- The southern portion of the subcontinent has
often followed a different course of development than the center and
north. Here the non-Aryan Dravidians retreated, and here have been the
loci of several large and powerful states. Currently, this listing
memorializes the last two.
- PALLAVA EMPIRE
- Pallavas rose in power during the reign of
Mahendravarman I (c.600 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE)
and dominated the Telugu and northern parts of the Tamil region for
about six hundred years until the end of the 9th century. Throughout
their reign they were in constant conflict with both Chalukyas of Badami
in the north and the Tamil kingdoms of Chola and Pandyas in the south
and were finally defeated by the Chola kings in the 8th century CE.
Their capital was Kanchipuram.
- Simhavarman
I.........................................c. 315 - c. 345
- Skandavarman
I........................................c. 345 - c. 355 with...
- Vishnugopa............................................c.
350 - c. 355
- Kumaravishnu
I........................................c. 355 - c. 370
- Skandavarman
II.......................................c. 370 - c. 385
- Viravarman............................................c.
385 - c. 400
- Skandavarman
III......................................c. 400 - c. 438
- Simhavarman
II........................................c. 438 - c. 460
- Skandavarman
IV.......................................c. 460 - c. 480
- Nandivarman
I.........................................c. 480 - c. 500
- Kumaravishnu
II.......................................c. 500 - c. 520
- Buddhavarman..........................................c.
520 - c. 540
- Kumaravishnu
III......................................c. 540 - c. 550
- Simhavarman
III.......................................c. 550 - c. 574
- Simhavishnu [Avanisimha] S/o Simhavarman
III..........c.
574 - c. 600
- He was the first Pallava monarch whose domain
extended beyond Kanchipuram (Kanchi) in the South.
- Mahendravarman
I S/o Simhavishnu......................c. 600 - 630
- Narasimhavarman
I S/o Mahendravarman I...................630 - 668
- He avenged his father's defeat at the hands of
the Chalukya king, Pulakesi II in the year 642 CE. He destroyed the
Chalukya capital at Vatapi. Narasimhavarman was also known as Mamallan
(great wrestler) and Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) was named after him.
Narasimhavarman I is claimed to be one of the Seven Indian kings who
never lost on the battlefield to their enemies, the others being
Karikala Chola of the Sangam age, Samudragupta, Chandragupta Maurya,
Ashoka, Rajaraja Chola I, his great warrior son Rajendra Chola.
- Mahendravarman
II S/o Narasimhavarman
I..................668 - 670
- Paramesvaravarman
I S/o Mahendravarman
II................670 - 680
- Parameswaravarman was an efficient and capable
ruler, known for his military exploits, his love for poetry and his
devotion to Siva, to whom he erected many temples.
- Narasimhavarman
II [Rajasimha] S/o Paramesvaravarman
I...680 - 720
- Rajasimha's reign was marked by peace and
prosperity, and he constructed several beautiful temples. Rajasimha's
had two sons - Mahendravarman III and Paramesvaravarman II. However,
Mahendravarman III predeceased his father and Paramesvaravarman II
succeeded to the throne.
- Paramesvaravarman
II S/o Narasimhavarman
II..............720 - 731
- Parameswaravarman died without any heir and
hence the Pallava empire was kingless.
- Nandivarman
II [Pallavamalla]............................731 - 795
- Nandivarman was an intellectual with aptitude
in many arts like writing, poetry, music and philosophy. He is known for
his good looks and liking for training in gymnastics. Nandivarman then
only 13 years old was not equipped physically and mentally to command an
army and thereby the naturally imperialist pallavas for the first time
in their illustrious history beat a tactical retreat. This however did
not have a serious consequence and the pallava territories were never in
any danger.
- Dantivarman..............................................795
- 845 with...
- The Eastern Chalukyas who had taken an
antagonistic stand against the Rashtrakutas again had to face the wrath
of Govinda III, who defeated Chalukya Vijayaditya II and installed Bhima
Salki as its ruler. He further defeated the king of Kaushal (Kosala) and
occupied parts of Andhra and defeated Pallava Dantivarman in 803 at
Kanchi. Govinda III even obtained the submission of the King of Ceylon
without even going to battle. Govinda III died in 814. Govinda III
brother Indra during this time founded the Gujarat (Lata) branch
kingdom.
- Nandivarman
III..........................................844 - 866 with...
- During the invasion of the Chola country, the
Pandya king Varagunavarman II became an ally of Nripatunga, the eldest
son of the Pallava king Nandivarman III. When Nandivarman died in 869,
differences arose between Nripatungavarman and his stepbrother Aparajita,
probably owing to the latter’s ambition to rule the kingdom on his own
right.
- Nripatungavarman S/o Nandivarman III.....................855
- 896 with...
