View source for Butuga II

{{Short description| Western Ganga King from 938 to 961 CE}}
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{{use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
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{{Infobox royalty
| reign = {{circa|938|961 CE}}
| predecessor = Rachamalla III
| successor = Marulaganga Neetimarga
| succession = 21st [[Western Ganga Kingdom|Western Ganga King]]
| dynasty = [[Western Ganga dynasty|Western Ganga]]
}}
{{Western Ganga kings}}
'''Butuga II''' (938–961 CE) became the ruler of the [[Western Ganga Dynasty]] after his elder brother Rachamalla III.

==Relations with Rashtrakutas==
In order to ascend the throne he had to first seek help from the [[Rashtrakutas]] who were hitherto their arch enemies. Butuga II first helped [[Amoghavarsha III]] regain many lost territories and in turn was helped by the Rashtrakuta ruler to overthrow Rachamalla III, the unpopular Ganga king at that time. This helped forge a strong relationship between the Gangas and the Rashtrakutas, an alliance that lasted till the end of both kingdoms. Butuga II became the son-in-law of Amoghavarsha III by marrying his daughter Revakanimmadi. He also helped the Rashtrakutas defeat the Cholas in c. 949 in the [[Battle of Takkolam]] when he killed the [[Chola]] monarch [[Rajaditya]] with a well aimed arrow when the Chola was seated on his elephant. As a Rashtrakuta [[feudatory]], he not only ruled Gangavadi but also many areas in the [[Malaprabha River]] basin and the [[Krishna River]]-[[Tungabhadra]] [[doab]]. With his immense contribution to a Rashtrakuta victory over the Cholas, Butuga II also took charge of the [[Banavasi]] region as a [[fief]] from Rashtrakuta  King [[Krishna III]].

He was not only a valorous soldier but also a noted scholar. He is said to have a defeated a [[Buddhist]] scholar in a religious discourse and the Kudlur record speaks of him as a noted poet.

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, ''Concise history of Karnataka,'' 2001, MCC, Bangalore (Reprint 2002)
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061104095148/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm History of Karnataka by Dr.Arthikaje]
* [http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/deccan/gangas.htm History of Ganga Dynasty - Dr. Jyotsna Kamat]

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[[Category:10th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Western Ganga kings]]
[[Category:961 deaths]]