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Venad was a medieval kingdom between the Western Ghat mountains of India with its capital at city of Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143-44.Narayanan, M. G. S. 2002. ‘The State in the Era of the Ceraman Perumals of Kerala’, in ''State and Society in Premodern South India'', eds R. Champakalakshmi, Kesavan Veluthat, and T. R. Venugopalan, pp.111–19. Thrissur, CosmoBooks. It was one of the major principalities of
/ref> Venad outlasted the Chera Perumals of Makotai, Chera Perumal kingdom, gradually developed as an independent principality, known as the Chera kingdomThapar, Romila'', The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.'' Penguin Books, 2002. 368., and grew later into modern
/ref> The medieval feudal relations and political authority were dismantled Marthanda Varma (1729–1758), often credited as "the Maker of
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, along with kingdoms of Kolathunadu
Kolattunādu () (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along w ...
, Zamorin
The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edi ...
, and Kochi
Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
in medieval and early modern period.Menon, T. Madhava. ''A Handbook of Kerala.'' Vol 1. Trivandrum: Dravidian Linguistics Association, 2002/ref> Venad outlasted the Chera Perumals of Makotai, Chera Perumal kingdom, gradually developed as an independent principality, known as the Chera kingdomThapar, Romila'', The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.'' Penguin Books, 2002. 368., and grew later into modern
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
(18th century CE). Ravi Varma Kulasekhara, most ambitious ruler of Venad, carried out a successful military expedition to Pandya and Chola lands in the early 14th century CE.
The Venad ruler Vira Udaya Marthanda Varma (1516–1535) acknowledged the supremacy of the Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
rulers. Minor battles with Vijayanagara forces in the subsequent period are also recorded. In the 17th century, the rulers of Venad paid an annual tribute to the Nayaks of Madurai
The Madurai Nayakas were a Telugu dynasty
*
*
*
*
* who ruled most of modern-day Tamil Nadu, India, with Madurai as their capital. The Madurai Nayaks had their origins in the Balija warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh.
*
*
*
*
*
* ...
.Menon, T. Madhava. ''A Handbook of Kerala.'' Vol 1. Trivandrum: Dravidian Linguistics Association, 2002. 143/ref> The medieval feudal relations and political authority were dismantled Marthanda Varma (1729–1758), often credited as "the Maker of
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
". Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin
The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edi ...
of Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature.
It is the nineteenth large ...
in the battle of Purakkad
Purakkad is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.
The literal meaning of Purakkad is "out of forest".
/ref>Pillai Elamkulam, P. N. Kunhan. ''Keralam Ancum Arum Nurrantukalil.'' Kottayam (Kerala), 1961.
/ref> Venad – ruled by hereditary "Venad Adikal" – appears as an autonomous chiefdom in the kingdom of the Chera Perumals of Makotai, Chera Perumals of
/ref>Journal of The Madras University (Section A Humanities) 33–36. (1961): 18
/ref> Panankavil Palace, whose location remains a mystery, was the royal residence of the Venad rulers at Kollam.Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 191 – 193, 435 – 437
/ref> Venad had a kind of chiefly rule with principles of succession, indicated by the term ''kuru'', that is, the rights of the chief and the order of succession within the chief's household. Rulers of the extended Venad royal family lived at different locations in the kingdom. Migrations and setting up new palaces continued into the early modern period. Political authority of a complex nature was followed by the Kerala joint families. Trippappur, Desinganad, Chiravay and Elayadam branches of the family were called "swaroopams". The swaroopams were further divided into matrilineal descent groups (the thavazhis).Menon, V. K. R, Rathi Ramachandran, et al. eds. ''History of Medieval Kerala''. Pragati Publications, 2006. 81
/ref> Sources refer to the ruler of Venad as controlling parts of
/ref> Venetian adventurer
/ref>
/ref>). Eventually the Chera-Perumal kingdom also submitted to the Chola rule (early 11th century CE). Cherar ruler Rama Varma Kulashekhara, Rama Kulasekhara, a contemporary of Chola Kulothunga (1070 -1120 CE), is seen organising the defence against the Cholas at
