View source for Hoysala Kingdom

{{Short description| Medieval Kingdom in South India}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox former country
| conventional_long_name = Hoysala kingdom
| common_name            = Hoysala
| status                 = 
| status_text            = 
| government_type        = Monarchy
| year_start             = 950
| year_end               = 1346
| event_pre              = 
| date_pre               = 
| event_start            = 
| date_start             = 
| event_end              = <!--- Default: "Disestablished" --->
| date_end               = 
| event1                 = 
| date_event1            = 
| event2                 = 
| date_event2            = 
| event3                 = 
| date_event3            = 
| event4                 = 
| date_event4            = <!--- Flag navigation: Preceding and succeeding entities p1 to p5 and s1 to s5 --->
| p1                     = Western Chalukya Empire
| s1                     = Vijayanagara Empire
| s2                     = 
| s3                     = 
| native_name            = 
| image_flag             = 
| image_map              = File:Map of Hoysala Kingdom at its apex.png
| map_width              = 270
| image_map_caption      = Greatest extent of the Hoysala kingdom, c.1050- c.1355
| capital                = {{plainlist|
* Sosevur([[Angadi]]) (1026–1048)
* [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]] (1048–1062)
* [[Halebidu]] (1062–1300)
* [[Tiruvannamalai]] (1300–1343)}}
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = 
| common_languages       = [[Kannada]]<br />[[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]]
| religion               = [[Jainism]]<br />[[Hinduism]]
| currency               = <!--- Titles and names of the first and last leaders and their deputies --->
| title_leader           = [[Monarch|King]]
| leader1                = [[Arekalla]]
| year_leader1           = 950-960
| leader12               = [[Veera Ballala IV]]
| year_leader12          = 1343–1346
| stat_year1             = 
| stat_pop1              = <!--- population (w/o commas or spaces), population density is calculated if area is also given --->
| footnotes              = <!--- Accepts wikilinks --->
| demonym                = 
| area_km2               = 
| area_rank              = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| HDI                    = 
| HDI_year               = 
| today                  = 
}}
{{Karnataka History}}

The Hoysala Kingdom was a prominent South Indian dynasty that ruled most of what is now [[Karnataka]], as well as parts of [[Tamil Nadu]] and southwestern [[Telangana]], between the 11th and 14th centuries CE.<ref>Sastri (1955), pp. 220–221.</ref> The capital was initially located at Belur and was later moved to Halebidu.<ref>Foekema (1996), p. 19.</ref>     

The origins of the Hoysala dynasty are traced to the Malnad region of Karnataka. Initially, the Hoysalas served as feudatories of the Western [[Chalukyas]] of Kalyana. The dynasty gained prominence under King [[Vishnuvardhana]] particularly after the defeat of the [[Cholas]] in the Battle of Talakad, which consolidated Hoysala authority in the Deccan.<ref>Kamath (2001), pp. 101–102.</ref> Taking advantage of the conflict between the Western Chalukyas and the Kalachuris of Kalyani in the 12th century, the Hoysalas expanded their domain, eventually controlling large parts of Karnataka, and parts of northwestern Tamil Nadu and western Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana).<ref>Sastri (1955), pp. 222–223.</ref>   

The Hoysala period was a significant era for the development of South Indian art, architecture, and literature. Over 100 temples from this period survive, showcasing intricate Hoysala architecture.<ref>Foekema (1996), p. 22.</ref> Well-known temples which exhibit what the historian Sailendra Sen has called "an amazing display of sculptural exuberance" include the [[Chennakeshava Temple, Belur|Chennakeshava Temple]] in Belur, the [[Hoysaleswara Temple]] in Halebidu, and the [[Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura|Chennakesava Temple]] in Somanathapura.{{sfn|Sen|2013|pp=58{{ndash}}60}} These three temples were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2023.<ref name="unesco">{{cite web|title=Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1670|author=UNESCO World Heritage Convention|publisher=© UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1992-2023|work=UNESCO|access-date=2023-10-03|archive-date=13 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013010823/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1670|url-status=live}}</ref> The Hoysala rulers also patronised the fine arts encouraging the literature to flourish in [[Kannada literature|Kannada]] and Sanskrit with notable contributions made by Jain and Brahmin poets.<ref>Kamath (2001), pp. 100–104.</ref>

==History==
=== Origin of the clan ===
Early inscriptions, dated 1078 and 1090, have implied that the Hoysalas were descendants of the [[Lunar dynasty|Yadu]] by referring to the Yadava ''vamsa'' (or clan) as the "Hoysala ''vamsa''". But there are no early records directly linking the Hoysalas to the Yadavas of [[North India]].{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=122}}


===Legendary beginnings===
[[File:Hoysala emblem.JPG|thumb|alt=photograph of Sala and the tiger, Belur, Karnataka|Sala fighting a tiger, the emblem of the Hoysala Empire, at the [[Chennakeshava Temple, Belur]]]]
Kannada folklore tells a legend of a young man, Sala (also known as Poysala), who saved his [[Jainism|Jain]] [[guru]] Sudatta by killing a tiger (sometimes described as a lion) that they encountered whilst in a forest, at "Sosevur" located at present-day [[Angadi]] Village in Chikkamagaluru district, the original home of the Hoysala family.<ref>Settar (1986), pp. 18–21.</ref><ref>Kamath (2001), p. 123.</ref> The word ''strike'' translates to "hoy" in [[Old Kannada]], hence the name 'Hoy-sala'.{{sfn|Menon|2013|p=128}} The legend purporting to show how Sala became the founder of the Hoysala dynasty is shown in the [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]] inscription of the Hoysala king [[Vishnuvardhana]], dated {{circa|1117}},{{sfn|Van der Geer |2008 |p=357}} but owing to several inconsistencies in the story it remains in the realm of folklore.{{sfn|Chopra|Ravindran|Subrahmanian|2003|p=150}} Their inscriptions refer to the founders of the Hoysala dynasty as ''Maleparolganda'' ('Lord of the hills'), which makes their original home the [[Malenadu]] region of modern southern Karnataka.{{sfn|Sen|1999|p=498}} Vishnuvardhana achieved a victory over the [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]] at [[Talakadu]] in 1116,{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=67}} and the legend may have arisen or gained popularity after this event, as the Hoysala emblem depicts Sala fighting a tiger, the tiger being the emblem of the Cholas.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=123}}

