Louis XII vs Pulakeshin II

Upon becoming king, Louis XII reduced the taille (land tax) and reformed the judicial system. He established the Grand Conseil to oversee justice and curbed abuses by royal officials. These measures earned him the title 'Father of the People' from the Estates-General.

Louis XII invaded Italy, claiming the Duchy of Milan through his grandmother's lineage. His forces captured Milan without major resistance, and he was proclaimed Duke of Milan. This began the Italian Wars of the early 16th century.

Louis XII married Anne of Brittany, widow of his predecessor Charles VIII. This marriage ensured the permanent union of Brittany with France, ending Breton autonomy. The marriage was politically motivated and required papal dispensation due to consanguinity.

Louis XII joined Pope Julius II, Emperor Maximilian I, and Ferdinand of Aragon in the League of Cambrai, aimed at partitioning Venetian territories. The French victory at Agnadello (1509) initially succeeded, but the alliance later fractured, and France lost its gains.

Louis XII's forces were defeated by the Swiss at Novara, forcing the French to abandon Milan. The defeat ended French control of northern Italy and marked the collapse of Louis's Italian ambitions. The war drained French finances and led to a peace treaty in 1514.

Pulakeshin II received a diplomatic mission from the Sassanid Persian king Khosrow II, as recorded in the Aihole inscription. This embassy indicates the Chalukya kingdom's international prestige and trade connections with the Persian Gulf.

Pulakeshin II repelled an invasion by the northern emperor Harsha of Kannauj on the banks of the Narmada River. This victory established the Chalukya kingdom as the dominant power in the Deccan and prevented Harsha from expanding southward.

Pulakeshin II commissioned the Aihole inscription, composed by the poet Ravikirti. The inscription details his military campaigns, including the defeat of Harsha, and provides a key historical source for the Chalukya dynasty.

Pulakeshin II captured the Pallava capital of Kanchipuram, defeating the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. This conquest extended Chalukya control into Tamil country and marked the height of his empire's territorial extent.

Pulakeshin II was killed in battle against the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who avenged the earlier capture of Kanchipuram. The Pallavas sacked the Chalukya capital Vatapi, and Pulakeshin's death led to a temporary decline of the Chalukya empire.