to the Western Chalukya throne. His rule saw the beginning of the end of the Chalukya Empire. Kakatiya dynasty Prolla II warred with him defeated and took the Chalukya king captive. This resulted in other feudatories rising against the Chalukyas. The Seuna and the Hoysala started to take away territory. Kalachuri Bijjala II captured the regal capital Kalyani in 1157 when Tailapa III had to flee to Annigeri (Dharwad district). Finally Tailapa III was killed by Hoysala ViraNarasimha in 1162.
*Jagadhekamalla III (1163 – 1183 A.D.)
Jagadhekamalla III succeeded Tailapa III to the highly diminished Western Chalukya Empire. His rule was completely overshowded by the emergence of the Southern Kalachuri under Bijjala II who took control of Basavakalyana and ruled from there.
*Somesvara IV (1184 – 1200 A.D.)
Somesvara IV was the last king of the Western Chalukya Empire. He made a brief attempt to revive the Chalukya kingdom by defeating the waning Kalachuri kingdom. He managed to capture Basavakalyana but failed to prevent the other feudatories, the Seuna, Hoysala and the Kakatiya dynasty from completely overwhelming the Chalukya empire. In the end, the three feudatories divided the vast area between the Kaveri River and Narmada River amongst themselves. The Western Chalukyas went into their final dissolution c. 1180 C.E. with the rise of the Hoysalas, Kakatiya and Yadavas.
*A list of important kings belonging to this dynasty is provided here and that is followed by a brief account of their political history
1. Tailapa-2(973-997 A.D.)
2. Satyashraya Iriva Bedanga(997-1008 A.D.)
3. Vikramaditya-5(1008-1015 A.D.)
4. Jayasimha-2(1015-1044 A.D.)
5. Someshvara(1044-1068 A.D.)
6. Someshvara-2(1068-1076 A.D.)
7. Vikramaditya-6 (1076-1127 A.D.)
8. Someshvara-3(1127-1139 A.D.)
9. Jagadekamalla-2(1139-1149 A.D.)
10.Tailapa-3(1149-1162 A.D.)
11.Someshvara-4(1182-1189 A.D.)
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