The Kakatiya dynasty (Telugu:
కాకతీయ సామ్రాజ్యము) was a Telugu dynasty that ruled most of current day Andhra Pradesh,
India
from 1083 CE to 1323 CE,
with Orugallu (Telugu:
ఓరుగల్లు), now Warangal
(Telugu:
వరంగల్), as its capital. Orugallu is also
called 'Eka Sila Nagaram' (Telugu:
ఏక శిలా నగరం). Shaivite Hindu in nature, it was one of the great Telugu
states that lasted for centuries until conquest by the Delhi Sultanate.
Kakatiya Dynasty
కాకతీయ సామ్రాజ్యము
కాకతీయ సామ్రాజ్యము
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Capital:
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Orugallu
(Warangal)
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Language(s):
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Religion:
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Government:
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History:
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Established
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1083
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Disestablished
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1323
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Early History
Gof
Mantrakuta (Nuzividu taluk of Krishna district)
and annexed it to his kingdom. However, in his attempts to occupy the Velanati
kingdom he lost his life at the hands of Rajendra Choda, the prince of the Velanati
Telugu Chodas of Chandolu. This was the emergence of the Kakatiya dynasty in
its own right.
Ganapati Deva
Following
the death of Mahadeva, disorder broke out in the kingdom. Recherla Rudra, the
commander-in-chief of the Kakatiya ruler, saved the kingdom from crumbling.
Ganapatideva was set free by Jaitrapala due to political considerations like
his desire to secure himself against an attack from Warangal in the event of a conflict with the
aggressive Hoysalas
in the south. Ganapatideva's reign lasted for 20 years. It is one of the most
brilliant epochs in the history of South India.
Ganapati, during his long reign, brought under his sway almost the whole land
inhabited by the Telugu-speaking people, from Karimnagar
and Anakapalle
in the north to Ongole
in the south. Though Ganapatideva was alive until 1269 CE he handed over the
threads of administration to his daughter Rudramadevi in 1262 CE itself and
retired from active politics.
Ganapatideva
was known as the greatest of the Kakatiyas and the first after the Satavahanas
to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. In the year 1216, he put an end to
the rule of the Telugu Cholas, who accepted his suzerainty. He established
order in his vast dominion and encouraged trade. It is around this period that
the Golconda
fort was constructed, as well as beautiful temples in the Kakatiya art form
such as Ramappa Temple at the tiny village of Palampet
outside of Warangal.
Rudramadevi
The
most prominent ruler in this dynasty was Rani Rudrama Devi
1262–1289 CE, one of the few queens in Indian history. She was born as Rudramba
to Ganapathideva who had no sons. She was formally designated as a son through
the ancient Putrika ceremony and given the male name of Rudradeva and declared
the Queen. Rudramadevi was married to Veerabhadra, Eastern Chalukyan
prince of Nidadavolu.
Despite initial misgivings by some of her generals who resented a female ruler,
she suppressed the internal rebellions and external incursions. An able fighter
and ruler Rudramba defended the kingdom from the Cholas and the Yadavs, earning their respect. She remains one
of the few symbols of female power in South India.
Prataparudra
Rudramadevi
died in the month of November, 1289 CE., fighting battle against the rebel
Kayastha chief Ambadeva. On the death of Rudrama, her grandson Prataparudra,
who was adopted by her as son and as heir apparent on the advice of her father
Ganapatideva, ascended the throne at the beginning of the year 1290 CE.
Prataparudra had to fight battles throughout his reign against either the
internal rebels or the external foes. Prataparudra expanded borders towards the
west till Raichur,
whilst introducing many administrative reforms, some of which were also later
adopted in the Vijayanagar empire
Social Status and Marital Alliances
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During
the reign of Ganapati Deva small Andhra kingdoms like Chagi, Parichedas,
Kota Vamsa
and Velanati Chodas became vassals of Kakatiyas.
From the period of Ganapati Deva Kakatiyas started having marital alliances
with Eastern Chalukyas, Chagi, Kota Vamsa
and Bhanj dynasty of Orissa.
Ganapati
Deva married Naramamba and Peramamba, sisters of the commander of the Kakatiya
elephant corps, Jayapa Senani. Ganapati Deva's sister Melambika was married to
the second son of Chagi Buddaraju, who was ruling Natavadi region.