===Establishment of the Kingdom===
The earliest record of the Hoysala family dates to about c. 950 CE, naming [[Arekalla]] as a local chieftain. He was succeeded by Maruga, Nripa Kama I (c. 976 CE), and Munda (1006–1026 CE). [[Nripa Kama I]] is described with the title ''Permanadi'' indicating an early alliance with the [[Western Ganga dynasty]].<ref>Kamath (2001), pp. 126–127</ref> The Hoysalas emerged from the Malnad region in the Western Ghats as feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, gradually expanding their territory during the conflict between the Chalukyas and the Cholas and eventually gaining independence as the Chalukya power declined.<ref name="Sastri1955">Sastri (1955), p. 359.</ref>

===Wars with the Cholas and Chalukyas===
During the reign of King Vishnuvardhana (r. c. 1108–1152 CE), the Hoysalas fought decisive campaigns against the Cholas. Chola incursions into Gangavadi reportedly included the destruction of Jain Basadis around Talakadu. Vishnuvardhana’s general [[Ganggaraj]] led the counter-offensive defeating the [[Chola]] general Adiyamma near Talakadu and recovering lost territory. After this victory Vishnuvardhana earned the title "Talakadugonda" ("Conqueror of Talakadu"), while inscriptions highlighted Gangaraja’s leading role in these campaigns.<ref>Settar (1986), ''Shravanabelagola: A Study in the Context of Jainism and the History of Karnataka''. Shravanabelagola: Sri Shravana Belgola Digambara Jain Mutt, pp. 24–25.</ref>

King Vishnuvardhana fought the Western (Kalyani) Chalukyas in Nolambavadi asserting his independence from them. In a second [[Chola]] campaign, the Hoysala armies chased the Chola forces to Vellore which was deep inside Tamil territory. For these victories, Vishnuvardhana made significant land grants to his general at [[Kambadahalli]] which would become an important center for Jainism.<ref>Settar (1986), pp. 24–25.</ref> These campaigns weakened Chola influence and consolidated Hoysala power in the Deccan, and historians credit the successes of King Vishnuvardhana as pivotal in establishing Hoysala independence and the military leadership of his general Gangaraj as a major factor in these victories.<ref name="Sastri361">Sastri (1955), p.359, p. 361.</ref><ref>Settar (1989). ''Hoysala Heritage''. Dharwad: Karnataka University, pp. 74–75.</ref>

Vishnuvardhana's grandson [[Veera Ballala II]] further strengthened the kingdom and expanded its influence. He declared war against the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadavas]] and defeated the [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadambas]]. He declared independence in 1193.{{sfn|Sen|1999|p=499}} During the establishment of the Hoysala Kingdom, the [[Deccan Plateau]] saw a four-way struggle for hegemony between four dynasties: the Hoysalas, the [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandyans]], the [[Kakatiya dynasty|Kakatiyas]], and the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seunas]].{{sfn|Sastri|1955|p=192}} In 1217, Veera Ballala II defeated the aggressive Pandya after they invaded the Chola Kingdom, helped to restore the Chola king on his throne and assumed the title ''Dakshina Chakravarthi'' ("Emperor of the south").{{sfn|Sen|1999|p=499}}{{sfn|Kamat|2001|p=127}}

===Increased influence and later eclipse===
The Hoysalas extended their foothold in modern-day [[Tamil Nadu]] around 1225, making the city of Kannanur Kuppam near [[Srirangam]] a provincial capital and taking control over the southern Deccan region.{{sfn|Keay|2000|p=252}} [[Vira Narasimha II]]'s son [[Vira Someshwara]] earned the [[honorific]] ''Mamadi'' (uncle) from the Pandyas and Cholas.{{sfn|Sastri|1955|p=206}} From 1220 to 1245 the dynasty's hegemony increased southwards to cover both the Chola and Pandya Kingdoms.{{sfn|Sastri|1955|p=206}} Toward the end of the 13th century, [[Veera Ballala III]] recaptured territory in the Tamil country which had been lost during a Pandya uprising, thus uniting the northern and southern portions of the Kingdom.{{sfn|Sen|1999|p=500}}

In the early part of the 14th century, major political changes took place in the Deccan region  during a period when large areas of northern India were under Muslim rule. [[Alauddin Khalji]], the Sultan of Delhi, was determined to control southern India. In 1311 he sent his commander [[Malik Kafur]] on an expedition to plunder [[Daulatabad, Maharashtra|Devagiri]], the capital city of the Seuna Kingdom{{sfn|Sastri|1955|pp=206{{ndash}}208}} By 1318 the Seuna Kingdom had  been subjugated. The Hoysala capital [[Halebidu]] was besieged and sacked twice, in [[Siege of Dwarasamudra|1311]] and 1327.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=129}} By 1336, the Sultan had conquered the Pandyas of Madurai, the Kakatiyas of [[Warangal]] and the tiny Kingdom of Kampili. The Hoysalas were the only remaining Hindu Kingdom who resisted the invading armies.{{sfn|Sastri|1955|pp=212{{ndash}}214}} Veera Ballala III stationed himself at [[Tiruvannamalai]] and offered stiff resistance to invasions from the north and the [[Madurai Sultanate]] to the south.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=p. 130:"The greatest hero in the dark political atmosphere of the south."}} Then, after nearly three decades of resistance, Veera Ballala III was killed at the battle of Madurai in 1343,{{sfn|Sen|1999|p=500}} and the sovereign territories of the Hoysala Kingdom were merged with the areas administered by [[Harihara I]] in the [[Tungabhadra River]] region.{{sfn|Chopra|Ravindran|Subrahmanian|2003|p=156}}{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=pp. 159{{ndash}}160: While many theories exist about the origin of Harihara I and his brothers, collectively known as the Sangama brothers, it is well accepted that they administered the northern territories of the Hoysala empire in the 1336–1343 time either as Hoysala commanders or with autonomous powers.}} This new Hindu Kingdom resisted the northern invasions and would later prosper and come to be known as the [[Vijayanagara Empire]].{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=p. 161: A collaboration between the waning Hoysala kingdom and the emerging Hindu Vijayanagara empire is proven by inscriptions. The queen of Veera Ballala III, Krishnayitayi, made a grant to the [[Sringeri]] monastery on the same day as the founder of the Vijayanagara empire, Harihara I in 1346. The Sringeri monastic order was patronised by both Hoysala and Vijayanagara empires.}}