- Aparajita S/o Nandivarman III............................879
- 897
- Both sides looked for allies. Nripatungavarman
continued to have Varaguna Pandya by his side while Aparajita allied
with the Ganga king Prithvipathi I and with Aditya Chola I. King
Vijayalaya who understood that the Cholas would never be able to regain
the kingdom if they lost this war somehow heard of this and arrived at
the battlefield. He was 90 years old, had two hands, one leg and one
eye. Aditya (son of Vijayalaya), Aparajita and the generals under
Vijayalaya attack the Pandya army and this time there is no stopping
them. Although the victor of the Sripurambiyam battle was Aparajita, the
real gains went to Aditya I Chola. During 903 C.E., the 32nd year of his
reign, Aditya I Chola, not satisfied with his subordinate position,
planned and carried out an attack on his erstwhile overlord, the Pallava
king Aparajita. In the battle that ensued, Aditya pounced upon Aparajita
when he was mounted on an elephant and killed him. That spelt the end of
the Pallava rule in Tondaimandalam (north Tamil Nadu) and the whole of
the Pallava kingdom now became Chola territory. This spelt the effective
end of the once great Pallava empire in the history of South India.
- CHOLA EMPIRE
- Vijayalaya............................................c.
846 - c. 871
- Vijayalaya was the Chola king of South India
who captured Thanjavur during c. 846 C.E. and re-established the Chola
dynastic rule. Thanjavur became the capital of this empire.
- Aditya I S/o Vijayalaya...............................c.
871 - 907
- He extended the Chola dominions by the
conquest of the Pallavas.
- Parantaka I S/o Aditya
I.................................907 - 947
- Parantaka continuing the expansion started by
his father, invaded the Pandya kingdom in 910. He captured the Pandyan
capital Madurai and assumed the title Madurain-konda (Capturer of
Madurai). The Pandyan ruler Maravarman Rajasinha II sought the help of
Kassapa V, the king of Sri Lanka, who sent an army to his aid. Parantaka
defeated the combined army at the battle of Vellore. The Pandya king
fled into exile in Sri Lanka and Parantaka completed his conquest of the
entire Pandya country. Besides Rajaditya and Arinjaya, Parantaka had
three more sons: Gandaraditya, Arikulakesari and Uttamasili. He had at
least two daughters: Viramadevi and Anupama. Uttamasili does not appear
to have lived long enough to succeed to the Chola throne.
- Rajaditya I S/o Parantaka
I..............................947 - 949
- Gandaraditya S/o Parantaka
I.............................949 - 956
- Arinjaya S/o Parantaka
I......................................956
- Parantaka II [Sundara Chola] S/o Arinjaya......................956
- Parantaka II ascended the Chola throne despite
the fact that Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaraditya, (the elder brother
of Arinjaya) was alive and he had equal if not more claim to the Chola
throne.
- Aditya II [Aditya Karikalan] S/o Parantaka
II............956 - 969
- He was the eldest son of Parantaka II and the
brother of Rajaraja Chola I.
- Madhurantaka Uttama S/o Gandaraditya.....................969
- 985
- Rajaraja I Deva the Great S/o Parantaka
II...............985 - 1012
- He was born as Arulmozhi Cholan (also called
as Periya Udayar). One of the greatest emperors of the Tamil
Chola Empire and India, who ruled between 985 and 1012 CE. He
established the Chola empire by conquering the kingdoms of southern
India expanding the Chola Empire as far as Sri Lanka in the south and Kalinga (Orissa) in the northeast. His Bronze Starter, Silver Kahavanu
and Gold Kahavanu coins are well known in numismatic world.
- Rajendra I Choladeva S/o Rajaraja I Deva................1012
- 1044
- During his reign, he extended the influences
of the already vast Chola empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in
the north and across the ocean. Rajendra’s territories extended coastal
Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives, conquered
the kings of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java and Malaya in South East Asia) and
Pegu islands with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, the Pala
king of Bengal and Bihar, and to commemorate his victory he built a new
capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- Rajadhiraja I S/o Rajendra
I............................1044 - 1052
- He maintained the Chola authority over most of
Lanka, Vengi, Kalinga and the relations with overseas domains despite a
series of revolts in the territory. He had fought a protracted battle
with the Chalukyas during which he lost his own life.
- Rajendra II Deva S/o Rajendra
I.........................1052 - 1060
- Rajendra II, who had been nominated by his
elder brother Rajadhiraja Chola I as heir apparent over his own
children, proclaimed himself king on the Koppam battlefield after his
victory. Rajendra then pressed on his army up to Kolapur, in modern
Maharashtra, where he planted a pillar of victory and returned to
Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- Ramamahendra............................................1060
- 1063
- Virarajendra S/o Rajendra
I.............................1063 - 1067
- Most under-rated Chola kings, mainly because
of the fact that a major part of his life was spent in the
apprenticeship of his two elder brothers.
