Narasimha I

Narasimha I (r. 1152–1173) succeeded his father Vishnuvardhana as Hoysala king. His great achievement was victory over his own overlord, the Western Chalukya king Tailapa III, a blow that paved the way to Hoysala independence. He fared less well against Bijjala II, the Kalachuri feudatory who had seized the Chalukya capital Kalyani.

His generals kept up the dynasty's Jain patronage, building the Bhandara Basadi at Shravanabelgola in 1159. His reign ended when his own son Veera Ballala II displaced him.