==Economy==
{{main|Economy of the Hoysala Empire}}
{{South Asia in 1175|right|Location of the Hoysala Empire and main contemporary South Asian polities in 1175, on the eve of the [[Ghurid Empire]] invasion of the subcontinent.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |pages=37, 147 |isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=074 |access-date=26 January 2023 |archive-date=6 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206065357/https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=074 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Eaton |first1=Richard M. |title=India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765 |date=25 July 2019 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-0-14-196655-7 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIF6DwAAQBAJ&pg=PP31 |language=en}}</ref>|{{Annotation|106|190|[[File:Long Fine Rectangle (plain).png|40px]]}}}}
<!-- LAND USE -->The empire consisted of the valleys of three main rivers, the [[Krishna River|Krishna]], the Tungabhadra, and the [[Kaveri]], whose [[Drainage system (geomorphology)|systems]] facilitated the growth of crops and generated an agricultural output that was immense.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=217}} The highlands (''[[malnad]]'' regions) with its [[temperate]] climate was suitable for raising cattle and the planting of orchards and spices. [[Paddy field|Paddy]] and [[cereal|corn]]<!-- In British English, "corn" may refer to any cereal crop; in American English, it refers to Maize, which became known to the Old World after the Columbian Exchange--> were staple crops in the [[tropical]] plains (''Bailnad'').{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=132}} As agricultural land was scarce, forests, waste land and previously unfarmed land was reclaimed, and new settlements were established. Large areas of forest were cleared to bring lands under cultivation and build villages.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=218}} The Hoysala kings gave grants of land as rewards for service to the heads of families, who then became landlords (''gavunda'') to tenants who worked on the land and in the forests. The ''praja gavunda'' ("the ''gavunda'' of the people") had a lower status than the wealthier ''prabhu gavunda'' ("of the lord"){{sfn|Thapar|2002|pp=378{{ndash}}379}}

<!-- TAX -->The Hoysala administration supported itself through revenues from an agrarian economy.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=132}}{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=218}} Land was assessed as being wet land, dry land or garden land for the purposes of taxation, and judged according to the quality of the soil.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=219}} Taxes on commodities (gold, precious stones, perfumes, sandalwood, ropes, yarn, housing, hearths, shops, cattle pans, sugarcane presses) as well as produce (black pepper, betel leaves, ghee, paddy, spices, palm leaves, coconuts, sugar) are noted in village records.{{sfn|Thapar|2002|p=382}} The Hoysalas encouraged people to move to newly-built villages by means of [[land grant]]s and tax concessions.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=219}}

Taxes, collected in the form of cash, from trade and commerce generated considerable wealth for the Hoysala state, and enabled it to buy armaments, elephants, horses and precious goods. The state and the merchant class became interdependent, with some more prosperous merchants being known as ''Rajasresthigal'' (royal merchants), officially recognised on account of their wealth. They were seen as ''puramulasthamba'' ('the pillars of the towns').{{sfn|Nayaka|2003|p=238}} The increased prosperity and prestige of some merchants encouraged them to open markets and weekly fairs,{{sfn|Nayaka|2003|p=240}} with some becoming ''Pattanaswami'' (town administrators), who had the authority to collect tolls on goods that entered the town.{{sfn|Nayaka|2003|p=242}} Merchants engaged in minting activities, sometimes producing the coins and supplying them to the state.{{sfn|Nayaka|2003|p=242}}

<!-- TANKS -->Tanks (large reservoirs) were created at the expense of the state.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=132}} The Hoysalas put resources into repairing breached tanks and broken [[sluice]]s, easily damaged by heavy rainfall.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=219}} They collected taxes on irrigation systems, canals and wells, all of which were built and maintained at the expense of local villagers.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|pp=218{{ndash}}219}} Repairs were undertaken by the landlords as well as their workers; such repairs were considered to be a duty and a pious act.{{sfn|Kumar|2006|p=219}}

<!-- INT'L TRADE-->Importing horses for use as general transportation and in army cavalries of Indian Kingdoms was a flourishing business on the western seaboard.{{sfn|Thapar|2002|loc=p. 383:Marco Polo who claims to have travelled in India at this time wrote of a monopoly in horse trading by the Arabs and merchants of South India. Imported horses became an expensive commodity because horse breeding was never successful in India, perhaps due to the different climatic, soil and pastoral conditions.}} [[Song Dynasty|Song dynasty]] records from China mention the presence of Indian merchants in ports of South China, indicating active trade with overseas Kingdoms.{{sfn|Thapar|2002|p=382}} South India exported textiles, spices, medicinal plants, precious stones, pottery, salt made from salt pans, jewels, gold, ivory, rhino horn, [[ebony]], [[Agarwood|aloe wood]], perfumes, [[sandalwood]], [[camphor]] and condiments to China, [[Dhofar]], [[Aden]], and [[Siraf]] (the port of entry to Egypt, [[Arabia]], and [[Persia]]).{{sfn|Thapar|2002|p=383}}

==Administration==
{{main|Hoysala administration}}
[[File:Garuda pillar with Old Kannada inscription dated 1220 A.D of Kuvara Lakshma, a body guard of Hoysala King Veera Ballala II.jpg|thumb|right|upright|''Garuda'' pillar [[Hero stone|hero stone (''virgal'')]] at [[Halebidu]] with ''[[old Kannada]]'' inscription of about 1220 CE.]]In its administrative practices, the Hoysala Empire followed some of the well-established and proven methods of its predecessors covering administrative functions such as cabinet organisation and command, the structure of local governing bodies and the division of territory.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|pp=130{{ndash}}131}} Several of their major feudatories were [[Vokkaliga|Gavundas]] of the peasant extraction.{{sfn|Seshan|Kumbhojkar|2018|pp=45, 46}} Records show the names of many high-ranking positions reporting directly to the king. Senior ministers were called ''Pancha Pradhanas'', ministers responsible for foreign affairs were designated ''Sandhivigrahi'' and the chief treasurer was ''Mahabhandari'' or ''Hiranyabhandari''. ''Dandanayakas'' were in charge of armies and the chief justice of the Hoysala court was the ''Dharmadhikari''.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|pp=130{{ndash}}131}}

The Kingdom was divided into provinces named ''Nadu'', ''[[Vishaya]]'', ''Kampana'' and ''Desha'', listed in descending order of geographical size.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=pp. 130{{ndash}}131: It is not clear which among ''Vishaya'' and ''Nadu'' was bigger in area and that a ''Nadu'' was under the supervision of the commander (''Dandanayaka'')}} Each province had a local governing body consisting of a minister (''Mahapradhana'') and a treasurer (''Bhandari'') that reported to the ruler of that province (''Dandanayaka''). Under this local ruler were officials called ''Heggaddes'' and ''Gavundas'' who hired and supervised the local farmers and labourers recruited to till the land. Subordinate ruling clans such as [[Alupas]] continued to govern their respective territories while following the policies set by the empire.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=131}}

