Chokkanatha Nayaka's Conquest of Tanjore (1673)
| Conquest of Tanjore (1673) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Madurai- Tanjore Conflicts | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Madurai Nayakas | Thanjavur Nayaks | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Venkata Krishna Nayaka Chinna Tambhi Mudali Chinna Kattiri Nayaka |
Vijaya Raghava Nayak † Venkatadri Nayaka Mannaru Das † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | 20,000 | ||||||||
The Conquest of Tanjore was a military campaign launched by Chokkanatha Nayak, the ruler of Madurai, against Vijaya Raghava Nayak, the king of Tanjore, in retaliation for an insult over a rejected marriage proposal. The campaign was led by Chokkanatha's general, Venkata Krishna Nayaka, who besieged Tanjore with relentless artillery bombardment, eventually breaching its fortifications. Despite fierce resistance, Vijaya Raghava was killed in battle, and his son, Mannarudas, also fell. With the fall of Tanjore, Chokkanatha annexed the kingdom and appointed his foster-brother, Alagiri Nayak, as the Viceroy, ending the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom.[1][2][3]
Background
[edit]In 1673, the king of Tanjore, Vijaya Raghava Nayak, faced an unexpected of a marriage proposal from Chokkanatha Nayak, the ruler of Madurai. When Chokkanatha's envoys arrived with gifts and a formal request for his daughter's hand, the Tanjore king reacted with fierce outrage, insulting Madurai's monarch and dismissing the messengers in humiliation. His harsh words and contemptuous behavior prompted Chokkanatha to take immediate action. Stung by the insult and determined to assert his honor, Chokkanatha ordered his general, Venkata Krishna Naik, and the treasurer, Chinna Tambi Mudali, to prepare the Madurai army for war.[4][2][3][5]
Campaign
[edit]Battle of Vallam
[edit]Venkata Krishna Nayaka, renowned for his military prowess and honored with titles such as Sugriva's crown and Savyasachin, swiftly responded to his master's command. Within days, he led the Madurai army into the heart of the Tanjore kingdom, where the first battle between the two armies fought at Vallam. The battle was fierce and brutal, with the bloodshed so intense that it was said to flow like water in irrigation channels. the Madurai forces emerged victorious, advancing deep into the Tanjore territory.[4][1][2][3][5]
Siege of Tanjore
[edit]Venkata Krishna Naik in his pursuit followed the retreating Tanjore forces to the very outskirts of the city. From his camp, he sent a final offer to King Vijaya Raghava Nayak an opportunity to end the conflict if he consented to the marriage. However, the Tanjore king's response was a haughty challenge to battle, refusing any negotiation. Unfazed, Venkata Krishna ordered an immediate assault. The Tanjore fort, a formidable stronghold, was well defended, guarded by 20,000 musketeers and a powerful army. Yet, the besieging Madurai forces were undeterred. They constructed massive earthworks to raise their cannons and unleashed a relentless barrage of cannonballs, pounding the fort's defenses. The impact of the bombardment was devastating, and soon cracks appeared in the Tanjore army ranks, with many soldiers fleeing to join the banners of the Madurai forces.[4] Seizing the opportunity, Venkata Krishna's troops demolished the fort gates, filled the ditches with fascines, and pressed on with a final assault. Some soldiers scaled the breaches made by the cannon fire, while others stormed in through the gates. The fort was soon overrun, and the Madurai army poured into the city. as the city fell, King Vijaya Raghava, absorbed in the worship of his god and lost in deep meditation, remained entirely oblivious to the chaos unfolding outside. His mind, absorbed in the ritual of prayer and devotion to Krishna the Lord of the Gopis allowed him no awareness of the battle that had sealed his fate. Meanwhile, the enemy, resolute in their victory, had already entered the city.[4]
Death of Vijaya Raghava Nayak
[edit]Despite the heavy losses and the fall of his city, King Vijaya Raghava Nayak of Tanjore refused to surrender. The Madura general in an attempt to end the bloodshed, proposed peace terms to the Tanjore king, but Vijaya Raghava dismissed them outright, determined to fight to the bitter end. He led his forces into battle, marching at their head. His son Mannarudas who had been previously confined, was released and entrusted with a crucial responsibility he was left behind, along with a trusted ally, Akkiraju, to oversee the safety of the Zenana quarters, the women's quarters of the palace.[1] Should the battle turn against Tanjore, Mannarudas was to carry out a grim order to blow up the Zenana, ensuring that the women of the royal family would not fall into enemy hands. As the battle raged on and the Tanjore forces found themselves in peril, Vijaya Raghava, sensing that defeat was inevitable, gave the fateful signal for the destruction of the Zenana quarters. The explosion marked the tragic end. and shortly after, both Vijaya Raghava and his son, Mannarudas, rushed into the thick of the battle. The father and son fought valiantly but ultimately fell in the battle.[1][2][3][5]
Aftermath
[edit]After his victory at Tanjore Venkata Krishna Nayaka the general of Madurai, proclaimed his conquest and triumphantly returned to Trichinopoly, leaving behind a garrison to secure the newly acquired territory. The outcome of this battle was not only disastrous for King Vijaya Raghava but also marked the end of the long-standing conflict between Madurai and Tanjore and annexation of Tanjore into Madura's domain. Tanjore was fully subdued, and Chokkanatha Nayak, the ruler of Madura, claimed it as his own. He entrusted the governance of Tanjore to his foster-brother, Alagiri Nayak, appointing him as the Viceroy to administer the newly annexed kingdom. This marked the end of the Thanjavur Nayaks.[1][2][3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Vruddhagrirsan; V. (1942). The Nayaks of Tanjore. Published by University, Annamalaunagar. p. 152-153.
- ^ a b c d e Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Sakkottai (1919). Sources of Vijayanagar history. University of California Libraries. [Madras] : The University of Madras. pp. 324–325.
- ^ a b c d e R. Sathyanatha Aiyar (1924). History Of The Nayaks Of Madura. pp. 163–165.
- ^ a b c d Burgess, James (1917). The Indian Antiquary,vol.46,1917. pp. 58–62.
- ^ a b c Hemingway F.r. (1906). Madras District Gazetteers Tanjore Vol-i. p. 40.
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