The prosecution of the Pandya-Chola wars necessitated long residence of Chera/Perumal king of 
After the dissolution of the Chera/Perumal kingdom (c. 12th century), Venad survived, and emerged as a powerful principality in southern India, as result of the wars of conquest and well as the Indian Ocean spice trade. Venad, now known as the kingdom of the Cheras or the Kulasekharas, was intermittently subject to the
/ref> Possibly with the decline of Chola power after Kulothunga, Venad Cheras gradually extended their control over the present Kanyakumari district. In the early 14th century, "Sangramadhira" Ravi Varma carried out military raids to northern edges of south India (1312–1316). His inscriptions can be found as north as
/ref> In Venad royal family, like most of other royal houses in Kerala, law of succession followed was based on matrilineal inheritance. The eldest son of the sister of the ruling king, not his own son, had the legal right to ascend the throne after the death of the king. The port at
/ref> Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum was the major temple in the region. In the 17th century, the rulers of Venad paid an annual tribute to the Nayaks of Madurai. By this time, the old state of Venad was divided into several autonomous collateral branches such as Trippappoor, Elayadathu, (
Etymology
The name ''Venad'' is believed to be derived from the Tamil language, Tamil words Vēḷ+nāṭu meaning the territory of the Vel chieftains. The earliest preserved Tamil compositions - datable to c. 1st – 4th century CE – attests presence of hill chiefs such as the "Vels" in southern Kerala.Aiya, V. Nagam. ''The Travancore State Manual.'' Vol 1. Part 2. Trivandrum: The Travancore Government Press, 190/ref>Pillai Elamkulam, P. N. Kunhan. ''Keralam Ancum Arum Nurrantukalil.'' Kottayam (Kerala), 1961.
Ancestry
Rulers of Venad trace their ancestry to the Vel chieftains related to the Ay dynasty, Ay lineage of the early historic south India (c. 1st – 4th century CE).Aiya, V. Nagam. ''The Travancore State Manual.'' Vol 1. Part 2. Trivandrum: The Travancore Government Press, 190/ref> Venad – ruled by hereditary "Venad Adikal" – appears as an autonomous chiefdom in the kingdom of the Chera Perumals of Makotai, Chera Perumals of
Kodungallur
Kodungallur (; formerly also called as Cranganore (anglicised name), Portuguese language, Portuguese: Cranganor; Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of Per ...
from around 8th – 9th century CE. It came to occupy a position of pre-eminent importance in the structuring of the Perumal kingdom. The country was intermittently and partially subject to the Pandya kingdom
The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
in the medieval period."Travancore." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.
The rulers of Venad, known in the medieval period as Venad Cheras or the Kulasekharas, claimed their ancestry from the Chera Perumals.
As early as the 10th century, the powerful chiefs of Venad used the surname suffix "Varma", denoting the Kshatriya
Kshatriya () (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya) is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
status of the ruling line.Aiya, V. Nagam. ''The Travancore State Manual.'' Vol 1. Part 2. Trivandrum: The Travancore Government Press, 190/ref>Journal of The Madras University (Section A Humanities) 33–36. (1961): 18
/ref> Panankavil Palace, whose location remains a mystery, was the royal residence of the Venad rulers at Kollam.Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 191 – 193, 435 – 437
/ref> Venad had a kind of chiefly rule with principles of succession, indicated by the term ''kuru'', that is, the rights of the chief and the order of succession within the chief's household. Rulers of the extended Venad royal family lived at different locations in the kingdom. Migrations and setting up new palaces continued into the early modern period. Political authority of a complex nature was followed by the Kerala joint families. Trippappur, Desinganad, Chiravay and Elayadam branches of the family were called "swaroopams". The swaroopams were further divided into matrilineal descent groups (the thavazhis).Menon, V. K. R, Rathi Ramachandran, et al. eds. ''History of Medieval Kerala''. Pragati Publications, 2006. 81
/ref> Sources refer to the ruler of Venad as controlling parts of
Thiruvananthapuram district
Thiruvananthapuram District () is the List of districts of Kerala, southernmost district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananth ...
, Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
and presumably parts of Alappuzha
Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...
and Kottayam
Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...
districts (and Kanyakumari district in later times). The autonomous chiefdom ("nadu") of Venad came to occupy pre-eminent importance in the structuring of the Chera/Perumal kingdom. The rulers of Venad owed their importance to exchange of spices and other products with the Middle Eastern and Chinese merchants.Mailaparambil, Binu John. ''Lords of the Sea: The Ali Rajs of Cannanore and the Political Economy of Malabar (1663–1723).'' Leiden: Brill: Leiden, 201/ref> Venetian adventurer
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known a ...
claimed to have visited Venad capital Kollam, a major centre of commerce and trade with East and West Asia. European colonisers arrived at Kollam the late fifteenth century, primarily in pursuit of the Indian spices and textiles.Singh, Anjana. ''Fort Cochin in Kerala, 1750–1830.'' Leiden: Brill, 201/ref>
Political history
It appears that the whole region of medieval Venad was part of the Ay dynasty, Ay country in early historic south India (c. 1st – 4th century CE). Veliyans belonging to the Ay family were the hill chiefs of the "Vel country". Towards the close of the early historic period thePandya
The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
supremacy might have extended to Kanyakumari in Ay territory (through it is likely that the Ays retained their lost lands from the Pandyas during the so-called Kalabhra
The Kalabhra dynasty (also called Kaḷabrar, Kaḷappirar, Kallupura or Kalvar) were rulers of all or parts of Tamil region sometime between the 3rd century and 6th century CE, after the ancient dynasties of the early Cholas, the early Pandy ...
period).
Development of Venad
The ancient political and cultural history of Venad was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. TheChera dynasty
The Chera dynasty ( or Cēra, ), also known as Keralaputra, from the early historic or the Sangam period in Tamil-speaking southern India, ruled over parts of present-day states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Cheras, known as one of the mu-ventar ...
governed the area of Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...
between Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari (Tamil; / kəɳjɑkʊmɑɾiː/; referring to Devi Kanya Kumari, officially known as Kanniyakumari, formerly known as Cape Comorin) is a town and a municipality in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the ...
in the south to Kasaragod
Kasaragod () is a municipal town and the administrative headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kera ...
in the north. This included Palakkad Gap
Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in the state of Kerala. It has an average elevation of with a width of . The pass is located between the ...
, Coimbatore
Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
, Salem, and Kolli Hills
Kolli Malai also known as Kolli Hills, is a Town,Hill station and Kollimalai Taluk, Taluk in Namakkal district, in Tamil Nadu, India.
Origin of the name
The Mountain is named Kolli Malai after the name of Goddess Etukkai Amman (also known as Ko ...
. The region around Coimbatore
Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period
The Sangam literature ( Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam''), historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' ( Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cāṉṟōr ceyyuḷ''), connote ...
between c. 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap
Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in the state of Kerala. It has an average elevation of with a width of . The pass is located between the ...
, the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...
and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
.
In the middle of the 8th century CE, the Pandya sacked port Vizhinjam
Vizhinjam () is an area located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the state of Kerala in India. which belongs to Thiruvananthapuram Corporation . It is located 16 km south west from the city centre and 17 km south of Trivand ...
, and took possession the Ay Vel country. This foray brought the Chera-Perumal kings of Kodungallur (Makotai) into the conflict and a prolonged Pandya-Ay/Chera struggle followed.Ganesh, K. N. ''Agrarian Relations and Political Authority in Medieval Travancore (A. D. 1300–1750).'' Doctoral Thesis. Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1987. 22–25. By the middle of the 9th century CE, as a result of the encroachment of the Pandyas and Cheras, the ancient Ay country was partitioned into two portions. Venad (Vel+natu = the country of the Vel people) with its base at Kollam came under influence of the Cheras while the Ay dynasty, Ay country, or what was left of it, came under the influence of the Pandyas.Ganesh, K. N. ''Agrarian Relations and Political Authority in Medieval Travancore (A. D. 1300–1750).'' Doctoral Thesis. Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1987. 21–25.
A new calendar was known as the "Kollam Era", was established in 825 CE at port Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
. The exact events that lead to the foundation of the era is still matter of scholarly debate. According to historians, it commemorated the foundation of Kollam harbour city after the liberation of Venad from the Pandya rule (and hence beginning of Chera influence). The Kollam Syrian plates (c. 849 CE and c. 883 CE) of Venad chieftain Ayyan Adikal, does mention the then Chera king Sthanu Ravi
Sthanu Ravi Varma (Malayalam, Early Malayalam and Tamil language, Tamil: Ko Tanu Iravi), known as the Kulasekhara, was the Chera Perumals of Makotai, Chera Perumal ruler of Kerala in southern India from 844/45 to ''c.'' 870/71 AD.Noburu Karashima ...