An elite and well-trained force of bodyguards known as ''Garudas'' protected the members of the royal family at all times. These servants moved closely yet inconspicuously by the side of their master, their loyalty being so complete that they committed suicide after his death.<ref name="light">Shadow like, they moved closely with the king, lived near him and disappeared upon the death of their master – {{cite web|title=Hoysala Heritage|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2008/stories/20030425000206700.htm|author=S. Settar|work=Frontline |date=12–25 April 2003|access-date=17 November 2006|volume=20|issue=8}}</ref> [[Hero stone|Hero stones (''virgal'')]] erected in memory of these bodyguards are called Garuda pillars. The Garuda pillar at the Hoysaleswara temple in Halebidu was erected in honor of Kuvara Lakshma, a minister and bodyguard of King Veera Ballala II.<ref>S. K. Aiyangar, ''Ancient India'', Asian Educational Services, 1911, pp. 388–389.</ref><ref>Settar 1989, pp. 71–73</ref>

King Vishnuvardhana's coins had the legends "victor at Nolambavadi" (''Nolambavadigonda''), "victor at Talakad" (''Talakadugonda''), "chief of the Malepas"  (''Maleparolganda''), "Brave of Malepa" (''malapavira'') in [[Kannada script|Hoysala style Kannada]] script.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=p. 12, 125: Many coins with Kannada legends have been discovered from the rule of the Hoysalas.}}<ref name="Nolamba1">{{cite web|title=Indian coins-Dynasties of South-Hoysalas|url=http://prabhu.50g.com/southind/hoysala/south_hoysalacat.html|author=Govindaraya Prabhu, S|publisher=Prabhu's Web Page on Indian Coinage|date=1 November 2001|access-date=17 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070119114119/http://prabhu.50g.com/southind/hoysala/south_hoysalacat.html|archive-date=19 January 2007}}</ref> Their gold coin was called ''Honnu'' or ''Gadyana'' and weighed 62&nbsp;[[Grain (measure)|grains]] of gold. ''Pana'' or ''Hana'' was a tenth of the ''Honnu'', ''Haga'' was a fourth of the ''Pana'' and ''Visa'' was fourth of ''Haga''. There were other coins called ''Bele'' and ''Kani''.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=131}}

===Capitals===
The earliest Hoysala capital was at Sosevur (also called Sasakapura or Sosavurpattana), located at present-day [[Angadi]] in [[Chikkamagaluru]] district. At the time, it was a prominent Jain religious centre and is traditionally regarded as the original home of the Hoysala family.<ref name="Kamath125">Kamath (2001), p. 125.</ref> Sosevur served as the capital from around 1026 to 1048 CE. Even after the capital was moved to Belur, Sosevur remained an important commercial, administrative, and Jain religious centre.<ref name="Sastri357">Sastri (1955), p. 357.</ref>
In 1048, the Hoysala capital was moved to [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]].<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> Several factors made Belur an attractive site as a capital: first, its location on the [[Yagachi River]] provided a good supply of water year-round.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 88-9 --> Second, its location in hilly terrain made it easily defended.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> Third, it lay on an important trade route, helping both commerce and communications.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> However, Belur was barely capital for a decade before it was moved again.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 -->{{rp|88–90}}

The third and longest-lasting Hoysala capital was Dwarasamudra (also called Dorasamudra or Dvaravatipur), at the present-day site of [[Halebid]].<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> It became capital in 1062 and remained capital until the dynasty's end.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89-90 --> The reason for the shift is unknown, but it may have been for administrative convenience.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> Canals were dug connecting Dwarasamudra with Belur and bringing water from the Yagachi to Dwarasamudra.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> Two trade routes passed through the city, and scores of temples were built in it.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 --> The city declined in the 14th century.<!-- Prasad 1979, p. 89 -->{{rp|89–90}}

==Culture==

===Religion===
[[File:Somanathapura Keshava temple altered.JPG|thumb|right|[[Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura]], built 1268 CE.]]
The Hoysala rulers were originally patrons of [[Jainism]].<ref name="Kamath125"/> In the early period of the dynasty, Hoysala kings and ministers supported Jain institutions, temples, and scholars.<ref name="Sastri357">Sastri (1955), p. 357.</ref><ref name="Settar73">Settar (1989), p. 73.</ref> King Vishnuvardhana began his reign as a Jain when he was known as Bitti Deva and continued to patronize Jain institutions before his conversion. He granted lands to his general Ganggaraj who supported Jain temples at [[Shravanabelagola]] and [[Kambadahalli]] thus expanding Jain religious infrastructure in the region.<ref name="Sastri358">Sastri (1955), p. 358.</ref><ref name="Settar74">Settar (1989), p. 74.</ref>

[[Vishnuvardhana]] later Supported to [[Vaishnavism]] under the influence of the philosopher [[Ramanujacharya]].<ref>Settar, S. 1989, p. 152-155</ref><ref name="Kamath126">Kamath (2001), p. 126.</ref> His queen [[Shantala Devi]] and his Family however remained Devotees of Jainism.<ref>Nagarajaiah 1999, p. 45</ref><ref name="Settar75">Settar (1989), p. 75.</ref> She spent her later years at Shravanabelagola and, after the death of her son, took the Jain vow of "Sallekhana" (Jain ritual fasting to death) at Shivagange in 1131 CE. An inscription from 1131 CE at [[Chandragiri Hill]] in Shravanabelagola records her death through "[[Sallekhana]]" in the presence of her guru Prabhachandra Siddhanta Deva, King Vishnuvardhana and her mother Machikabbe. This inscription praises her piety, details her family lineage, and mentions grants made to Jain temples.<ref>''Shravanabelgola: History, Art, Architecture, and Inscriptions (relevant portions on Shantala Devi and Chandragiri inscription)''.</ref> Ganggaraj is also recorded as having retired to Shravanabelagola after his military career, continuing his patronage of Jain institutions.<ref name="Sastri359">Sastri (1955), p. 359.</ref>

