History
The Pusapati clan claims descent from Madhavavarma, who led a Rajput colony into the Krishna Valley in the late 6th century. [1] The members of the colony subsequently held important positions at the court of Golcanda. [1]
The Pusapati chieftain Sitaram Chandra Raju received the villages of Kumili and Gundredu from Raghunath Krishna Dev of the Jeypore Estate. [2] Viziaram Raju was appointed as an administrative minister of the Jeypore Estate by Ram Chandra Dev I [3] and succeeded his father as the head of the clan in 1710. [1] Viziaram Raju occupied a portion of the coastal territories of the Jeypore Estate under Vishwambhar Dev II [4] and moved the capital of the estate from Potnuru to Vizianagaram in 1712; he named the capital town after himself. [1] Viziaram Raju prompted the neighboring landowners (zamindars) to secede and gain independence from the Jeypore Estate. [3] In 1757, Viziaram Raju formed an alliance with Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau, which allowed him to seize the capital of the rival landowner of Bobbili. [1]
Following Viziaram Raju, the Pusapati clan was led first by Ananda Raju and next by Viziaram Raju II, who was largely controlled by his half-brother Sitarama Raju. [5] In 1761, Sitarama Raju attacked Parlakhemundi defeating its force and their Maratha allies further adding territory to the Vizianagaram Estate. [5] In 1768, Viziaram Raju II claimed the right to hold and cultivate (patta) Kasipuram, Nandapur, Madgol, etc. with the support of and marking the increasing involvement of the British East India Company; this resulted in the dissatisfied landowners rising against Vizianagaram. [6] As Viziaram Raju II was unable to make the requisite revenue collection payments, he was ordered to leave the district. [7] He defied the orders, which resulted in the Battle of Padmanabham against the East India Company Madras Presidency forces led by Colonel Prendergast wherein Viziaram Raju II was defeated and slain. [8]
Following the Battle of Padmanabham, Narayana Babu Raju was unable to quell the increasing revolts from the hill landowners, which ultimately led to further reductions of the Vizianagaram Estate. [8] The successive chieftains Viziaram Gajapati Raju and Ananda Raju proved to be capable leaders and brought in a period of flourishing for the Vizianagaram Estate. [8]
The Pusapatis obtained the title of Gajapati after the battle of Nandapur. [9]
Pusapadu is a village in erstwhile Guntur district.