. The chief was providing land and other provisions to the Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
merchant Mar Sapir Iso at the port of Kollam. The rulers of Venad, known as "Venad Adikal", owed their importance to exchange of spices and other products with the Middle Eastern and Chinese merchants. Sulaiman al-Tajir
Sulaymān al-Tājir () was a 9th-century Muslim merchant, traveler and writer initially from Siraf in modern-day Iran. He traveled to India and China and wrote an account of his voyages around AD 850, often associated with a related travelo ...
, a Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
merchant who visited Kerala during the reign of Sthanu Ravi Varma
Sthanu Ravi Varma ( Early Malayalam and Tamil: Ko Tanu Iravi), known as the Kulasekhara, was the Chera Perumal ruler of Kerala in southern India from 844/45 to ''c.'' 870/71 AD.Noburu Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and ...
(9th century CE), records that there was extensive trade between Kerala and China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
at that time, based at the port of Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
.
The chiefs of Venad were always determined to extend their sway into the Ay territory. There is a possibility that chieftains captured the whole region down to Kottar (Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari (Tamil; / kəɳjɑkʊmɑɾiː/; referring to Devi Kanya Kumari, officially known as Kanniyakumari, formerly known as Cape Comorin) is a town and a municipality in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the ...
) by 10th century CE. In general, the influence of the Kerala rulers spread into the ancient Ay territory in the 10th century CE.Ganesh, K. N. ''Agrarian Relations and Political Authority in Medieval Travancore (A. D. 1300-1750).'' Doctoral Thesis. Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1987. 22-25.
The region to the south of present-day Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
– former Ay country – came under the control of the Cholas of Tanjore (under king Raja Raja I) during early 11th century CE. There is a possibility that the Venad chieftains tried to recapture the old Ay region after the raids by Rajaraja I. Chola prince Rajadhiraja claims to have "confined the undaunted king of Venadu ackto the Chera kingdom rom the Ay country..and liberated the yking of Kupaka" presently Keezhperoor
Keezhperoor (kīḻpērūr, Kilapperur, Kizhperur) or Kupaka is a village located 6 kilometers from Kilimanoor in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. It houses Thirupalkadal Sreekrishnaswamy Temple, family temple of Venad, Kizhakkumkara Dev ...
(this event is dated c. 1018-19 CENarayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 191 - 193, 435 - 437/ref>). Eventually the Chera-Perumal kingdom also submitted to the Chola rule (early 11th century CE). Cherar ruler Rama Varma Kulashekhara, Rama Kulasekhara, a contemporary of Chola Kulothunga (1070 -1120 CE), is seen organising the defence against the Cholas at
Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
in early 12th century CE.
Venad in late medieval period
The prosecution of the Pandya-Chola wars necessitated long residence of Chera/Perumal king of Kodungallur
Kodungallur (; formerly also called as Cranganore (anglicised name), Portuguese language, Portuguese: Cranganor; Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of Per ...
Rama Varma Kulashekhara, Rama Kulasekhara at Kollam.Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 154. There is a tradition that Vira Kerala, a ruler of Kollam in early 12th century, was a son of the last Chera king.
After the dissolution of the Chera/Perumal kingdom (c. 12th century), Venad survived, and emerged as a powerful principality in southern India, as result of the wars of conquest and well as the Indian Ocean spice trade. Venad, now known as the kingdom of the Cheras or the Kulasekharas, was intermittently subject to the Pandyas
The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
during this period.Menon. A. Sreedhara. ''A Survey of Kerala History.'' Kottayam (Kerala): DC Books, 2007/ref> Possibly with the decline of Chola power after Kulothunga, Venad Cheras gradually extended their control over the present Kanyakumari district. In the early 14th century, "Sangramadhira" Ravi Varma carried out military raids to northern edges of south India (1312–1316). His inscriptions can be found as north as
Poonamallee
Poonamallee is a western suburb of Chennai, India under the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It was historically called ''Pushpagirimangalam'', later renamed in Tamil as ''Poovirundhavalli'' (), and now colloquially called as ''Poondhamalli''. It i ...