- Adhirajendra S/o Virarajendra...........................1067
- 1070
- His reign was marked by civil unrest, possibly
religious in nature, in which he was killed. With the death of
Athirajendra Chola, the Chola dynasty of Vijayalaya Chola came to an end
and rulers after him were known as Later Cholas. The Chalukya Chola
prince Rajendra succeeded him as Kulottunga Chola I.
- Kulottunga I [Rajendra
III].............................1070 - 1122
- He was son Rajaraja Narendra (Chalukya). The
Chola kingdom was at its greatest extent under Kulottunga I in his
forty-fifth reignal year. Except for the loose hold over Lanka, the rest
of the empire remained intact.
- Vikrama Chola S/o Kulottunga
I..........................1122 - 1135
-
During his reign the Chola country
suffered from severe floods and the resultant draught.
Most of the northeastern provinces were affected by this
calamity. Vikrama Chola made his heir apparent and
coregent in 1133. Therefore the inscriptions of
Kulottunga II count his reign from 1133.
- Kulottunga II Chola S/o Vikrama Chola...................1135
- 1150
- Kulottunga II reigned over a period of general
peace and good governance. There is no record of any warfare except for
the consolidation of the Chola control over the northern Vengi
territories, which had been won by his father Vikrama Chola by routing
the Western Chalukyas.
- Rajraja II S/o Kulottunga
II............................1150 - 1173
- The extent of the Chola territories remained
as they were during Rajaraja's predecessors. The Vengi country was still
firmly under the Chola rule. However the feudatory Telugu Chola
chieftains of Velanadu began to assert their independence more and more.
- Rajadhiraja
II..........................................1173 - 1178
- He reigned as the Chola king succeeding
Rajaraja Chola II. He was not the direct descendant of Rajaraja Chola
II, but a grandson of Vikrama Chola by his daughter. Rajaraja Chola II
chose Rajadhiraja as his heir as he did not have any sons of his own.
Soon after the installation of Rajadhiraja II, a fierce succession
dispute in the Pandya country led to the intervention of the Chola and
the Sinhalese rulers on opposite sides which brought misery to both. Out
of the ashes of this civil war arose the Pandya power which in its
renewed strength soon swallowed both the Chola and Sinhalese kingdoms.
- Kulottunga
III..........................................1178 - 1218
- The inscriptions of Kulottunga show that his
rule commenced around July 8, 1178 CE. Kulottunga was recognised as the
next sovereign even before the death of his predecessor Rajadhiraja
Chola II. Kulottunga III did not belong to the direct line of the
Cholas. His long reign was marked by Kulottunga's abilities to bring
order in the besieged kingdom and by his successes in reversing the
growing weakness. However towards the end of his reign, the Pandya
Maravarman Sundara Pandya defeated Kulottunga and made the Chola
subordinate to Pandya rule, thus marking the beginning of the final
demise of the Cholas. Kulottunga III is also renowned for his patronage
of art and literature. He is credited with the building of numerous
temples and continued to rule till 1218.
- Rajaraja
III............................................1216 - 1246
- He succeeded Kulottunga Chola III on the Chola
throne in July 1216 CE. Rajaraja came to the throne of a kingdom much
reduced in size as well as influence. With the rise of the Pandya power
in the south, the Cholas had lost most of their control of the
territories south of the river Kaveri and their hold on the Vengi
territories in the north was slipping with the emergence of the Hoysala
power. Rajaraja III however continued to live until 1260.
- Rajendra IV S/o Rajaraja
III............................1246 - 1279
- He came to the Chola throne in 1246 CE.
Although his father Rajaraja III was still alive, Rajendra began to take
effective control over the administration. Rajendra was a much abler
king than his father and tried to stop the rapid decline the Chola
kingdom was experiencing due to the incompetence of Rajaraja III. In the
end these efforts were in vain, mainly due to the cunning shift in
policy of the Hoysalas, and the struggling kingdom could not withstand
the vigour of the Pandyas and was eventually absorbed within the Pandyan
kingdom. Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan, who ascended the throne in 1251 was
first concentrating on the Chola-Hoysala wars, and once he had control
of Uraiyur and Thanjavur, he promptly won back Kanchi from Ganapati and
Gandagopala in 1258 and restored Kanchi to Kopperinchungan-II. However,
the Kadava Pallava Kopperinjungan II was followed by very weak
successors and Jatavarman annexed Kanchi, Nellore and Visayavadai
(modern Vijayawada) regions to the Pandiyan Kingdom. This was followed
by an expedition personally led by Jatavarman along with Vira Pandiyan
to Kalinga and resulted in both Kalinga and Vengi coming under the
Pandiyan control. However, the Pandyas also faced hostility from the
Hoysalas during this period, and were unable to completely control Chola
territory as a result. Chola also disrupted by defeat at the hands of the
Delhi Sultanate. Portions of the state annexed to Delhi, while other
areas fall into the hands of provincial rulers. Eventually, Vijayanagar
("City of Victory") emerges as the chief center of independent Hindu
resistance to Muslim control of most of India.
