Nayakas of Belur | |||||||||||||
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1397–1802 | |||||||||||||
Capital | Aigoor | ||||||||||||
Common languages | Kannada, Telugu | ||||||||||||
Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||
King | |||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||
• Established | 1397 | ||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1802 | ||||||||||||
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Nayakas of Belur, also known as Nayakas of Balam and Manjarabad Nayakas, were an Indian dynasty based in Belur in present-day Hassan district of Karnataka, India. They were an important ruling dynasty in post-Vijayanagara. They initially ruled as a vassal of the famous Vijayanagar Empire. [1] The belur Nayaks had their origins in the balija warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh. [2] Their capital was Aigoor in Hassan district. [3]
According to the Vasudhare grama Kaifiyat mentions the Belur chiefs were originally Telugu Balijas. [2] historian Noboru Karashima note that Belur nayaks under the Vijayanagara empire were Telugu Balijas. [2]
Singappa Nayak was the Vijayanagara viceroy to Belur in south Karnataka during the 14th century. He was the son of Manchayya Nayaka. Singappa Nayak was then succeeded by his son Chikka Singappa Nayak. [4] after Singappa Nayaka , upto the 16th century nothing definite is known about the chiefs of this principality.
Era Krishappa Nayak ( 1524-1566 A.D. ) was a loyal vassal of the Vijayanagara Emperors and assisted them in their campaigns. He was the son of Baiyappa Nayaka and his brother named Surappa Nayaka, ruled gingee region. [5] He served as the Tambula Karandavahin (lit. 'betel-bearer') to Krishna Deva Raya. [6] Era Krishappa Nayak was then succeeded by his son Venkatadri Nayaka. [7] It remained in the hands of this family till the fall of Seringapatam in 1799. venkatadri nayaka, the last chief of the line rebelled against the British and was seized and hanged in 1802. [8]
The Belur Nayak kingdom when established covered most of South Karnataka including the present day Hassan and Kodagu. [9]
In 1645 the Belur kingdom was overrun by the Keladi chief Shivappa Nayaka and bestowed by him on Sriranga III, the defeated king of Vijayanagar who had fled to him for refuge. [10]
The list of nayaks is unclear. Some of the Nayaks are:
The history of southern India covers a span of over four thousand years during which the region saw the rise and fall of a number of dynasties and empires.
Krishnadevaraya was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire reigning from 1509 to 1529. He was the third monarch of the Tuluva dynasty, and is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in Indian history. He ruled the largest empire in India after the fall of the Islamic Delhi Sultanate. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians. Krishnadevaraya earned the titles Andhra Bhoja, Karnatakaratna Simhasanadeeshwara, Yavana Rajya Pratistapanacharya, Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana, Gaubrahmana Pratipalaka and Mooru Rayara Ganda. He became the dominant ruler of the peninsula by defeating the sultans of Bijapur, Golconda, the Bahmani Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha, and was one of the most powerful Hindu rulers in India.
Belur is a town and taluk in Hassan district in the state of Karnataka, India. The town is renowned for its Chennakeshava Temple dedicated to Vishnu, one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture and the largest Hindu temple complex that has survived from pre-14th-century Karnata-Dravida tradition. A historic site inspired by the teachings of Ramanujacharya, it has been a Vaishnava Hindu pilgrimage center since at least the 12th century. It was also the first capital of the Hoysala dynasty, before they built Dwarasamudra.
Tirumala Nayaka was the ruler of Madurai Nayak Dynasty in the 17th century. He ruled Madurai between A.D 1623 and 1659. His contributions are found in the many splendid buildings and temples of Madurai. He belongs to Balija caste. His kingdom was under constant threat from the armies of Bijapur Sultanate and the other neighbouring Muslim kingdoms, which he managed to repulse successfully. His territories comprised much of the old Pandya territories which included Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Madurai districts, Aragalur in southern Tamil Nadu and some territories of the Travancore kingdom.
Hassan is one of the 31 districts of Karnataka, India. The district headquarter is Hassan. It was part of Manjarabad Faujdari a.k.a Patnada Rayada between 1832-81. In 1882, it was reduced into a sub-division under erstwhile Kadur district. But in 1886, the Hassan district was restored to its current form.
The Thanjavur Nayakdynasty were the rulers of Thanjavur in the 15th and 17th centuries. The Nayaks, who belonged to the Telugu-speaking Balija social group were originally appointed as provincial governors by the Vijayanagara Emperor in the 15th century, who divided the territory into Nayak kingdoms which were Madurai, Tanjore, Gingee and Kalahasthi. In the mid-15th century they became an independent kingdom, although they continued their alliance with the Vijayanagara Empire. The Thanjavur Nayaks were notable for their patronage of literature and the arts.
The Nayak, or Naik is a historic Indian title conferred on military captains and governors of feudal states in the Middle Ages. Today it is also a surname. Nayaks are mostly Hindu and few Sikhs, who follow Hinduism and Sikhism respectively.
Nayaka dynasties emerged during the Kakatiya dynasty and the Vijayanagara Empire period. The Nayakas were originally military governors under the Vijayanagara Empire. After the battle of Talikota, several of them declared themselves independent.
The Balija are a Telugu-speaking mercantile community primarily living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and in smaller numbers in Telangana and Kerala.
The origin of the Vijayanagara Empire is a controversial topic in South Indian history, with regard to the linguistic affiliation of the founding dynasty, the Sangama family. The Vijayanagara Empire rose to power in southern India in the 14th century CE. Over the past decades historians have expressed differing opinions on whether the empire's founders, Harihara I and Bukka I, were of Kannada people or Telugu origin. There are various opinions about role of the Vidyaranya, the Hindu saint and guru of Harihara I and Bukka I in the founding of the Vijayanagara empire.