, a suburb of Chennai
Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
.Menon, A. Sreedhara, editor. ''District Gazetteer of Trivandrum.'' Trivandrum (Kerala): Gazetteer Department, Government of Kerala, 196/ref> In Venad royal family, like most of other royal houses in Kerala, law of succession followed was based on matrilineal inheritance. The eldest son of the sister of the ruling king, not his own son, had the legal right to ascend the throne after the death of the king. The port at
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature.
It is the nineteenth large ...
held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
, Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
, and Kochi
Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.''The Portuguese, Indian Ocean and European Bridgeheads 1500–1800''. Festschrift in Honour of Prof. K. S. Mathew (2001). Edited by: Pius Malekandathil and T. Jamal Mohammed. Fundacoa Oriente. Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities of MESHAR (Kerala)
Aditya Varma (1376–83),his successor Chera Udaya Marthanda Varma (1383–1444) is credited for the extent of the rule of Venad into interior Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli (), also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirunelveli District. It is the fourth-largest munici ...
region. Vira Udaya Marthanda Varma (1516–1535) acknowledged the supremacy of the Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara () is a city located in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka state in India.Vijayanagara
rulers. Minor battles with Vijayanagara forces in the subsequent period are also recorded.Menon, A Sreedhara, ''Kerala History and its Makers.'' Kottayam (Kerala): DC Books, 1987. 74–75.
The Portuguese arrived at Kappad
Kappad, or Kappakadavu locally, is a beach and village near Koyilandy, in the Kozhikode district, Kerala, India.
A stone monument installed by government commemorates the "landing" by Vasco da Gama with the inscription, Vasco da Gama landed he ...
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature.
It is the nineteenth large ...
in 1498 during the Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery (), also known as the Age of Exploration, was part of the early modern period and overlapped with the Age of Sail. It was a period from approximately the 15th to the 17th century, during which Seamanship, seafarers fro ...
, thus opening a direct sea route from Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
to India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. They were the first Europeans to establish a trading center in Tangasseri
Tangasseri or Thangassery (Thangi) is a heavily populated beach area on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Kollam city, Kerala, India.
Location
Tangasseri is located about from the city centre and from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. Ar ...
, Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
in 1502, which became the centre of their trade in pepper. It was the beginning of Portuguese era in Venad.
Well into the modern period, Venad remained one of the chief monarchies of Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, along with Kingdoms of Kannur (Kolathunadu), Kozhikode (Zamorin) and Kochi (Perumpadappu).Balasubramanian, V. "On an Epic Journey." ''The Hindu'' 07 April 2017: http://www.thehindu.com. Web. Accessed 07 April 2017/ref> Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum was the major temple in the region. In the 17th century, the rulers of Venad paid an annual tribute to the Nayaks of Madurai. By this time, the old state of Venad was divided into several autonomous collateral branches such as Trippappoor, Elayadathu, (
Kottarakara
Kottarakkara (IAST: Koṭṭārakkara), also transliterated as ''Kottarakara'', is a town and municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. Kottarakkara lies to the east of Kollam city centre.
History
Kottarakkara, also known in the ...
), Desinganad (Kallada, Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
), and Peraka Thavazhi (Nedumangad
Nedumangad is a municipal town in the Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the headquarters of Nedumangad Tehsil and Nedumangad Revenue Division. It is a suburb of the extended metropolitan region of Thiruvanantha ...
).
During the "regency" of Umayamma (1677–1864), southern Venad was famously overrun by a Muslim adventurer. English East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South Asia and Southeast A ...
established a factory at Vizhinjam in 1664 and a fort was built at Ajengo in 1695. Around 150 Company men from the Anjengo Factory, proceeding for an audience with the queen-mother, were lynched by a mob in "the Attingal Outbreak" of 1721. Ravi Varma, ruling from 1721 to 1729, entered into formal agreements with the Company and the Nayaks of Madurai
The Madurai Nayakas were a Telugu dynasty
*
*
*
*
* who ruled most of modern-day Tamil Nadu, India, with Madurai as their capital. The Madurai Nayaks had their origins in the Balija warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh.
*
*
*
*
*
* ...
. The primary objective of the submission was to strengthen the position of the king against the regional nobles (such as "the Ettuvittil Pillamar") and other "hostile elements" in Venad.
