The Hoysala Empire was one of the prominent South Indian empire that ruled most part of the modern day Karnataka between the tenth and the fourteenth centuries. The capital of the empire initially resided at Belur, later moved to Halebidu.
The Hoysala era was an important period in the development of architecture in South India. The empire is remembered today for Hoysala architecture. Hoysalas built approximately 1500 temples in a span of 4 centuries. More than 200 are still surviving and scrattred across Karnataka, mainly in Hassan, Mandya, Tumkur, Chikkamagalur districts.
Historians refer to the founders of the dynasty as natives of Malenadu Karnataka. Kannada folklore tells that a young man named Sala, instructed by his Jain guru Sudatta to strike a tiger he encountered near the temple of the Goddess Vasantika at Sosevur. The word “strike” translates to “hoy” in Kannada, hence the name “Hoysala.” The legend first appeared in the Belur inscription of Vishnuvardhana. The legend may have come into existence or gained popularity after King Vishnuvardhana’s victory over the Cholas at Talakad as the Hoysala emblem depicts the fight between the mythical Sala and a tiger, the emblem of the Cholas
With available inscriptions the cronology can be concluded with Areakalla as the founder of the kingdom
Arekalla
Muruga
Nripakama I
Munda (1006–1026)
Nripa Kama II (1026–1047)
Vinayaditya (1047–1098)
Ereyanga (1098–1102)
Veera Ballala I (1102–1108)
Vishnuvardhana (1108–1152)
Narasimha I (1152–1173)
Veera Ballala II (1173–1220)
Vira Narasimha II (1220–1235)
Vira Someshwara (1235–1263)
Narasimha III (1263–1292)
Veera Ballala III (1292–1343)
avyakta 