Several prominent Jain, Brahmin and Shaiva poets and scholars flourished under the Hoysalas,<ref>Rice (1921), p. 45</ref><ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), pp. 16–17</ref><ref>Desai (1957), ''Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs''. Sholapur: Jaina Samshodhana Sangha. pp. 70–75.</ref><ref>Settar (1989), p. 214.</ref> and important Jain and Hindu monuments were built during this era including shrines and other structures at Shravanabelagola.<ref>Foekema (1996), pp. 14–20.</ref><ref>Settar (1989), pp. 200–220.</ref>

Later Some Hoysala rulers increasingly supported [[Vaishnavism]]. Kings such as Narasimha I and Veera Ballala II are known for their patronage of major Hindu temples and monasteries. However, successors continued the family legacy of patronising Jainism.<ref>Nagarajaiah 1999, p. 46-48</ref><ref>Settar, S. 1989, p. 154-156</ref> Inscriptions suggest that king [[Narasimha III]] worshiped [[Parshvanatha]], the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, and his spiritual advisor was Meghanandi Siddhanta, (a Digambar [[Jain monk]]).<ref>Sangave, Vilas Adinath. The Sacred Śravaṇa Beḷgoḷa. Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, 1981.</ref> However, with the decline of the Hoysala Kingdom Jains influence began to steadily decline in the modern Karnataka region.<ref name="Kamath127">Kamath (2001), p. 127.</ref><ref>Settar 1989, pp. 280–282</ref>

===Society===
{{main|Society of the Hoysala Empire}}
Hoysala society was marked by a highly stratified social order, religious pluralism, and rich cultural development. The empire was predominantly agrarian, with villages serving as the basic unit of administration and economy. Land grants to temples, monasteries, and scholars were common, helping sustain religious institutions and local elites.<ref name="Sastri363">Sastri (1955), p. 363.</ref>

Urban centers such as [[Halebidu]], [[Shravanbelgola]], [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]], and [[Somanathapura]] became important hubs of trade, craft production, and temple-building activity. The Hoysalas supported merchant guilds (nagaram), artisans, and sculptors, contributing to the development of the distinctive Hoysala architectural style known for its intricate ornamentation.<ref name="Kamath128">Kamath (2001), p. 128.</ref> Caste divisions were significant, with Brahmins receiving patronage for education and ritual services, while other occupational groups included agriculturists, artisans, merchants, and laborers. Inscriptions reveal a degree of social mobility through state service, military merit, and religious endowments. Religiously, society was diverse, with Jainism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and local traditions coexisting. Hoysala rulers were notable patrons of Jainism, granting lands and building basadis at Shravanabelagola, Halebidu, and elsewhere throughout their domains. Later kings, particularly after Vishnuvardhana’s conversion under Ramanujacharya’s influence, also supported Vaishnavism, leading to the construction of temples such as Chennakeshava at Belur and Hoysaleswara at Halebidu.<ref name="Settar80">Settar (1989), p. 80.</ref>

Society during this period became increasingly sophisticated. The status of women was varied. Some royal women were involved in administration, as shown in records describing Queen Umadevi’s management of Halebidu during Veera Ballala II’s military campaigns. She is also credited with suppressing rebellious feudatories.<ref name="Kamath129">Kamath (2001), p. 129.</ref> Women also participated in the fine arts, with Queen [[Shantala Devi]] renowned for her skill in dance and music. Shantala Devi remained a devout Jain and is said to have performed the Jain rite of Sallekhana at Shivagange.<ref name="Settar81">Settar (1989), p. 81.</ref> This pluralistic, temple-centered society encouraged art, literature, and learning, leaving behind a legacy of sculpture, inscriptions, and Kannada literary works that flourished under royal patronage. After the 12th century, Vachana Sahitya poets and Lingayat mystics such as Akka Mahadevi also contributed to the bhakti movement.<ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), p. 18</ref> Temple dancers (Devadasis) were common, often well-educated and accomplished in the arts, which gave them comparatively more freedom than other women. However, social norms remained hierarchical, with the caste system conspicuously present.<ref>Sastri (1955), p. 364</ref>

Trade on the west coast brought Arabs, Jews, Persians, Europeans, Chinese, and people from the Malay Peninsula to South India. The empire’s expansion encouraged migration, introducing new cultures and skills. Towns (Pattana or Pattanam) and marketplaces (Nagara or Nagaram) served as the nuclei of urban life. Shravanabelagola, for example, developed from a religious settlement in the 7th century into an important trading center by the 12th century with the arrival of wealthy merchants. Belur also grew into a regal city with the construction of the Chennakesava Temple under Vishnuvardhana.<ref name="Kamath130">Kamath (2001), p. 130.</ref> Large temples supported by royal patronage served not only religious but also social, economic, and judicial functions, employing artisans, sculptors, priests, and administrators. Temple building was a shared activity across religions and regions, with merchants and landlords financing temples to serve fiscal, political, cultural, and religious needs of agrarian communities, helping sustain local economies and social structures.<ref name="Sastri365">Sastri (1955), p. 365.</ref>

===Literature===
{{Main|Hoysala literature}}
[[File:Old Kannada inscription dated 1182 A.D. at the Akkana Basadi in Shravanebelagola.jpg|thumb|Old Kannada inscription dated to 1182 of King Veera Ballala II at Akkana Basadi, Shravanabelagola.]]The Hoysala period was marked by significant literary activity in Kannada, with notable contributions from Jain, Shaiva and Vaishnava Brahmin writers. [[Janna]] the court poet of [[Veera Ballala II]] gained renown for his ''Yashodhara Charite'', a classic of Kannada literature.<ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), pp. 15–16</ref> [[Keshiraja]], the Kannada gramarian and author of ''Shabdamanidarpana'' also flourished under Hoysala patronage.<ref name="Settar82">Settar (1989), p. 82.</ref>

Jain centers at Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli, where astronomy and mathematics were taught, were important centers of learning. Jain mathematicians such as [[Rajaditya (mathematician)|Rajaditya]] wrote seminal works on arithmetic and geometry including ''Vyavaharaganita'', and Mahaviracharya's ''Ganitasarasangraha'' became a standard mathematical text.<ref>Pingree (1981), p. 471</ref> Inscriptions attest to Jain Saints maintaining centers for astronomical and mathematical studies under Hoysala patronage.<ref name="Settar83">Settar (1989), p. 83.</ref> This period saw a particularly strong Jain contribution to Kannada literature. The historian R. Narasimhacharya notes that more Jains wrote in [[Kannada]] during this period than in any other Dravidian language.<ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), pp. 15–16.</ref> 

The period also saw innovation in Kannada poetic forms. The ''Sangatya'' metre became popular in compositions, while the Shatpadi (six-line), Tripadi (three-line) metres, and ''[[Ragale]]'' (lyrical blank verse) became fashionable, allowing greater variety and expressiveness in verse.<ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), p. 18</ref> Jain works continued to extol the virtues of Jain [[Tirthankaras]], preserving religious and ethical themes.

