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The Chola military ((タミル語:சோழர் படை)) was a well-organised and effective fighting force during medieval times. The imperial Cholas of the Vijayalaya dynasty who ruled parts of South India and Lanka between the tenth and the thirteenth centuries CE were dependent on their army and the navy to expand and maintain order in their vast empire. The King & in later days Emperor was the head of the army and the navy. == Army == Chola inscriptions mention numerous regiments by specific names. Rajaraja Chola I created a powerful standing army and a considerable navy, which achieved even greater success under his son Rajendra Chola I than under himself. The army consisted of the Infantry, Cavalry and Elephant corps. There is no evidence for the traditional Chariot corps found in ancient Hindu literature. There were other specialist infantry such as bowmen (''villaligal''). At its peak Cholan army is said to have two million soldiers fighting for their Kingdom at many fronts simultaneously. Chinese geographer Chau Ju-kua, writing in about 1225, gives the following account of the Chola army: :''This () country is at war with the kingdom of the () of India. The government owns sixty thousand war elephants, every one seven or eight feet high. When fighting these elephants carry on their backs houses, and these houses are full of soldiers who shoot arrows at long range, and fight with spears at close quarters''.〔The kings themselves used to fight in battlefields riding on such war elephants. There are a few occasions of the king dying in the battlefied on these elephants. Parantaka I's son Rajaditya died at Sripurambayam. The Chola king Rajadhiraja Chola I died on an elephant fighting the Chalukya army at Koppam. The epithet ''Yanai-mel-thunjiya'' (who died on an elephant) is attached to these kings in their inscriptions indicating their valour.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chola military」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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