Chola rule in Sri Lanka The period of Chola rule in the island of Sri Lanka began in 993 when Raja Raja Chola sent a large Chola army which conquered the Anuradhapura Kingdom , in the north , and added it to the sovereignty of the Chola Empire . The whole or most of the island was subsequently conquered and incorporated as a province of the vast Chola empire during the reign of his son Rajendra Chola . The Chola rule which lasted for eight decades in the island , would be overthrown in 1077 through a rebellion led by Vijayabahu I one of the dispossessed Sinhalese monarchs . The Cholas fought many subsequent wars and attempted to reconquer Anuradhapura as the Sinhalese monarchs were allies of their arch - enemies , the Pandyas . Conquest . Raja Raja Chola I . The " tirumagal " inscription of Raja Raja Chola dated to 993 AD first mentions Anuradhapura among the king ' s conquests . Taking advantage of a civil war which had caused the Sinhalese monarch Mahinda V to flee to the south - east province of Anuradhapura known as Ruhuna , Raja Raja Chola invaded Anuradhapura sometime between 991 and 993 AD and conquered the northern part of the country and incorporated it into his kingdom as a province named " Mummudi - sola - mandalam " after himself . The capital was at Polonnaruwa which was renamed " Jananathamangalam " . Rajendra Chola I . In the year A . D . 1014 Rajaraja Chola died after twenty nine years of rule , and was succeeded by his son the Rajendra Chola I on the throne of the Chola Empire . As per the Sinhalese Buddhist chronicle " Mahavamsa " , the conquest of Anuradhapura was completed by his son Rajendra Chola I in the 36th year of the reign of the Sinhalese monarch Mahinda V , i . e . about 1017 – 18 . According to the Karandai plates , Rajendra Chola led a large army into Anuradhapura and captured Mahinda ' s crown , queen , daughter , vast amount of wealth and the king himself whom he took as a prisoner to India . The whole of Anuradhapura including the south - eastern province of Ruhuna were incorporated into the Chola Empire . Administration . Founding of Janathamangalam ( Polonnaruwa ) . Following the fall of Anuradhapura , the northern part of the island became a Chola province under the name Mummudi Chola Mandalam . The Cholas then founded a new capital at Janathamangalam ( present - day Polannauwa ) to the south - east of Anuradhapura . The capital was the home to the Chola reign in the island that would last for close to a century and consequently would continue to thrive as the capital of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa . Establishment of trade settlements . During this period of Chola imperialism , the Tamil trading guilds Thisaiayiratthu Annuruvar also known as the Nanadesis , the Valanjiyar and the Nagaratthar who were already trading in Anuradhapura further increased their activities in the Island . Several mercantile towns were established across the island . The village of Manhottam alias Manthai , the closest link to Chola warriors of the mainland was developed into an important seaport city with many highways . The Chola Officers also built an irrigation tank near Iluppaikkadavai known as Cholamandalakkulam , north of Mannar . Coinage . Rajaraja during his rule of north Anuradhapura issued gold coins with the legend " Sri Rajaraja " inscribed on them . These were equivalent to ten kalanju or units of gold . There were also coins issued in base metal having the same legend Rajaraja . He also issued a base gold coin called the Madai , and the coin too bore his name Sri Rajarja in Nagari letters . Rajendra during his rule of whole of Anuradhapura , issued gold coinage with the legend " Yuddha Malla " inscribed on them referring to him as a great warrior . " Chola Samasthanam . Rajendra Chola appointed one of his sons as the viceroy in Anuradhapura with the title Ilangaiyarkku Iraivan who was also known as Chola Ilangeswaren alias Sri Sangapanmar . The region in Polonnaruwa where he resided and ruled was known as Chola Samasthanam ( Solasamasthanaya of Polonnnaruwa ) . Rebellions . Eleven years after the Chola conquest of Ruhuna , Mahinda V ' s son Vikramabahu I rose in rebellion . Taking advantage of uprisings in the Pandya kingdom and Kerala , Vikramabahu I massacred the Chola garrisons in Ruhuna and drove the 95 , 000 - strong Chola army to Pulatthinagara . Soon afterwards , Vikramabahu crowned himself king of Ruhuna . Vikramabahu ' s mysterious death in 1041 , however , brought an end to the war . His successor Mahalanakitti tried to drive the Cholas out of Anuradhapura but failed and hence , took his own life in disgrace . His successor Vijayabahu who ascended the throne in 1058 supported rebellions in the Chola province or Rajarattha in Northern Anuradhapura . The then Chola monarch Virarajendra responded by sending a large Chola army into Ruhuna and forcing it into subjugation . The Chola army plundered the capital Kajaragama and drove the king into flight . Vijayabahu , however , renewed his attacks on Chola garrisons after an interval of three years . End of Chola rule . In 1070 , during the reign of Kulothunga I , Vijayabahu attacked and captured Pulatthinagara and drove Cholas out of the city . Kulottunga sent a large army which engaged Vijayabahu in a pitched battle near Anuradhapura . The Cholas , initially succeeded in driving Vijayabahu to seek refuge in Vatagiri but Vijayabahu took Mahanagakula on the Walaweganga and conducted his resistance from there . Pulatthinagara and Anuradhapura fell to Vijayabahu and Mahatittha was soon occupied . Having liberated the whole of the island of Anuradhapura from Chola rule , Vijayabahu crowned himself king of Polonnaruwa in 1076 - 77 . Memorials . Raja Raja Chola ( arul mozhi varman ) commemorated his conquest of northern Anuradhapura by constructing a Shiva temple at Polonnaruwa . The Siva temple of Polonnaruwa which has survived to the present day is contemporaneous with the Brihadesswarar Temple at Thanjavur . One of his army officers Tali Kumaran constructed a Rajarajeswara Temple at Mantota . Raja Raja Chola ' s son and successor Rajendra I has left some inscriptions of his at the Shiva temple at Polonnaruwa . All Shiva and Vishnu temple remains found at Polonnaruwa also date from this time .