09 Chapter 3.Pdf

CHAPTER - III POLITICAL CONDITIONS 51 CHAPTER III POLITICAL CONDITIONS 'he geo-physical system of the Cuddapah region (oift l^ned in the previous chapter) played a major role in the rise of 'regional powers'. This chapter is divi ded into two sections: the first section deals with the dynastic history from A.D,1300 to 1565; and the second section with the political developmerts during the post- Vijayanagara period, i.e. A.D.1300 to 1800. The dynastic history of the Cuddapah region discussed here is rather conventional- It only shows the imperial or central power politics within the region. The involvement and the role of local or regional power politics is often undermined by the conventional historians. Many of the historians who had reconstructed the dynanstic history of the Kakatiyas, Kayasthas, Vijayanagara etc., who held sway over the Cuddapah region, were mainly interested in identifying the genealogy, the chronology and the political activities in terms of conquests and political expansion of the rulers. Following the conventional model, this chapter gives a background of the different dynasties that ruled this region starting from the decline of the Kakatiyas to the fall of Palegars, i.e. A,D.1300 to 1800. The political developments that are traced in this chapter are useful for evaluating the nature of State during the period under study. Though this chapter highlights only 52 the central power politics in the region, the linkages of the local and supra-local powers with the central power determines the nature of State formation. Hence, in the preceding chapters an attempt Is made to study the linkages within the multi-centred power structure. This chapter forms the basis for making certain observations on the role of central power, the degree and intensity of the central power^s intervention in different regions, SECTION - I (A.D. 1300 to 1565 ) This section deals with the political developments that took place in the region during A.D. 1300 to 1565. This period in the history of Andhra witnessed the rule of regional powers of the post-Kakatiyan period and the rule of the Rayas of Vijayanagara. The impact of the post-Kaktiyan regional powers such as the Reddis, the Velamas and the Kayasthas, is marginal in this region; and the Kakatiyan rule can be seen as a continuum in the succeding period. For an appraisal of the medieval polity, it is necessary to make a review of the dynasties that ruled this region through the Ages, in brief. The political history of this region begins with the Mauryas and the Satavahanas. The influence of the Mauryas in this region is -attested by the Erragudi inscription which is 60 km. from Jammalamadugu of the Cuddapah region; From the coins discovered at Peddamudiam, Dommaranandyala and 53 Nandaluru, it is evident that this region was under the 2 Satavahanas: The Nasik Prasasti of Siri Pulumayi Vasisthi- putra Pulumayi also indicates the rule of the Satavahanas over this region- The Hiranyakas^who belonged to this region rendered military service to the Ikshvakus. So,it can be assumed that the Ikshvakus had some kind of political affilia- 4 tion with this region. This region appears to liave passed under the sway of the early Pallavas, soon after the dis- ;i 5 appearânce of the Satavahanas. The inscriptions at Tippaluru (Kamalapuram taluk) and at Arakatavemula (Proddatur taluk) refers to the rule of the Pallavas and the inscription at Korrapadu (Jammalamadugu taluk), attests to the rule of the 7 Chalukyas of Badami over this region. From the middle of the sixth century A.D. the Cuddapah region witnessed a long Q drawn conflict between these two great powers. The Chalukyas disappeared with the death of Kirtivarman II in a battle about A.D.757 with the Rashtrakutas. The Eastern Chalukyas, with their capital at Vengi, had also their influence over this region during the middle of the seventh century A.D. The wars between the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Cholas created long periods of chaos and disorder. As a result, the local chiefs became independent and thus the Nellore Chodas and the Renati Cholas came into existence. The Reriati Cholas were the first known local dynasty of some importance. They were described as the descendants of 9 Karikalachola^the great of the Sangam Age of Tamil Nadu. These 54 Cholas ruled over seven thousand villages located in the Cuddapah region. They have left behind 50 undated inscriptions including copper plate records. They are the first rulers of Andhra who used the Telugu language in their inscriptions. The Chiefs are now called the Renada cholas 12 after their tract, the Renadu. The genealogy of the Renati Cholas start with Nandivarman (c,A.D.550) and ends with Sri Kantha Adiraja (c.A.D,850). 