Mahendravarman I

Mahendravarman I (reigned 590–630) was a Pallava emperor who ruled over a realm covering the southern portions of present-day Andhra region and northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India, in the early 7th century. He was a scholar, a painter, an architect and a musician. He was the son of Simhavishnu, who defeated the Kalabhras and re-established the Pallava kingdom.

During his reign, the Chalukya monarch Pulakeshin II attacked the Pallava realm. The Pallavas fought a series of wars in the northern Vengi region, before Mahendravarman decimated his chief enemies at Pullalur (according to Pallava grants at Kuram, Kasakudi and Tadantottam). Although Mahendravarman saved his capital, he lost the northern provinces to Pulakeshin. Tamil literature flourished under his rule, with the rise in popularity of Tevaram written by Appar and Sambandhar. Mahendravarman I was the author of the play Mattavilasa Prahasana which is a Sanskrit satire. During his period "Bhagavadajjukam", another satire (prahasanam), was written by Bodhayana. King Mahendravarman mentioned this on a stone inscription in Mamandur along with his own Mattavilasa Prahasanam.

Mahendravarman was succeeded to the throne by his more famous son Narasimhavarman I in 630 CE, who defeated Pulakeshin II of the Chalukya dynasty and ransacked the Chalukyan capital city of Vatapi (also known as Badami).