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Krishna III (r. 939 – 967), was the last great warrior and able Rashtrakutas. He was a shrewd administrator and skillful military campaigner. He waged many wars to restore the glory of the Rashtrakutas and played an important role in rebuilding the Rashtrakuta empire. He patronised the famous Kannada poets Ponna, who wrote Shantinatha and Gajankusha, who wrote on erotics, and the Apabhramsha poet Pushpadanta who wrote "Mahapurana" and other works.Kamath (2001), p84, p90Sastri (1955), p356Reu (1933), p86 His queen was a Chedi princess and his daughter Bijjabbe was married to a Western Ganga prince. During his rule he held titles such as Akalavarsha, Maharajadhiraja, Parameshvara, Paramamaheshvara, Shri Prithvivallabha etc.Reu (1933), p82 At his peak, he reigned over a vast empire stretching from at least the Narmada River river in the north to at least the Kaveri river delta in the south. A copper grant of 993 issued by the Shilahara king of Thane states that the Rashtrakuta control extended from the Himalayas in the north to Ceylon in the south and from the eastern sea to the Arabian Sea. This grant also states that when the emperor Krishna III mobilised his armies, the kings of Chola, Bengal, Kannauj, Andhra and Pandya regions used to quiver.Reu (1933), p43
In c. 949, he defeated the Cholas decisively in a Battle of Takkolam in present-day North Arcot district.From the Karhad record of 949 (Kamath 2001, p83) Krishna III was joined by his Western Ganga feudatory Butuga II in this campaign. Chola prince Rajaditya Chola Chola was killed "while seated on his elephant with a well-aimed arrow". From the famous Atakur inscription it is known that Krishna III gave Buthuga II extensive Ratta territories near Banavasi in return for this victory.From the Atakur inscription (Kamath 2001, p83)Sarma (1992), p20, p28, p133Adiga (2006), p120, p307 With the fall of the Cholas, he extracted tribute from the Pandyas and the Chera ruler of Kerala.Narayanan, M. G. S. Perumāḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy: Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cēra Perumāḷs of Makōtai (c. AD 800 – AD 1124). Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 100–101. He also obtained the submission of the King of Ceylon, extracted tributes from the Manadlika rulers, and erected a pillar of victory at Ramesvaram.From the Sholapur copper plate inscriptions of 958 (Reu 1933, p84, p85) This victory is narrated in Somadeva's writing Yashatilaka Champu of 959 as well.Krishna III is described as the conqueror of Chola, Chera, Pandya and Simhala (Ceylon) (Reu 1933, p86)
However, from location of the inscriptions it is argued that Krishna III had full control only of Tondaimandalam (northern Tamil Nadu) as his inscriptions are not found further south in modern Tamil Nadu.Sathianath Ayer in Kamath 2001, p83 After these victories he proclaimed himself "Conqueror of Kacci and Tanjai" (Kanchi and Tanjore).from the Tirukkalukkunram and Lakshmeshvara inscriptions (Reu 1933, p83, p85) He exerted influence on Vengi (modern Andhra Pradesh) by helping Badapa secure the throne against his competitor Amma II. Later, Danarnava of Vengi became his feudatory.
At his peak, Krishna III ruled an empire that extended at least from the Narmada River river in the north and stretched south covering large parts of present-day northern Tamil Nadu in the south. The Prathihara, the Paramara dynasty, the Seuna (ruled by Vaddiga) and the northern Kalachuris were his feudatories in the northern Deccan and central India.However the Deoli inscriptions state that the Rashtrakuta control extended from the Himalayas in the north to Ceylon in the south and from the eastern sea to the western sea (Reu 1933, p83, p84)
This enmity with the northern Kalachuris of Tripuri proved fatal to the empire towards the end of his rule. Krishna III was also perhaps reckless in giving large fiefs (land grants) to his commanders. He gave the province of Tardavadi (present day Vijayapura district) sometime before 965 to Tailapa II his Chalukya feudatory right in the heart of his empire. This later turned out to be to the Rashtrakutas' undoing.
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