- VIJAYANAGAR EMPIRE
- Following the disruption of the Karnataka
state, a second power emerged in southern India under the Sangamas -
Vijayanagar. This empire was a dominating force in the region from c.
1375 to 1565. Copper jital Bull type, Bronze kasu Madurai, Silver tara
(2.5 rattis), Silver 10-rattis and Gold Pagoda are well known coin
denominations of this dynasty.
- SANGAMA
- Harihara
I [Hakka] S/o Bhavana Sangama...................1336 - 1356
- He was Bhavana Sangama’s eldest son, belonged
to the yadav clan and was founder of the Sangama dynasty. he was
administering the northern parts of present day Karnataka from his seat
at Gutti, Ananthpur district in 1339. He initially controlled the
northern portions of the Hoysala Empire before taking full control over
its entire range after the death of Hoysala Veera Ballala III in 1343.
Kannada inscriptions of his time call him
Karnataka Vidya Vilas (master of
great knowledge and skills),
Bhashegetappuvarayaraganda (punisher of
those feudatories who don't keep their promise),
Arirayavibhada
(fire to enemy kings). Among his brothers, Kampana governed Nellur
region, Muddppa administered Mulabagalu region, Marappa oversaw
Chandragutti and Bukka Raya was his second in command.
- Bukka
I S/o Bhavana Sangama.............................1356 - 1377
- Bukka Raya conquered most of the kingdoms of
southern India, continually expanding the territory of the empire. He
defeated the Shambuvaraya Kingdom of Arcot and the Reddis of Kondavidu
by 1360 and the region around Penukonda was annexed. Bukka defeated the
Sultanate of Madurai in 1371 and extended his territory into the south
all the way to Rameswaram. His son, Kumara Kamapna campaigned with him
and their efforts were recorded in the Sanskrit work Madhuravijayam
written by his wife Gangambika. By 1374 he had gained an upper hand over
the Bahmanis for control of the Tungabhadra-Krishna doab and also took
control of Goa, the kingdom of Orissa (Orya) were also captured and
Bukka forced the Jaffna kingdom of Ceylon and Malabar to pay tributes to
him. During his reign Bukka would also have clashes with the Bahmani
Sultans. The first was during the time of Mohammed Shah I and the other
during the time of Mujahid.
- Harihara
II.............................................1377 - 1404
- He patronised Kannada poet Madhura, a Jaina.
An important work on Vedas was completed during his time. He earned the
titles Vaidikamarga Sthapanacharya and Vedamarga Pravartaka. During his
reign, Harihara II continued to extend the kingdom's territory through
fighting against the Reddis of Kondavidu for control of the coastal
Andhra between Nellore and Kalinga. From the Reddis of Kondavidu,
Harihara II conquered the Addanki and Srisailam areas as well as most of
the territory between the peninsula to the south of the river Krishna,
which would eventually lead to fights in Telangana with the Velamas of
Rachakonda. Harihara II took advantage of the death of Mujahid Bahmani
in 1378 and extended his control into the northwest, controlling such
ports as Goa, Chaul, and Dabhol. Harihara ruled from the capital
Vijayanagara now more popularly known as Hampi.
- Virupaksha
I S/o Harihara II.............................1404 - 1405
- With the death of Harihara II, the throne for
the Vijayanagara Empire was disputed among his sons, including Deva Raya
I, Bukka Raya II, and Virupaksha Raya. Virupaksha Raya could only rule
for a few months before being murdered by his sons and then succeeded by
Bukka Raya II, who ruled for two years and replaced by Deva Raya I. As
his rule was only for a few months, Virupaksha's reign was not marked
with any significant events or changes, though it is noted by the
traveler Fernao Nuniz that Virupaksha Raya lost a lot of the kingdom's
land to the Muhammadans such as Goa, Chaul, and Dabhol and that
Virupaksha himself was cruel and as Nuniz wrote, "caring for nothing but
women and to fuddle himself with drink".
- Bukka
II S/o Harihara II................................1405 - 1406
- Devaraya
I S/o Harihara II..............................1406 - 1422
- Like his grandfather Harihara II, he
patronised the Jain Kannada poet Madhura. During his rule, a dispute
over property between the Shanka Jainalya of Gadag district and the
Somesvara temple trust within the palace was settled amicably. After
Harihara II died there was a dispute between his sons for the throne of
the Vijayanagara Empire in which Deva Raya I eventually come out as
victor. Throughout his reign, Deva Raya was continually fight against
the Velamas of Telangana, the Bahmani Sultan of Gulbarga, and the Reddis
of Kondavidu and the Gajaptis of Kalinga. Even so, Deva Raya was be
capable of managing the vast amount of territory that he controlled.
