While the early history of Cuddalore remains unclear, the city first rose to prominence during Pallavas and Medieval Cholas' reign. After the fall of Cholas, the town was ruled by various dynasties like Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks, Thanjavur Marathas, Tipu Sultan, French and the British Empire. Cuddalore was the scene of the Seven Years' War and the Battle of Cuddalore in 1758 between the French and British. It has been a part of independent India since 1947. During the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, and the subsequent tsunamis generated, Cuddalore was one of the affected towns, with 572 casualties.