Rise of Travancore
In the early 18th century CE, theTravancore royal family
The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. They signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authorit ...
adopted some members from the royal family of Kolathunadu
Kolattunādu () (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along w ...
based at Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
, and Parappanad
Parappanad was a former feudal city-state in Malabar, India. The headquarters of Parappanad Royal family was at the town Parappanangadi in present-day Malappuram district. In 1425, the country divided into Northern Parappanad (Beypore kingdom) a ...
based in present-day Malappuram district
Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the tot ...
. Marthanda Varma
Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (Malayalam: ; 1706 – 7 July 1758) was the founding monarch of the southern Indian Kingdom of Travancore (previously Venadu) from 1729 until his death in 1758. He was succeeded by Rama Varma ("Dharma Raja") ...
(1729–1758), of the Trippappoor, is often hailed by historians as "the Maker of Travancore". Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin
The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edi ...
of Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature.
It is the nineteenth large ...
in the battle of Purakkad
Purakkad is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala.
The literal meaning of Purakkad is "out of forest". Marthanda Varma – at the end of whose rule Travancore was one of the first modern states of south India – is usually credited with the following "achievements".
* Successfully developed the centralised state of
/ref>
Travancore
The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...
(from Tiruvitamkur/Tiruvitamcode). Dismantling of existing feudal relations.
* Routed all of major Nair nobles and other "hostile elements" in Travancore.
* Organised a standing army, and defeated most of the chiefdoms in central Kerala.
* Entered into strategic alliances with Europeans.
* Supported Kerala merchants (Syrian Christian) in the place of the Europeans.
Rulers of Venad (till 16th century)
Early historic
* Veliyan Venmal Nallini – the wife of the Chera dynasty, Chera chieftain Utiyan.Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 106. * Veliyan Venman Ay Eyinan – the leader of the Chera warriors against Nannan of Ezhimalai.Early medieval
*Vel Mannan ofVizhinjam
Vizhinjam () is an area located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the state of Kerala in India. which belongs to Thiruvananthapuram Corporation . It is located 16 km south west from the city centre and 17 km south of Trivand ...
(latter half of the 8th century CE) – Seen in Madras Museum Inscription of Maran Chadaiyan
* Venattadikal the Nayanar – author of ''Venattadikal Thiruvichaippa'' (early 9th century AD)Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 383/ref>
Under Chera Perumal influence
* Ayyan Adikal Tiru Adikal – Donor of Kollam Syrian plates, Quilon Syrian copper plates (mid-9th century CE) **Rama Tiru Adikal – Junior chief of Venad (mid-9th century CE) * Kandiyur Vel Kula Sundara – a warrior in the Chola army underVellan Kumaran
Vellan Kumaran (''fl.'' mid-10th century AD), diksa name''Epigraphia Indica'' 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 292–304. Chaturanana Pandita, was a Kerala commander in the Chola army and a close confidant of prince Rajaditya. He was probably one of the ...
(c. 949 CE)
* Sri Vallava Goda Varma – Donor of Mamapalli copper plates (c. 973 CE)
* Govardhana Marthanda – Successor of Srivallavan Goda Varma (c. 976 – 1000 CE)
**Seen in Jewish copper plates of Cochin (c. 1000 CE)
* Kumara Udaya Varma – mentioned in the inscription by Chera Perumal king Rama Kulasekhara
Rama Kulasekhara (''fl.'' late 11th century CE) was the last ruler of the Chera Perumal dynasty of medieval Kerala. He was a contemporary of the Chola kings Kulottunga I (1070–1120) and Vikrama Chola (1118–35 AD). Rama Kulaskehara is best k ...
(c. 1102 CE)
* Vira Kerala – son of Rama Kulasekhara (c. 1126, Cholapuram)
From 12th century onwards
Venad Dynasty *Rama Varma Kulashekhara
Rama Kulasekhara (''fl.'' late 11th century CE) was the last ruler of the Chera Perumal dynasty of medieval Kerala. He was a contemporary of the Chola kings Kulottunga I (1070–1120) and Vikrama Chola (1118–35 AD). Rama Kulaskehara is best k ...
(1090-1102)
* Kotha Varma Martanda (1102–1125)
* Vira Kerala Varma I (1125–1145)
* Kodai Kerala Varma (1145–1150)
* Vira Ravi Varma (1161–1164)
* Vira Kerala Varma II (1164–1167)
* Vira Aditya Varma (1167–1173)
* Vira Udaya Martanda Varma (1173–1192)
* Devadaram Vira Kerala Varma III (1192–1195)
* Vira Manikantha Rama Varma Tiruvadi (1195– ?)
