Upon the invasion of the Kalabhras, the early Pandya Dynasty of the Sangam Age faded into obscurity. But, they made a glorious comeback in the early 6th century by driving away the Kalabhras out of the Tamil country and started ruling from Madurai.
The restored kingdom crumbled into ruins with the rise of the Cholas in the 9th century; the Pandyas were in constant conflict with the Cholas. In their defence, the Pandyas allied themselves with the Sinhalese and the Cheras and fought against the Chola Empire till the late 13th century.
The time under the rule of Maravarman Sundara Pandyan and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan is known as the golden age of the later Pandyas. Both the rulers worked to expand the empire; Kalinga and Sri Lanka were conquered during this time. Their trade links extended to include the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors. Pearl fisheries were largely under their control along the south Indian coast that produced some of the finest pearls of the time.
Picture Credit : Google