Dantivarman ruled the Pallava kingdom for 51 years. During his reign, the decline of the Pallavas had set in.
Pandyan intrusions in the south reduced the Pallava territory to areas in and around
Kanchipuram. In 803 CE, the
Rashtrakuta emperor
Govinda III defeated him and entered
Kanchi. The
Telugu Chola monarch
Srikantha conquered and occupied
Tondaimandalam and appointed as its ruler a member of a junior branch of the
Pallavas named Abhimanasiddhi, who appears to have some relation to the Cholas as well. Dantivarman fled and took shelter in the
Kadamba kingdom, with whom he was related matrimonially. No inscription of Dantivarman was found between his 21st and 49th regnal years (i.e. from circa 818 CE – 845 CE). This interregnum caused by the Telugu Chodas was put to an end in the 49th regnal year of Dantivarman, who was assisted by his crown prince
Nandivarman III (born through the
Kadamba princess Aggalanimmadi), and regained his lost territory. However, the southern regions of the Pallava kingdom continued to be under Pandyan control. == Notes ==