Pemmasani Nayaks were a ruling clan in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. They came into prominence during Vijayanagara Empire. After the Battle of Talikota in 1565 AD, the collapse of Vijayanagara Empire led to the emergence of Pemmasani Nayakas in the Rayalaseema region. They belonged to the Kamma social group.
The Nayaks of Kandy were the rulers of the Kingdom of Kandy between 1739 and 1815, and the last dynasty to rule on the island. The term Nayak is derived from the Sanskrit word Nāyaka. Their rise to power came about as a result of the death of Vira Narendrasinha, who left no legitimate heir- the throne passed to his brother-in-law, who was crowned as Sri Vijaya Rajasinha in 1739. They were of Telugu Balija origin, spoke Telugu and Tamil, and used Sinhala and Tamil as their court languages. They are also credited for building various Vishnu temples in Sri Lanka dedicated to their clan deity Vishnu, known as Upulvan in Sinhala. A prominent one of them was the Kandy Vishnu Temple established at their capital Kandy. A cadet branch of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, the Kandyan Nayaks were related to the Thanjavur Nayaks as well. Both Madurai and Thanjavur nayaks belonged to Balija caste.
Sriranga III was the last ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, who came to power in 1642 following the death of his uncle Venkata III. He was also a great grandson of Aliya Rama Raya.
The Madurai Nayaks 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 Nayak reign which lasted for over two centuries from around 1529 to 1736 was noted for its achievements in arts, cultural and administrative reforms, revitalization of temples previously ransacked by the Delhi Sultans, and the inauguration of a unique architectural style.
Viswanatha Nayak was the Vijayanagara viceroy to Madurai in south India during the 16th century. He later became the ruler of Madurai after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire. He is the founder of the Nayak dynasty of Madurai. He hailed from the Garikepati family of Balija caste.
The Nayaks of Gingee (Senji) were Telugu rulers of the Gingee principality of Tamil Nadu between 16th to 18th century CE. The Gingee Nayaks had their origins in the Balija warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh. They were subordinates of the imperial Vijayanagara emperors, and were appointed as provincial governors by the Vijayanagar Emperor who divided the Tamil country into three Nayakships viz., Madurai, Tanjore and Gingee. Later, after the fall of the Vijayanagara's Tuluva dynasty, the Gingee rulers declared independence. While they ruled independently, they were sometimes at war with the Tanjore neighbors and the Vijayanagara overlords later based in Vellore and Chandragiri.
The Nayakas of Kalahasti were a line of rulers of Kalahasti and Vandavasi principalities. Members of the group include Damarla Chennapa Nayaka, after whom the city of Chennai is named. The Kalahasti Nayaks had their origins in the Velama warrior clans of present-day Andhra Pradesh. These Nayakas served as vassals of the late Vijayanagara Empire, then held by the Aravidu Dynasty and headquartered at Chandragiri and Vellore.
The name Karnataka is derived from Karunadu, meaning 'lofty land' or 'high plateau', due to its location on the Deccan Plateau. The name can also mean 'land of black soil' in Kannada. There are other possible roots of the name. The recorded history of Karnataka goes back to the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics. The capital of "Baali" and "Sugriva" referenced in the Ramayana is said to be Hampi. Karnataka is mentioned in the Mahabharata as "Karnata Desha"." Historically, the region was also called "Kuntala Rajya".
Tubaki Krishnappa Nayak was an army commander in service of the Vijayanagar emperor, Krishna Deva Raya. He hailed from the Chandragiri family of Balija caste. He served as the first Nayak or Viceroy of Gingee from 1509 to 1521.
Era Krishnappa Nayak was the king of Belur. He reigned from 1524 to 1566. He ruled Hassan and Kodagu region.
The Nayaks of Belur became prominent during the period of the third and fourth dynasties of Vijayanagar
According to the Vasudhare grama Kaifiyat mentions the Belur chiefs were originally Telugu banajigas
To understand the historical process of the reducing of the Nayakas as an open status group into a mere shell of what they had formerly been and the growth of respective caste identities, the Telugu Balija caste and its history may give an important clue. Many Nayakas, including the three major Nayakas in the Tamil area and the Nayakas of Cannapattana, Beluru, and Rayadurga in the Kannada area, are said to have been Telugu Balijas.
The Belur ( Balam ) chiefs in the south with their capital at Aigur ( Manjarabad ).
After a period Ramappa abdicated, and the province of Balam, yeilding a revenue of three lacs of pagodas, was in A.D. 1397, made over by the rulers of Vijayanagar to Singappa Naick, one of their generals, and son of an old Poligar, named Mancha Ayyappa Naick. Belur was therefore a grand city in the 12th and 13th centuries, and must have been equally so during the middle of the 15th century.
Some time after the destruction by the Muhummadans of Dorasamudra or Halebid, the celebrated Hoysala capital situated about 10 miles to the east of Belur, the latter continued as the capital of the Belur kingdom which was conferred by the Vijayanagar king Krishna Deva Raya ( 1509-1529 ) on Era Krishnappa Nayaka, the bearer of his hadapa or betel-bag, whose successors ruled over the principality for nearly two centuries
Kodagu under the Belur Nayakas : For about a hundred years during the seventeenth century the Nayakas of Belur ruled the western part of present Hassan district and the northern part of Kodagu
The Belur Nayakas who ruled over the southern part of Hassan district and part of North Kodagu were under the overlordship of Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar
Era Krishnappa Nayaka , the Hadapa or Bearer of the Betel Bag to the King of Vijayanagar , ruled the country round Belur from early in the fifteenth century for 200 years. In 1645 the town and its dependencies were overrun by Sivappa Nayaka, king of Bednur (Nagar), who bestowed them on Sri Ranga Rayal, the defeated king of Vijayanagar, a fugitive at his court.