After his death, Deva Raya was be succeeded by his sons Ramachandra Raya
and Vijaya Raya.European traveller Nicolo Conti travelled to
Vijayanagara during this time and described the city being 60 miles in
diameter.
- Ramachandra S/o Devaraya
I..............................1422
- 1430 with...
- Veera Vijaya I Bukka Raya S/o Devaraya
I................1422
- 1424 and then...
- Devaraya
II S/o Veera Vijaya I Bukka Raya...............1424 - 1446
- Perhaps the greatest of the Sangama dynasty
rulers, he patronised some of the famous Kannada and Telugu poets of the
time. Kannada poets like Lakkana Dandesa, Chamarasa, Jakkanarya and
Kumara Vyasa and among Telugu poets Srinatha, who was bathed in a shower
of gold coins (tankas) were the most famous. It is said that Srinatha
held the same position in his court as senior ministers and moved freely
with the emperor. The King himself was a scholar and wrote Sobagina Sone
in Kannada and Mahanataka Sudhanidhi in Sanskrit.
Unlike his father, Deva Raya II was an effective and successful monarch.
During his reign, Deva Raya II prevailed over his conquest of Kondavidu
in 1432, repelled the invasions of Ahmad Shah I of the Bahamanis and
retained the Mudgal fort in 1436 but lost some areas in the Raichur doab
in 1443, defeated the Gajapati of Orissa three times in 1427, 1436 and
1441, restored the Reddi Kingdom of Rajamahendri to its former position,
fought against the Sultan Ala-Ud-Din (centered around the forts of
Mudgal and Raichur in the Krishna - Tungabhadra doab), and continued
onwards to Kerala where he defeated the ruler of Quilon as well as other
chieftains. He invaded Lanka and collected rich tributes there. The
ruler of Calicut and even the kings of Burma ruling at Pegu and
Tanasserim paid tributes. This information was obtained from the
writings of Nuniz. Abdul Razzak, the Persian ambassador who visited
southern India in 1443 wrote that overall Deva Raya II has extended the
Vijayanagara Empire from Orissa to Malabar, and Ceylon to Gulbarga as
well as taking over multiple ports of South India. Even so, the issue
with the Bahmani kingdoms had not yet been resolved and the two kingdoms
continued to be hostile to each other throughout Deva Raya II's reign.
Bahamani invasions were unsuccessful and eventually drove the Bahamani
monarch Ahmad Shah I to move his capital to Bidar during his invasion of
the empire in 1426. By the end of his reign, Deva Raya II had succeeded
in conquering all of South India as well as sending the empire into a
golden age of prosperity. It was during this time that the explorer
Nicolo Conti and Persian chronicler Abdur Razzak travelled here.
- Vijaya
II...............................................1446 - 1447 with...
- Mallikarjuna S/o Devaraya
II............................1446
- 1465
- Mallikarjuna Raya was unlike his father, and
was generally a weak and corrupt ruler. At the beginning of his reign he
defended the kingdom from the attacks of the Bahamani Sultan and the
Gajapati Emperor of the Hindu empire of Kalinga-Utkal Orissa, which then
stretched from the Ganges to the Cauvery, but thereafter it was marked
by a string of defeats: the Gajapatis conquered Rajamahendri in 1454,
Udayagiri and Chandragiri in 1463 and the Bahamani kingdoms took over
much of the Vijayanagara Empire by 1450 and grew closer to the capital,
while at the same time the Portuguese
arrived in southern India, seizing many of the ports on the western
coast that the Vijayanagara Empire had once controlled.
These events eventually led to the decline of the
Sangama Dynasty; Mallikarjuna Raya's cousin Virupaksha Raya II took the
opportunity to seize the throne, though he failed to prove a better
ruler.
- Virupaksha
II...........................................1465 - 1485
- Throughout his reign, Virupaksha was faced
with rebellious nobles and officers as well as multiple enemies who
began to invade the weakened kingdom. It was during this time that
Virupaksha Raya II lost the Konkan coast (including Goa, Chaul, and
Dabul) by 1470 to Prime Minister Mahamud Gawan from the Bahamani
kingdom, who was sent to conquer the area by the Sultan Muhammad Shah
III. The Bahmani Sultan would also invade Doab of Krishna and
Tungabhadra, and the Raja Purushottama Gajapati of Orissa invaded
Tiruvannamalai. Because of these losses, Virupaksha became increasingly
unpopular and ignited many of the empire's provinces to rebel,
eventually leading up to Virupaksha's death in the hands of his own son,
Praudharaya in 1485.
- Praudha Raya S/o Virupaksha II.................................1485
- Praudharaya himself was not able to salvage
the kingdom but fortunately, an able general Saluva Narasimha took
control of the empire in 1485 and helped to prevent its demise, though
this change of power would mark the end of the Sangama Dynasty and the
beginning of the Saluva Dynasty.