* Vira Rama Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1209–1214)
* Vira Ravi Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1214–1240)
* Vira Padmanabha Martanda Varma Tiruvadi (1240–1252)
* Jayasimha Deva (1266–1267
* Ravi Varma (1299–1313)
* Vira Udaya Martanda Varma (1313–1333)
* Aditya Varma Tiruvadi (1333–1335)
* Vira Rama Udaya Martanda Varma Tiruvadi (1335–1342)
* Vira Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1342–1363)
* Vira Martanda Varma III (1363–1366)
* Vira Rama Martanda Varma (1366–1376)
* Aditya Varma Sarvanganatha (1376-1383)
* Vira Ravi Varma (1383–1416)
* Vira Ravi Ravi Varma (1416–1417)
* Vira Kerala Martanda Varma (1383)
* Chera Udaya Martanda Varma (1383–1444)
* Vira Ravi Varma, (1444–1458)
* Sankhara Sri Vira Rama Martanda Varma (1458–1468)
* Vira Kodai Sri Aditya Varma (1468–1484)
* Vira Ravi Ravi Varma (1484–1503)
* Martanda Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1503–1504)
* Vira Ravi Kerala Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1504–1516)
* Udaya Marthanda Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1516-1535)
See also
*Travancore Royal Family
The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. They signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authorit ...
* Kingdom of Calicut
* Kingdom of Cannanore
*Kingdom of Cochin
The kingdom of Cochin or the Cochin State, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It originated in the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until i ...
*Ay Dynasty
Ay dynasty (transliteration: Āy, ), also known as Kupaka in medieval period, was an Indian dynasty which controlled the south-western tip of the Indian peninsula, peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period. The clan tr ...
* Dynasties of Abhiras
References
* ''Travancore Archaeological Series'', Vol. I – VII. Triandrum (Kerala): Government Press (Travancore). 1910–38. *Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai
Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai (8 November 1904 – 4 March 1973), known as Elamkulam, was an Indian historian, linguist and academic from southern Kerala, India. He was a pioneering scholar of southern Indian history, Kerala history, in partic ...
. ''Some Problems in Kerala History (Chila Kerala Charithra Prasnangal (Part I, II, & III)).'' Kerala Cultural and Historical Research Library.
Further reading
*''State and Society in Premodern South India'', eds R. Champakalakshmi, Kesavan Veluthat, and T. R. Venugopalan. Thrissur, CosmoBooks, 2012. * Noburu Karashima (ed.), ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations.'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014 *Ganesh, K. N. ''Agrarian Relations and Political Authority in Medieval Travancore (A. D. 1300–1750).'' Doctoral Thesis. Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1987. *Ganesh, K.N. (1990-02). "The Process of State Formation in Travancore". ''Studies in History''. 6 (1). *Ganesh, K.N. (2009-06). "Historical Geography of Natu in South India with Special Reference to Kerala". ''Indian Historical Review''. 36 (1): 3–21. * Veluthat, Kesavan, ''The Political Structure of Early Medieval South India,'' (New Delhi, Orient Longman, 1993; second revised edition, New Delhi, Orient Blackswan, 2012) * Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumaḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy: Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cera Perumaḷs of Makotai (c. AD 800 – AD 1124).'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. *Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai
Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai (8 November 1904 – 4 March 1973), known as Elamkulam, was an Indian historian, linguist and academic from southern Kerala, India. He was a pioneering scholar of southern Indian history, Kerala history, in partic ...
. ''Some Problems in Kerala History (Chila Kerala Charithra Prasnangal (Part I, II, & III)).'' Kerala Cultural and Historical Research Library.
*Mailaparambil, Binu John. ''Lords of the Sea: The Ali Rajs of Cannanore and the Political Economy of Malabar (1663–1723).'' Leiden: Brill: Leiden, 2012
*Cherian, P. J., editor. ''Perspectives on Kerala History – The Second Millennium.'' Trivandrum (Kerala): Kerala Gazetteers Department, 1999.
{{coord missing, Kerala
History of Kollam
Kingdoms of Kerala
Feudal states of Kerala
Medieval Indian monarchies
Hindu dynasties