The year AD 973 marked the rise of Kalyana Chaluka power in Andhra, followed by a period of wars between the Kalyana Chalukyas and the Cholas of Thanjavur for over a century. The decline of these powers made way for the rise of Velanati Chodas, the Nellore Chodas and the Kakatiyas in Andhradesa; the Yadavas in the upper deccan; and the Hoysalas south of the Tungabhadra river. From the middle of the twelfth century the Kakatiyas became the dominant power, and Warangal emerged as the premier cultural and political center. The Kakatiyas consolidated their power by defeating defiant feudatories and bestowing administrative power on loyal subordinates, and by entering into matrimonial alliances with families of conquered local chieftans. Under their rule different social groups migrated to the coastal Andhra region from the neighbouring Tamil country, resulting in the creation of new sub-sects. Further, social groups came to be named on the basis of local identity, such as the Pakanati and Velanati brahmins, the Penugonda vaisyas, and the Panta and Pakanati reddis, to mention a few. Based on a centralized bureaucracy, the Kakatiya state could be broadly characterized as feudal. The mainstay of the economy was agriculture and there was a substantial increase in irrigation facilities. Trade flourished under a system of guilds and led to the growth of a number of urban centers. The institution of the temple gained significance, facilitated by royal patronage. Buddhism witnessed a decline even as Sri Vaishnavism and Vira Saivism gained ground, and Andhradesa came to be known as Trilinga - the land of the three Saivite shrines at Kalesvaram, Srisailam, and Draksharama. In architecture the vesara mode flourished under the Kakatiyas, while the phamsana form was popular in the construction of monuments in the Telangana region. In the field of language and literature, the Telugu script underwent significant changes, and classical Telugu literature developed with the translation of the Mahabharata by Nannaya Bhatta, and the rise to eminence of several Telugu poets and writers.

The Encyclopedia of Empire provides exceptional in-depth, comparative coverage of empires throughout human history and across the globe.

This volume on Andhra Pradesh covers the period 1324 to 1724, which witnessed the rise of large regional state powers such as the Vijayanagara kingdom, the Bahmanis, Gajapatis, Musunuris, Recherlas, Reddis, and Later Gangas. The political formations of the period were military-centered as witnessed by the well-organized nayamkara system, which revolved around the creation of nayamkaras or military chiefs, and was the mainstay of the Vijayanagara rulers. There was large-scale expansion of agriculture with the introduction of new crops like tobacco, tomato, potato and chillies, and phenomenal growth of trade in commodities like cotton and indigo. The trading and artisanal communities were organized in powerful guilds. The constant flux of peoples of different languages, faiths, cultural modes, and professions led to a liberal spirit of tolerance. Telugu literature flourished, and new genres were introduced in which outstanding works were created. A significant feature of the times was the evolution of a composite Dakhni (Deccani) culture. Rulers, Hindu and Muslim alike, patronized religious institutions but did not allow religion to interfere in matters relating to administration. Sri Vaishnavism, which won royal support during the reign of Saluva Narasimha, was established in the royal house and court during Krishnadeva Raya's rule. Numerous royal grants were given to Vaishnava temples and mathas. During Aravidu rule, the Tirumala temple occupied a premier position. Ahobalam was another centre in western Andhra that wielded great influence. The patronage of ruling chiefs of Shudra varna to Sri Vaishnava acharyas and temples fundamentally influenced their social and ritual ranking. The sixteenth-century temple was an organized complex of sanctuaries and mandapas. Tadipatri, Lepakshi and Ahobalam deserve mention as examples. Placing a chariot in stone in the temple complex was a contribution of the Vijayanagara period. The Aravidu period contributed the gopura as a dominant feature of the temple complex. The detached gopura of Govindarajaswami Temple, Tirupati, is a fine example. The rulers of medieval Andhra seldom violated established norms of dharma, thereby ensuring the security and stability of their kingdoms.