- SALUVA
- Narasimhadevaraya.......................................1485
- 1491
- By 1491, he lost Udayagiri to Gajapati
Kapilendra of Orissa while the Chiefs of Ummattur in the Mysore region,
Saluvas of Hadavalli and Santharas of Karkala from coastal Karnataka
region, Srirangapatna and Sambetas of Peranipadu in Cuddapah still
remained threats to the empire. Saluva Narashima's war with the
Gajapatis over Udayagiri in 1489 proved disastrous when he was taken
prisoner and released later after giving up the fort and surrounding
areas to the Gajapatis of Orissa. However he was successful at
conquering the western ports of Kannada country of Mangalore, Bhatkal,
Honnavar and Bakanur. This success enabled him to trade for swift horses
with the Arabs. He took more efforts in the upkeep of his cavalry and
army in general. Saluva Narashima eventually died in 1491. However, at
the time, his sons were too young to ascend to the throne. Because of
this, the sons were left to the care of Narasa Nayaka, a loyal general
and minister from the Tuluva family.
- Thimma Bhupala S/o Narasimhadevaraya...........................1491
- He was the elder son of Saluva Narasimha Deva
Raya, but was soon murdered by an army commander during a period of
political unrest in Vijayanagara. He was succeeded by his younger
brother Narasimha Raya II.
- Immadi Narasimha II S/o Narasimhadevaraya...............1491
- 1505 with...
- Though he was a crowned king of Vijayanagara
Empire, the real power lay in the hands of the empire's able commander
Tuluva Narasa Nayaka. Tuluva Narasa Nayaka was murdered in 1503 and his
eldest son Viranarasimha Raya became the regent of the empire. In 1505,
Immadi Narasimha Raya II was murdered in Penukonda and Viranarasimha
Raya proclaimed himself king.
- TULUVA
- Tuluva Narasa Nayaka....................................1491
- 1503
- He successfully kept the Bahamani Sultans and
the Gajapatis away from the kingdom and quelled many rebellions by
unfaithfull chieftains, trying to exert their independence. During the
time 1463 when Vijayanagar was ruled by Saluva Narasimha, the region
south of Kaveri river had slipped out of Vijayanagar control when the
king was busy protecting interests closer to the capital. In 1496,
Narasa Nayaka marched south and brought under control rebellious chiefs
like the governor of Trichi and Tanjore. The whole area south of Kaveri
to Cape Comorin was brought under control. The chiefs of Chola, Chera,
Madurai area, Heuna or Hoysala chief of Srirangapatna and Gokarna on the
west coast were brought under Vijayanagar empire control in one long
successful campaign which ended in 1497. In 1496, Gajapati king
Prataparudra attacked Vijayanagar and advanced up to Pennar but Narasa
Nayaka held out and succeeded in a stalemate. Narasa Nayaka wasted
little time in stabilizing the kingdom. The Bahamani kingdom by now was
breaking up into smaller independent chiefdoms. Qasim Barid, a Bahamani
minister offered Narasa Nayaka the forts of Raichur and Mudgal in return
for help in defeating Yusuf Adil Khan of Bijapur. According to writings
by Ferishta, Narasa Nayaka sent an army to the Raichur doab area that
devastated the area in the doab. Yusuf Adil lost this part of the doab
and repeated attempts to recover it failed. Having failed to defeat him
in battle, Yusuf Adil Khan invited Narasa Nayaka to Bijapur on a peace
offering and had Narasa Nayaka and seventy high ranking officers
murdered.
- Vira Narasimha S/o Tuluva Narasa Nayaka..................1505
- 1509
- Viranarasimha Raya was next crowned in 1505,
after serving as regent 1503-1505
and spent all his years fighting rebel warlords. Yusuf Adil Khan of
Bijapur tried to extend his domains south of the Tungabhadra. The
Vijayanagar regent was supported by Ramaraja of the Aravidu family and
his son Thimma. With their help, Adil Khan was defeated and pushed back.
Adoni and Kurnool area became a part of Vijayanagar Empire. During this
time, the chief of Ummattur was again in revolt and Viranarasimha Raya
set out south to quell the rebellion, having placed Krishnadevaraya as
the ruler in absence. Concerted efforts by Viranarasimha Raya to quell
the rebellion in Ummatur had mixed results. Portugal assisted king
Raya's forces in this conflict, providing horses and artillery, in
exchange seeking control of the port of Bhatkal.
