Pulakesi I {Kannada: ಪುಲಕೇಶಿ ೧} (543–566 CE) established the Chalukya dynasty in then western Deccan and his descendants ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 and most of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...

. Pulakesi overthrew the Kadambas

Kadambas

The Kadamba Dynasty was an ancient royal family of Karnataka that ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district. The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires for over five hundred years during which time they...

 to establish the Chalukya kingdom. He had the titles Satyashraya, Vallabha and Dharmamaharaja.

Predecessors

The Chalukya records mention two early chiefs of the family, Jayasimha Vallabha (500–520) and his son, Ranaranga (520–540). They must have been petty chiefs under the Kadambas, but we know little about their activities and achievements.

Establishment of Chalukya kingdom

Pulakesi I was Ranaranga's son. He earned the distinction of being the first independent King and the real founder of the Chalukya dynasty. He successfully defied the waning power of the Kadambas and proclaimed the Chalukyan independence. He chose Badami

Badami

Badami , formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for rock cut and other structural temples...

 (Vatapi) as his capital and constructed a strong hill fortress there. The new fortress stood on the indefensible location surrounded by rivers and steep mountains.

Pulakesi performed sacrifices like Asvamedha, Hiranyagarbha

Hiranyagarbha

Image:Hinducosm Map1.svg|thumb|Click an area to go there. This is one of many material universes, Brahmāṇḍa, which expand from Mahā Viṣṇu when He breathes.|400px|alt=One Brahmāṇḍa, with Garbhodakaśāyī-Viṣṇurect 216 61 277 80 Brahma...

, Agnistoma, Vajapeya, Bahusuvarna and Paundarika. These details are provided by his Badami Cliff inscription dated Saka

Saka

The Saka were a Scythian tribe or group of tribes....

 565 (543 CE).

Extent of kingdom

At the time of Pulakesi I the Chalukyan kingdom did not extend much beyond the immediate vicinities of Badami. However his conquests pushed the borders of the empire outward from that core. He annexed the kingdom of Vakataka

Vakataka

The Vākāṭakas were a royal Indian dynasty that originated from the Deccan in the mid-third century CE. Their kingdom is believed to have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat in the north to the Tungabhadra River in the south as well as from the Arabian Sea in the western to the...

 and expanded to the west coast of Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 giving him access to the valuable Arabian Sea

Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

 trade routes.

Titles

Pulakesi assumed titles like Vallabha, Dharma Maharaja, Satyasraya, Ranavikrama and so on. Inscriptions compare him with such mythical heroes as Yayati and Dilipa. His wife was Durlabhadevi of Bappura family.

Pulakesi was succeeded by his son Kirtivarman I

Kirtivarman I

Kirtivarman I succeeded Pulakesi I as the ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty.-Consolidating the kingdom:Kirtivarman I consolidated the newly founded Chalukya Kingdom...

 (566–597).