Brahminical writers also contributed significantly. [[Rudrabhatta]], patronized by Chandramouli, a minister of Veera Ballala II, wrote ''Jagannatha Vijaya'' in the Champu style, narrating the life of Krishna up to his battle with Banasura, drawing on the Vishnu Purana and similar traditions.<ref>Rice (1921), p. 48</ref> [[Harihara]] (also known as Harisvara), a poet patronized by King Narasimha I, wrote ''Girijakalyana'' in the Champu style, recounting the marriage of Shiva and Parvati in ten sections.<ref name="Kamath131">Kamath (2001), p. 131.</ref> A native of Halebidu from a family of accountants ("Karanikas"), Harihara wrote over one hundred ''ragales'' in praise of Virupaksha (a form of Shiva). Raghavanka introduced the Shatpadi metre into Kannada literature with his ''Harishchandra Kavya'', which is considered a classic despite occasional departures from strict grammatical rules.<ref>Narasimhacharya (1988), pp. 18–19</ref>

===Architecture===
{{main|Hoysala architecture}}
[[File:Belur Temple Apsara with Mirror.JPG|thumb|"Darpanasundari" (lady with a mirror), one of the many [[Salabhanjika|madanakai]] decorating the [[Chennakeshava Temple, Belur]].]]The modern interest in the Hoysalas is due to their patronage of art and architecture rather than their military conquests. The brisk temple building throughout the Kingdom was accomplished despite constant threats from the Pandyas to the south and the Seunas Yadavas to the north. Their architectural style, an offshoot of the Western Chalukya style,{{sfn|Hardy|1995|pp=215, 243}}{{sfn|Kamath|2001|pp=115, 118}} shows distinct [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian]] influences.{{sfn|Sastri|1955|p=429}} The Hoysala architecture style is described as ''Karnata Dravida'' as distinguished from the traditional ''Dravida'',{{sfn|Hardy|1995|pp=6{{ndash}}7}} and is considered an independent architectural tradition with many unique features.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=p. 134: Hoysala style has negligible influences of the Indo-Aryan style and owing to its many independent features, it qualifies as an independent school of architecture}}

A feature of Hoysala temple architecture is its attention to exquisite detail and skilled craftsmanship.{{sfn|Sen|1999|pp=500{{ndash}}501}} The tower over the temple shrine (''vimana'') is delicately finished with intricate carvings, showing attention to the ornate and elaborately detailed rather than to a tower form and height.{{sfn|Foekema|1996|pp=27{{ndash}}28}} The stellate design of the base of the shrine with its rhythmic projections and recesses is carried through the tower in an orderly succession of decorated tiers.{{refn|1=This is a Hoysala innovation.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=135}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Foekema|1996|pp=21{{ndash}}22}} Hoysala temple sculpture replicates this emphasis on delicacy and craftsmanship in its focus on depicting feminine beauty, grace and physique.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|loc=p 136: "Their sculptured figures, especially the bracket figures, have been objects of praise at the hands of art critics of the whole world. They include ''Sukhabhasini'', ''Darpanadharini'' and other damsels in various dancing poses."}} The Hoysala artists achieved this with the use of [[Soapstone]] (Chloritic schist), a soft stone as basic building and sculptural material.{{sfn|Sastri|1955|p=428}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=37}}

The [[Chennakeshava Temple, Belur|Chennakesava Temple]] at Belur (1117),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=47}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=325}} the [[Hoysaleswara Temple]] at Halebidu (1121),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=59}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=329}} the [[Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura|Chennakesava Temple]] at [[Somanathapura]] (1279),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=87}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=346}} the temples at [[Ishvara Temple (Arasikere)|Arasikere]] (1220),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=41}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=321}} [[Amruthapura]] (1196),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=37}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=320}} [[Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi|Belavadi]] (1200),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=53}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=324}} [[Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nuggehalli|Nuggehalli]] (1246),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=83}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=340}} [[Lakshminarayana Temple, Hosaholalu|Hosaholalu]] (1250),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=71}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|pp=330{{ndash}}333}} [[Chennakeshava Temple, Aralaguppe|Aralaguppe]] (1250),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=39}} [[Bucesvara Temple, Koravangala|Korvangla]] (1173),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=77}}{{sfn|Hardy|1995|p=334}} [[Lakshminarasimha Temple, Haranhalli|Haranhalli]] (1235),{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=67}} [[Nageshvara-Chennakeshava Temple complex, Mosale|Mosale]]{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=81}} and [[Mallikarjuna Temple, Basaralu|Basaralu]] (1234){{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=43}} are some of the notable examples of Hoysala art. While the temples at Belur and Halebidu are the best known because of the beauty of their sculptures, the Hoysala art finds more complete expression in the smaller and lesser known temples.{{sfn|Foekema|1996|loc=Preface, 47, 59}} The outer walls of all these temples contain an intricate array of stone sculptures and horizontal friezes (decorative mouldings) that depict the Hindu epics. These depictions are generally clockwise in the traditional direction of circumambulation (''[[pradakshina]]''). The temple of Halebidu has been described as an outstanding example of Hindu architecture{{sfn|Foekema|1996|p=61}} and an important milestone in Indian architecture.{{sfn|Kamath|2001|p=135}} The temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura were designated as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites|world heritage sites]] in 2023.<ref name="unesco"/>
<gallery>
File:View_of_Akkana_Basadi_from_northeastern_side_at_Shravanabelagola.jpg|[[Akkana Basadi, Shravanabelagola]]
File:Vesara style shrine and superstructure in Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Nuggehalli.JPG|Vesara style ''Vimana'' of the Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Nuggehalli (1246 CE)
File:Rear view of stellate shrine in the Ishvara temple at Arasikere 1.JPG|Stellate ''Vimana'', at Ishvara Temple (Arasikere) built in 1220 CE
File:Jain Temple at Halebidu.jpg|[[Jain temples, Halebidu]]
File:Nageshvara (near) and Chennakeshava (far) temples at Mosale.JPG|Twin temples (1200 CE) at Mosale, the Nageshvara (near) and Chennakeshava temple (far)
File:Jain Statue, Dwarasamudra 20240308 085159843.jpg|alt=Hoysala Kingdom|[[Jain]] statue, Dwarasamudra
File:Shilabaalika on pillar bracket in Chennakeshava Temple at Belur2.jpg|A sculpture of a dancer on pillar bracket, 1117 CE, (''Shilabaalika'' or ''Madanika'') in the Chennakeshava temple at Belur
File:Standing Vishnu as Keshava, 1st quarter of the 12th century, Hoysala period, Karnataka, probably Belur, India.jpg|Standing Vishnu as Keshava, 1st quarter of the 12th century, Hoysala period, probably Belur, Karnataka, India
File:Hoysala Monuments 20240309 100856505~2.jpg|alt=Jain, Hoysala Monuments|Statue Of [[Parshwanath]], Hoysala Monuments</gallery>

