kingdom · South Asia
Nolamba dynasty
Origins
The Nolambas, who called themselves Nolamba Pallavas and claimed descent from the Pallava dynasty, emerged in the 8th century in Nolambavadi, a region covering parts of modern Chitradurga, Tumkur, Kolar and Anantapur. Their main capital was Hemavati, in Andhra Pradesh near the Karnataka border.
Rule and society
The Nolambas served as feudatories of larger powers, at different times the Western Ganga dynasty, the Rashtrakuta dynasty and the Pallavas, and often shifted allegiance. Their inscriptions are in Kannada. They built Shaiva temples, notably the Doddeshvara temple at Hemavati, known for finely carved black stone pillars and ceilings, some now in museums.
Decline and legacy
In the 10th century the Ganga king Marasimha II attacked them, and the Chola Empire and the Western Chalukya Empire later fought over Nolambavadi. The Nolambas survived as minor chiefs until the mid-11th century.
Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Nolamba dynasty was a vassal of Western Ganga dynasty750 CE – 950 CE
- Nolamba dynasty was a vassal of Western Chalukya Empire973 CE – 1054 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Nolamba dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/nolamba-dynasty
- MLA
- “Nolamba dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/nolamba-dynasty. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Nolamba dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/nolamba-dynasty.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Nolamba dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/nolamba-dynasty (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