Venkatapati Raya (or Venkata II, r. 1585–1614 CE) was the third
Deccan sultans of Bijapur and Golkonda, the internal disorders, promoting economic revival in the realm. He subdued the rebelling Nayakas of Tamil Nadu and parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh
.
Early years
He was the fourth and the youngest son of the Emperor
Queen-consort Vengalamba and was the younger brother of the Emperor Sriranga Deva Raya. He served as the governor of Chandragiri and the Viceroy of Tamil Country before ascending the imperial throne of the Vijayanagara Empire
Pennar. Historic accounts say that the strength of sultanates' army was more than 120,000 and Turko-Afghan gunners were with them to fire their Artillery units. Kasturi Ranga led the imperial troops north and met the enemy directly on the upper bank of river Pennar.[2]
The clash raged for eight hours, artillery units of the sultanate army created havoc in the Vijayanagara ranks but Yachama maintained discipline amongst his forces and rigorously pressed the attack. By the end of the day, the brave and wise generalship of Vijayanagara won the Battle of
Aliya Rama Raya's descendants, but he successfully subdued them.[2]
Subjugation of the rebelling Nayaks
Nayak of Gingee
In 1586, the
Nayak of Tanjore
secured his release in exchange for aiding the emperor in his Penukonda campaign.
During his imprisonment, Gingee was governed by an other Venkata, who was sent against him by the Emperor Venkatapathi Raya.
Nayak of Vellore
In 1601, another campaign led by his viceroy of
Madurai Nayak
province and subdued the revolting Nayaks.
Battle of Nandela
Chief of
Nandyala Krishnamaraju revolted against Venkatapati Raya. Angered by this act the emperor sent an army under the command of matla ananta he defeated the krishnamaraju army in battle of nandela.[4]
Subjugation of provincial revolts
Various chiefs of
Vijaynagar Empire provinces revolted against the emperor. To restore order the emperor sent an army under Matla chief Ananta to subjugate the rebel chiefs of various provinces. Matala Ananta defeated and killed Ravelia Velikonda Venkatadri, defeated unknown rebel in battle of Jammalamadugu, and reduced the fort of Cuttack. He defeated the chief Kondaraju Venkatadri and captured from him the town of Chennur.[a][5] Gobburu chiefs rebelled against emperor velugoti chennaya defeated them at kalimili.[6] Velugoti Yachama Nayudu and his relative Singama Nayudu defeated Devaipupa Nayarlu at utramultur in the year 1601.[7] Yachama Nayudu defeated Moutain Chiefs at Tirupati and Captured Chengalpattu.[8] outside the fort of palembukota Yachama Nayudu defeated chief yatiraju.[9] Raghunatha nayak waged war against murasa people and successfully subjugated them.[10]
Shifting the capital
Around 1592, Venkatapati shifted the imperial capital south from
Tirupati hills. After 1604, he shifted capital further south from Chandragiri to Vellore
, which was used as a major base.
Revival
The northern territories of his empire were brought into order by offering easy terms on taxes and reviving agriculture, which was frequently run over by the invading
Turko-Persian
Sultans. Village administration was streamlined and judiciary was stringently enforced.
Arrival of the Dutch
In 1608, the
queen-consort of Venkatapati Raya, now operating from the new capital at Chandragiri, was bequeathed Pulicat to rule.[11]
She also gave aid to Portuguese Jesuits to build a residence at Pulicat.
Venkata's Personality
Venkata II's regal yet approachable presence stands as a testament to his enduring legacy, etched into the annals of history.[12]
Succession
Venkatapati, in spite of having several queens, did not have a son, hence appointed Sriranga II, the son of his older brother Rama as his successor. This was done to prevent one of his favorite queen Bayamma who practiced a fraud on the King by borrowing a baby of her Brahmin maid and calling it as her own. While Robert Swell's book mentions that the infant was surreptitiously introduced into the palace by Bayamma born out from the marriage of a niece of Venkata I (the son of Achyuta Deva Raya) and a Brahman boy, who had been and educated in the pretence that he was son of King Venkata.
Venkatapati Raya, knowing the controversial status of the so-called heir apparent, appointed
Golconda
Sultanates encroached further on the Vijayanagara empire. Venkatapati Raya was succeeded by Sriranga II.
Notes
^There are several settlements named Chennur in southeast India. The source does not specify which one is meant.
Subrahmanyam, Sanjay; Shulman, David (2008), "The Men who would be King? The Politics of Expansion in Early Seventeenth-Century Northern Tamilnadu", Modern Asian Studies, 24 (2): 225–248,