===Language===
[[File:Shasana (Inscription) at Keshava Temple, Somanathapura.jpg|thumb|Old Kannada inscription (1270 CE) of King Narasimha III at Keshava Temple, Somanathapura.]]
The Hoysala rulers strongly supported the [[Kannada]] language, as seen in their inscriptions often composed in polished, poetic Kannada with decorative floral designs in the margins.<ref name="Settar89">Settar (1991). ''Hoysala Heritage''. Kannada University, Dharwad. pp. 87–89.</ref> According to historian Sheldon Pollock, the Hoysala era marked the near-complete displacement of Sanskrit in favor of Kannada as the primary courtly and administrative language.<ref name="Pollock150">Pollock (2006), p. 150.</ref>

Jain and Buddhist monasteries educated novice monks, while schools of higher learning were called ''ghatikas''. Temples often served as local schools where learned Brahmins taught in Sanskrit. The local Kannada language, however, was widely used in the devotional movements that emphasized an intimate experience of the divine. Literary works were written on palm leaves bound together. While earlier centuries had seen Jain works dominate [[Kannada]] literature, the Hoysala period also witnessed the rise of Hindu and early Brahminical works.<ref name="Narasimhacharya49">Narasimhacharya, (1988), pp. 47–49.</ref>

Sanskrit continued to be used for poetry, grammar, lexicons, manuals, rhetoric, commentaries, prose fiction, and drama.<ref name="Sanskrit152">Sanskrit Reference [152]</ref> Inscriptions on stone (''shilashasana'') and copper plates (''tamarashasana'') were mostly in Kannada, though some were in Sanskrit or bilingual. Typically, the titles, genealogies, origin myths, and benedictions appeared in Sanskrit, while the terms of grants—including land boundaries, participation of local authorities, rights and obligations, taxes, and witnesses—were in Kannada to ensure clarity for local communities.<ref name="Saletore98">Saletore (1934). ''Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire'', Vol. 1. B.G. Paul & Co. pp. 97–98.</ref>

