Pulakeshin II

Pulakeshin II received a diplomatic mission from the Sassanid Persian king Khosrow II, as recorded in the Aihole inscription. This embassy indicates the Chalukya kingdom's international prestige and trade connections with the Persian Gulf.

Pulakeshin II repelled an invasion by the northern emperor Harsha of Kannauj on the banks of the Narmada River. This victory established the Chalukya kingdom as the dominant power in the Deccan and prevented Harsha from expanding southward.

Pulakeshin II commissioned the Aihole inscription, composed by the poet Ravikirti. The inscription details his military campaigns, including the defeat of Harsha, and provides a key historical source for the Chalukya dynasty.

Pulakeshin II captured the Pallava capital of Kanchipuram, defeating the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. This conquest extended Chalukya control into Tamil country and marked the height of his empire's territorial extent.

Pulakeshin II was killed in battle against the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who avenged the earlier capture of Kanchipuram. The Pallavas sacked the Chalukya capital Vatapi, and Pulakeshin's death led to a temporary decline of the Chalukya empire.