13 The epigraphs of Malepadu, Chilamakuru and Chamuluru mention the later Renadu 14 Cholas. The power of the Renati chiefs was destroyed in the 8th centaury.A.D. The Vaidumbas^who were stated as subordinates to cholas became independent and ruled over the parts of Proddatur and Kamalapuram taluks. The epigraphs from Danavulapadu, Malepadu/ Kamalapuram, Rameswaram, and Pushpagiri refer to the rule of the Rashtrakutas in this region. During the reign of Indra III 17 of Rashtrakuta dynastry Srivijaya,who belonged to the perbana clan ruled Danavulapadu as a feudatory of the Rashtrakutas. The feudatories of Rashtrakutas of this region declared independence during the re ion of Indra IV who was a weak ruler. From some of the inscriptions at Korrapadu, Balapanur, Santakovvuru and Udavagandla in the Cuddapah region,it may be presumed that the Banas were in possession of north-western portions (Pulivendla, Jammalamadugu 55 and Kamalapuram taluks) of the Cuddapah region during 8th 18 and 9th centuries A.D. Though the Renadu Cholas lost their battle against the Banas, they recovered in the beginn ing of the 9th century A.D. and some of the Bana chiefs 19 figure as their subordinates. After the fall of the early branch of the Cholas of Renadu, the region was seized by the Vaidumbas. The warlike chiefs of Vaidumbas ruled over Renadu between 9th and 11th centuries A.D. from their capital 20 Pottapi. Their epigraphs were found mostly in the taluks of Rayachoti and Kamalapuram. 21 At the end of the 10th Century A.D-/+-hp>Aôuth India was under the sway of Cholas and the Kalyani Chalukyas. In order to consolidate their Kingdoms they set their eyes on the southern part of Andhra, It became a bone of contention between these powers. The Cuddapah region became a focal point for the wars between them. They fought many wars of fluctuating fortunes. The association of the Cholas with some portions of the Cuddapah region outlived that of the Kalyani Chalukyas by some decades. The inscriptions from Peddamudiam (A.D.1124) Gallapalli (Jammalamadugu taluk) and inscription from Chilamakuru (Kamalapuram taluk) of Some- swara III (A.D.1126-38) indicate that the north-western parts of Renadu (âsjruled by the feudatory chiefs of Kalyani Chalukyas. Inscriptions found in the south-eastern parts of the Cuddapah region reveal the continuance of some Telugu Chola rulers. They were closely associated with Pottapi 56 (Rajampet Tq,) and were knowâs Pottapi Cholas.^^ The Kakatiyas have been extending their influence in the north-eastern region of Cuadapah, the Yadavas in the north-west and the Hoyasalas in the south-western part of the region during the last quarter of the 12th century. By defeating the Pottapi Cholas in the battle of Dongalasani (A,D,1160) the Telugu Cholas had penetrated 24 into the Cuddapah region. Thus Telugu Cholas first recognised the Supremacy of the Imperial Cholas and later on submitted to the Kakatiyas of Warangal. The chiefs of Nallasiddha I and Ghola-Tikka Manamasiddha I of the Nellore Telugu Chola family ruled successively over the parts of Rajampet, Siddhavatam, Proddatur and Cuddapah taluks. 25 The tract associated with Nellore Cholas in this region appears to have passed under the control of the Kayasthas by about the last quarter of the thirteenth century* The position of the paramount powers of this region was rather confusing during the 13th century. It is mainly because of the multiplicity of the dynasties appearing in the tract and the existence of powerful auxiliary dynasties in the district itself. The inscriptions at Lebaka and Nandalur (Rajampet taluk) indicate the short association of the Pandyas with the south-eastern portions of the Cuddapah region during A.D.1292-93. The inscriptions at 57 Abbavaram (Rajampet taluk), Jyoti (Siddhavatam taluk) and Pushpagiri refer to the rule of a few later Vaidumba chiefs in this region in the thirteenth century also. These later Vaidumba kings ruled some portions of this region as the feudatories of Kayasthas and Vijayanagara kings. The I'elugu Pallavas, who were of the lineage of the Pallavas of Nellore ruled over the Mulikinadu during the 12th and 13th centuries 27 A.D. ' KAYASTHAS The inscriptions that belong to Kayasthas (A.D.1239 to 1304) in the Cuddapah region and the adjoining tracts of North and East reveal that they played an important role in this region during the second half of the 13th century with their capital at Valluru. The inscriptions of Pushpagiri, Itigulla- padu/ Akkalareddipalli (Badvel taluk), Rajampeta, Varikunta 28 (Sidhout taluk) refer to the rule of Kayasthas. Venkata- ramannayya opined that since 'Bai' is a suffix in the names 29 of the Kayastha queens, they came from Maharashtra, Though they were feudatories of Kakatiyas they were ruling this province independently now and then. Tripuradeva (A.D.1270) of Kayasthas ruled the Mulikinadu, Pottapinadu ^^Gandikota 3ima as the representative of the Kakatiyas.

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