== List of Monarchs ==
{{static row numbers}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text"
|+
! Regnal names
! Reign 
|-
|[[Sala (Hoysala Dynasty)]]
|
|-
|[[Arekalla]]
|950-960
|-
|[[Maruga]]
|960-976
|-
|[[Nripa Kama I]]
|976-1006
|-
|[[Munda (Hoysala)]]
|1006-1026
|-
|[[Nripa Kama II]]
|1026–1047
|-
|[[Vinayaditya (Hoysala dynasty)|Vinayaditya]]
|1047–1098
|-
|[[Ereyanga]]
|1098–1102
|-
|[[Veera Ballala I]]
|1102–1108
|-
|[[Vishnuvardhana]]
|1108–1152
|-
|[[Narasimha I]]
|1152–1173
|-
|[[Veera Ballala II]]
|1173–1220
|-
|[[Vira Narasimha II|Narasimha II]]
|1220–1234
|-
|[[Vira Someshwara|Someshwara]]
|1234–1263
|-
|[[Narasimha III]]
|1263–1292
|-
|[[Veera Ballala III]]
|1292–1342/43
|-
|[[Veera Ballala IV]]
|1342/43-1346
|}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |title=South Indian Shrines |orig-date=1920 |year=1993 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC |isbn=978-81-206-0151-2}}{{Better source needed|date=September 2022}}
* {{cite book |last1= Chopra|first1= P.N. |last2= Ravindran |first2= T.K. |last3=Subrahmanian |first3= N. |title= History of South India (Ancient, Medieval and Modern) Part 1 |year=2003 |publisher= Chand Publications |location=New Delhi |isbn= 978-81-219-0153-6}}
* {{cite book |last1=Desai |first1=Pandurang Bhimarao |last2=Ritti |first2=Shrinivas |last3=Gopal |first3=B. R. |title=A History of Karnataka: from pre-history to unification |date=1970 |publisher=Kannada Research Institute, Karnatak University |location=Dharwar |isbn=|oclc=203297 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.430132/page/n1/mode/2up?view=theater}}
* {{cite book |last=Foekema |first=Gerard |title= A Complete Guide To Hoysala Temples |year=1996 |publisher= Abhinav |location= New Delhi |isbn=978-81-7017-345-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=puhKEqJpElEC}}
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Fritz |editor-first1=John M. |editor-last2=Michell |editor-first2=George |title= New Light on Hampi: Recent Research at Vijayanagar|year= 2001|publisher=MARG |location= Mumbai|isbn= 81-85026-53-X}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hardy |first1=Adam |title=Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation -The Karnata Dravida Tradition 7th to 13th Centuries |date=1995 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-312-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aU0hCAS2-08C}}
* {{cite book |last= Kamath |first= Suryanath U. |author-link=Suryanath U. Kamath |title= A Concise History of Karnataka: from pre-historic times to the present |date=2001 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oqY9AAAAMAAJ |publisher= Jupiter Books |location= Bangalore |oclc= 7796041 |lccn= 80905179}}
* {{cite book |last1=Keay |first1=John |author1-link=John Keay |title=India: a history |date=2000 |publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press |location=New York |isbn=9780802195500 |page=|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/indiahistory00keay/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Kumar |first1=B. Pandu |title=Agrarian System of the Hoysalas: as depiction in the inscriptions |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=2006|volume=67 |pages=217{{ndash}}223  |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44147940 |issn=2249-1937}}
* {{cite book |last1=Menon |first1=Indira |title=Rhythms in Stone: The Temples of South India |date=2013 |publisher=Ambi Knowledge Resources |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788190359139 |page=128 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym17YA_jhCgC}}
* {{cite book |last= Narasimhacharya |first= R. |title=  History of Kannada Literature |url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.489059 |year=1988|publisher= Asian Educational Services |location= New Delhi; Madras |isbn= 978-81-206-0303-5}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Nayaka |first1=Hanuma |title=Merchants as Agents of the State under the Hoysalas |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=2003 |volume=64 |pages=238{{ndash}}246 |doi= |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44145465 |issn=2249-1937}}
* {{cite book |last = Pollock | first = Sheldon |  author-link = Sheldon Pollock | title = The Language of Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture and Power in Pre-modern India | year = 2006 | publisher = Berkeley and London: University of California Press| isbn = 978-0-520-24500-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CMskDQAAQBAJ}}
* {{cite book |last= Rice |first=Edward P. |title=A History of Kannada Literature |orig-date=1921 |year=1982 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn= 978-81-206-0063-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2fhCH-NRatUC |edition=2nd}}{{Better source needed|date=September 2022}}
* {{cite book |last= Settar |first= Sadakshara |title= The Hoysala temples |year=1986 |publisher=Karnatak University, Dharwad|isbn=|edition=|url=}}
* {{cite book |last= Sastri |first= K.A. Nilakanta |title= A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar |year=1955 |publisher= [[Oxford University Press]] |location= New Delhi |isbn= |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.16035/page/n7/mode/2up |oclc=1035966644}}
* {{cite book |last= Sen |first= Sailendra Nath |title= Ancient Indian History and Civilization |year=1999 |publisher= New Age Publishers |isbn=978-81-224-1198-0 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC}}
* {{cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |date=2013 |publisher=Primus Books |isbn=978-93-80607-34-4}}
* {{cite book |first1=Radhika |last1=Seshan |first2=Shraddha |last2=Kumbhojkar |year=2018 |title=Re-searching Transitions in Indian History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RyZhDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT47 |location=London; New York |publisher=[[Routledge]] |oclc=1041706962 |isbn=9780429487569}}
* {{cite book |last=Shiva Prakash |first=H.S. |editor=Ayyappapanicker |title=Medieval Indian Literature: an anthology |year= 1997 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi| isbn=978-81-260-0365-5 |chapter= Kannada |volume=2}}
* {{cite book |last= Thapar |first= Romila |title=The Penguin History of Early India: from the origins to AD 1300 |year= 2002 |publisher= [[Penguin Books]] |location= New Delhi |isbn= 978-0-14-302989-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/HistoryOfEarlyIndiaFromTheOriginsToAD1300Thapar/page/n3/mode/2up}}
* {{cite book |last1=Van der Geer |first1=Alexandra Anna Enrica |title=Animals in Stone: Indian Mammals Sculptured Through Time |date=2008 |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |location=Leiden |isbn=978-90-04-16819-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oQ3quxh9gsgC}}
*  ⁠{{cite book |last=Settar |first=Sadakshara |title=Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. 2 |publisher=Bharatiya Jnanpith |year=1975 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.426584 }}
*  ⁠{{cite book |last=Sangave |first=Vilas Adinath |title=The Sacred Śravaṇa Beḷgoḷa: A Socio‑Religious Study |publisher=Bharatiya Jnanpith |year=1981 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.429319 }}
* {{cite news|url= http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/25/stories/2004072501490300.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041022053319/http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/25/stories/2004072501490300.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date= 22 October 2004|title= Belur proposal for World Heritage Status|access-date= 17 November 2006|location= Chennai, India|work= [[The Hindu]]|date= 25 July 2004}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/deccan/hoysala/belur.htm|title=Hoysala Temples of Belur, by K. L. Kamat, 04 November 2006|access-date=3 December 2006|work=© 1996–2006 Kamat's Potpourri|archive-date=2 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102111633/http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/deccan/hoysala/belur.htm|url-status=live}}
*  ⁠{{cite book |last=Nagarajaiah |first=Hampa |title=Jainism in Southern Karnataka |publisher=Sapna Book House |location=Bangalore |year=1999 |oclc=45166444 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45166444 |access-date=7 August 2025}}
{{Refend}}

===Further reading===
* {{cite book |last1=Desai |first1=Pandurang Bhimarao |last2=Ritti |first2=Shrinivas |last3=Gopal |first3=B. R. |title=A History of Karnataka: from pre-history to unification |date=1970 |publisher=Kannada Research Institute, Karnatak University |location=Dharwar |isbn=|oclc=203297 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.430132/page/n1/mode/2up?view=theater |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last1=Derrett |first1=J. |last2=Duncan |first2=M. |title=The Hoysalas: a medieval Indian royal family |date=1957 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=London |isbn=|oclc=1070864216 |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.528535/page/n3/mode/2up |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last=Foekema |first=Gerard |title= Architecture Decorated with Architecture: later medieval temples of Karnataka, 1000–1300 AD |year=2003 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd |location= New Delhi |isbn= 81-215-1089-9 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last1=Keay |first1=John |author1-link=John Keay |title=India: a history |date=2000 |publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press |location=New York |isbn=9780802195500 |page=|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/indiahistory00keay/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater |ref=none}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Kumar |first1=B. Pandu |title=Agrarian System of the Hoysalas: as depiction in the inscriptions |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=2006|volume=67 |pages=217{{ndash}}223 |doi=|publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44147940 |issn=2249-1937|ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last1=Menon |first1=Indira |title=Rhythms in Stone: The Temples of South India |date=2013 |publisher=Ambi Knowledge Resources |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788190359139 |page=128 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ym17YA_jhCgC |ref=none}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/deccan/hoysala.htm |title=Hoysala Dynasty, Jyothsna Kamat|access-date=17 November 2006 |work=© 1996–2006 Kamat's Potpourri }}
* {{cite web |url=http://inscriptions.whatisindia.com/|title=Indian Inscriptions-South Indian Inscriptions, (vols 9, 15,17,18)|access-date=17 November 2006 |work= What Is India Publishers (P) Ltd, Saturday, 18 November 2006}}

{{India topics}}
{{Middle kingdoms of India}}
{{Karnataka topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hoysala Kingdom| ]]
[[Category:1343 disestablishments in Asia]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1026]]
[[Category:Medieval Indian monarchies]]
[[Category:Former countries in South Asia]]
[[Category:Medieval Hindu kingdoms]]
[[Category:Jain empires and kingdoms]]
[[Category:11th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1343]]
[[Category:Medieval Karnataka]]