Krishna III, whose Kannada name is Kannara (r.939 – 967, is the last great warrior and able monarch of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty of Manyakheta.

He is a shrewd administrator and skillful military campaigner.

He wages many wars to restore the former glory of the Rashtrakutas and playsan important role in rebuilding the Rashtrakuta empire.

He patronizes the famous Kannada poets Sri Ponna, who writes Shanti purana, Gajankusha, also known as Narayana, who writes on erotic themes, and the Apabhramsha poet Pushpadanta, who writes Mahapurana and other writings.

His queen is a Chedi princess and his daughter Bijjabbe is married to a Western Ganga prince.

During his rule, he holds titles such as Akalavarsha, Maharajadhiraja, Parameshvara, Paramamaheshvara, Shri Prithvivallabha, etc.

At his peak, he rules a vast empire stretching from the Narmada river in the north to the Kaveri river delta in the south.

A copper grant of 993 issued by the Shilahara king of Thana claims the Rashtrakuta control extends from the Himalayas in the north to Ceylon in the south and from the eastern sea to the western seas.

The grant states that when King Krishna III mobilized his armies, the kings of Chola, Bengal, Kannauj, Andhra and Pandya regions would quiver.