- Krishnadevaraya S/o Tuluva Narasa Nayaka................1509
- 1529
- He was half brother of Viranarasimha Raya. In
some inscriptions he was famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire at its
zenith. He is regarded as an icon by many Indians. The Vijayanagar army
laid siege to the Udayagiri fort in 1512. The campaign lasted for a year
before the Gajapati army disintegrated due to starvation. Krishna Deva
Raya offered prayers at Tirupati thereafter along with his wives
Tirumala Devi and Chinna Devi. Peace was finally secured through
diplomacy and the king Krishnadevaraya married the daughter of the
Gajapati emperor Prataparudra deva called jaganmohini. Timmarusu had
wisely foreseen the disastrous consequences of the defeat of
Krishnadevaraya in Kalinga. The defeat would have spelled doom for
Vijayanagara, for which the biggest threats still were the Muslim
Bahamany and Golconda kingdoms. Thereafter peace between the two
strongest Hindu empires in India ensured a period of harmony and the
safety of Sanatana dharma in India.
He established friendly relations with the Portuguese, who set up the
Portuguese Dominion of India in Goa in 1510. The Emperor obtained guns
and Arabian horses from the Portuguese merchants. He also utilized
Portuguese expertise in improving water supply to Vijayanagara City. The
complicated alliances of the empire and the five Deccan sultanates meant
that he was continually at war; in one of these campaigns, he defeated
Golconda and captured its commander Madurul-Mulk, crushed Bijapur and
its Sultan Ismail Adil Shah and restored Bahmani sultanate to Muhammad
Shah. The highlight of his conquests occurred on May 19, 1520 where he
secured the fortress of Raichur from Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur after a
difficult siege during which 16,000 Vijaynagar soldiers were killed.
- Achyotadevaraya S/o Tuluva Narasa Nayaka................1529
- 1542
- He was the younger brother of Krishna Deva
Raya. He patronised Kannada poet Chatu Vittalanatha and the great singer
Purandaradasa (Father of Carnatic music) and the Sanskrit scholar
Rajanatha Dindima II. Upon his death, the succession was disputed.
Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur invaded and captured the Raichur doab.
However the Gajapati's of Orissa and Quli Qutub Shah of Golconda were
defeated and pushed back. Now Achyuta Raya along with his general
Salakaraju Tirumala went on a southern campaign to bring the chiefs of
Travancore and Ummatur under control. This they did successfully. Then
they invaded the doab north of Tungabhadra and recaptured the forts of
Raichur and Mudgal. His nephew, (sister's son) Sadashiva, finally became
king while yet a child, under the regency of Aliya Rama Raya, a
son-in-law of Krishnadevaraya.
- Venkata [Venkatadri] S/o Achyotadevaraya.......................1542
- He was a weak ruler and six months later,
Sadasiva, who was the nephew (sister's son) Achyuta Raya became king
according to the laws of aliya santana which was prevalent among the
Bunts caste to which tuluva dynasty belonged.
- Sadashivaraya...........................................1542
- 1570
- ARAVIDU
- Aliya Rama Raya.........................................1542
- 26 Jan 1565
- "Aliya" Rama Raya and his brother Aliya
Tirumala Raya were sons-in-law of the great Vijayanagara emperor Krishna
Deva Raya. He also suppressed revolts of the chieftens of Travancore and
Chandragiri. When the Nizam of Ahmednagar and Qutbshah of Golconda
sought Rama Raya's help against Bijapur, Rama Raya secured the Raichur
doab for his benefactors. Later in 1549 when the Adilshah of Bijapur and
Baridshah of Bidar declared war on Nizamshah of Ahmednagar, Ramaraya
fought on behalf of the Ahamednagar ruler and secured the fort of
Kalyana. In 1557 Ramaraya allied himself with Ali Adilshah of Bijapur
and Baridshah of Bidar when the Sultan of Bijapur invaded Ahmednagar.
The combined armies of the three kingdoms defeated the partnership
between Nizamshah of Ahmednagar and the Qutbshah of Golconda. This
situation of Vijayanagar ruler constantly changing sides to improve its
own position made the Sultanates form an alliance. Intermarraige between
Sultanate families helped solve internal differences between Muslim
rulers. This consolidation of Muslim power in the northern Deccan
resulted eventually in the Battle of Talikota.
- Tirumala Devaraya.......................................1565
- 1572
- He was the brother of the Aliya Rama Raya and
son-in-law of Krishna Deva Raya. Along with another brother Venkatadri,
the Aravidu brothers rose to prominence. When Aliya Rama Raya was killed in the
Talikota battle in 1565, Tirumala immediately emptied the treasury and fled the
capital to taking with him the Royal family and the minor crown prince Sadasiva Raya. He, after a few years of hardships, reestablished the
Vijaynagar rule in Penukonda, in present day Andhra Pradesh. During this
time the Southern Nayakas of Madurai and Gingee declared partial
independence, while some others rebelled over Tirumala Deva Raya’s
authority.
- Sriranga I Devaraya.....................................1572
- 1586
- His reign was marred with repeated attacks and
loss of territories from his Muslim neighbours. In 1576, Ali Adil Shah
lay siege to his fort in Penukonda for three months, but at the end
Sriranga I bought out the Adil Shah’s Hindu lieutenants which helped his
commanders defeat the Sultan’s army. Sriranga I generously spared the
life of Murari Rao because of his brahminical origins. Sriranga I died
in 1586, without an heir and was succeeded by his youngest brother
Venkatapathi Raya (Venkata II). Despite the loss of territories, which
was higher this time, Sriranga I also had a difficult time with his
uncooperative brothers and noble men and continued to resist with
limited resources as the Nayaks of Madurai and Gingee evaded on paying
annual tributes.
- Venkatapati I Devaraya..................................1586
- 1614
- Around 1592 Venkata II shifted his capital
from Penukonda to Chandragiri, which was further South near the
Tirupathi hills. The indestructible Vellore Fort was used as a major
base and second capital.
- Sriranga II Chika Raya.........................................1614
- He was nominated in 1614 by King Venkata II to
succeed him as king of the Vijayanagara Empire in Southern India.
Sriranga was supported by a faction headed by Yachama Naidu of Recherla
Velama dynasty, one of the Venkata II's loyal viceroys and commanders,
but was not favored by a set of nobles headed by Gobburi Jagga Raya.
Thus Sriranga II was killed within four months of his accession, but one
of his sons, Ramadeva, escaped from the massacre to become the next King
of Vijayanagara, after winning a gruesome war of succession (Battle of
Toppur) in 1617. Vacant - succession wars 1614-1617.
- Ramadevaraya S/o Sriranga II Chika Raya.................1617
- 1632
- Yethiraja, the brother of Jagga Raya, after
losing the Toppur Battle, aligned with the Gingee Nayak and attacked
Tanjore, but was defeated with the later ending as captive. Yethiraja
waged on, until he reconciled with Rama Deva Raya, after giving his
daughter in marriage. Things settled for the king after the death of the
putative son in 1619. The Bijapur Sultan, taking advantage of the
ravaging civil wars attacked Kurnool in 1620, but was sent back only to
return in 1624 and taking that region completely. Rama Deva Raya, with
no brothers and sons nominated his cousin Peda Venkata (Venkata III),
grandson of Aliya Rama Raya, now governing Anekonda as successor and
died on 1632, aged 30 after a troublesome rule of 15 years.
- Venkatapati Raya [Peda Venkata].........................1632
- 1642
- His paternal uncle, Timma Raja, another
brother of Sriranga II, thought himself to have a better claim, seized
the government at Vellore Fort, compelling Venkata III to remaining in
his native place Anekonda. The Nayaks of Gingee, Tanjore and Madurai
declared support for Venkata III, while Timma Raja got support from
no-one and was looked upon as a usurper. Timma Raja nevertheless made
lot of trouble and civil strife continued until his death in 1635.
Initially he was winning, until the King Peda Venkata (Venkata III)’s
nephew, Sriranga III took to the field and beat Timma Raja with help
from the Dutch in Pulicat, compelling him to accept Venkata III’s claim.
Timma Raja was allowed some territories under his control, but stirred
up trouble for a second time, only to be slain by the Nayak of Gingee in
1635. Peace was finally restored and Peda Venkata Raya or Venkata III
returned to Vellore to take charge. On 22 August 1639 Francis Day of the East
India Company obtained a small strip of Land in the Coramandal Coast
from him in Chandragiri as a place to build a factory and warehouse for
their trading activities. Venkata III had no son and was immediately
succeeded by his treacherous nephew Sriranga III, who came to Vellore
Fort after deserting the Bijapur camp.
- Sriranga III Raya.......................................1642
- c. 1660
- In 1646 Sriranga III collected a large army
with help from Mysore, Gingee and Tanjore and met the Golkonda forces.
The Muslim forces were losing, but later advanced, when consolidated by
additional armies from Deccan. The war went on till 1652. Sriranga III
spent his last years under support of one of his vassal chieftains,
Shivappa Nayaka of Ikkeri, and was still hoping to retrieve Vellore from
the Muslim forces. Thirumalai Nayak's treachery to Sriranga III made the
Mysore ruler Kanthirava Narasa wage a series of ravaging wars with
Madurai, later capturing the territories of Coimbatore and Salem,
regions which were retained by Mysore till 1800. The Mysore ruler
Kanthirava Narasa still recognised Sriranga as a namesake emperor.
By the 1640's, Vijayanagar had all but
vanished entirely, it's territories absorbed by to a large extent by the
Kingdom of Mysore, as well as Hyderabad and the Mughal Empire. The
capital was seized by the Sultans of Bijapur and Golkonda in 1646,
though a last shadowy Viyanagaran king seems to have held on to some
fragment of territory through the 1650's. Sriranga died in the late 1670s as an emperor without an empire, putting
an end to over three centuries of Vijayanagara rule in India. By the 18th century, southern
India had fragmented completely into local states alongside various
European colonies, especially at Goa (Portuguese) and Pondicherry
(French). After 1757, British influence was paramount, and the region
followed general Indian history from then on.
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