Ganapatideva's first daughter Rudramadevi
was married to Veerabhadra, Eastern Chalukyan
prince of Nidadavolu
and his second daughter Ganapamba was married to Kota Betaraja.
After this marital alliance with the three Kshatriya clans of Chagis, Eastern Chalukyas
and Kota Vamsa,
Kakatiyas started claiming Kshatriya status as evidenced by an inscription
found in Guntur District. As
Rudramma Devi's husband Veerabhadra was from Eastern Chalukya
family of Kashyapa gotra, subsequently Kakatiya rulers mentioned themselves as
Kshatriyas of Kashyapa Gotra in their inscriptions.
Khilji subsequently murdered the Sultan and took over the reins of the
Sultanate. The glory and wealth of the Kakatiya kingdom attracted the attention
of Khilji. The first foray into the Telugu
kingdom was made in 1303 CE. It was a disaster because of the valiant
resistance of the Kakatiya army in the battle at Upparapalli (Karimnagar
District). The
second attempt was made in 1309 CE by Malik Kafur
who managed to capture Siripur and Hanumakonda forts. Warangal
fort was taken after a prolonged seize.
Malik Kafur indulged in murder and mayhem around the fort which prompted King
Prataparudra to make a pact and offer an enormous amount of tribute.
Prataparudra asserted his independence in 1320 CE when there was a change of
power in Delhi.
The Khilji dynasty ended and Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ascended the Delhi throne. Tughlaq
sent his son Ulugh Khan in 1323 CE to defeat the defiant Kakatiya king. Ulugh
Khan’s (Muhammad bin Tughluq) raid was repulsed but he
returned in a month with a larger and determined army. The unprepared and
battle-weary army of Warangal was finally defeated, and King Prataparudra was taken
prisoner. He committed suicide by drowning himself in the river Narmada,
while being taken to Delhi.
The
demise of Kakatiya dynasty resulted in confusion and anarchy under alien rulers
for sometime. Later Musunuri Nayaks who served as army chiefs for
Kakatiya kingdom united the various Telugu clans and recovered Warangal
from the Delhi Sultanate and ruled for half a century. Three
new fledgling kingdoms arose out of the ruins of the Kakatiya empire namely the
Reddy kingdom,
Padma Nayaka Velama
kingdom and the great Vijayanagara Empire.
The
Royal family of Bastar state that Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra's brother, Annama
Deva, left Warangal
and established his kingdom at Bastar,
Chhattisgarh around the late 14th century. A daughter of a later descendant
named Raja Rudra Pratapa Deva, Praphulla Kumari Devi ascended the throne in
1922. Later in 1927, she was married to Praphul Kumar Bhanj Deo, who belonged
to the royal family of Mayurbhanj. Praphulla
Kumari Devi died in 1936 in London
and her elder son Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo Kakatiya ascended the
throne in 1936 at a minor age. Praphul Kumari Devi is believed to be the last
link to the Kakatiyas. The current descendant of this dynasty is Komal Chandra
Bhanj Deo.
The Legacy
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| Glass replica of the Kohinoor diamond in its original form, it was unearthed in Kollur on the banks of Krishna river during Kakatiya reign and was among the booty looted by Muslim Turkic Tughlaq dynasty invaders after the dynasty's fall |
The
Kakatiya dynasty is regarded as one of the golden ages in Telugu
history. The kingdom was ruled by Telugu speaking rulers who encouraged
literature, art and architecture. The Thousand-pillar
Temple in Hanumakonda [Anumakonda]
(now merged with Warangal)
stands as testimony to the kakatiya kingdom Vishwakarma Sthapathis. The famous Kohinoor
diamond which was unearthed in Kollur
on the banks of Krishna
river during their reign, was among the booty carried to Delhi after the dynasty's fall. Ramappa Temple,
located 77 km from Warangal and still intact today is an example of brilliant
Kakatiya art and sculpture.
Kakatiya Dynasty Rulers
- Beta I (1000–1030)
- Prola I (1030–1075)
- Beta II (1075–1110)
- Prola II (1110–1158)
- Prataparudra I/Rudradeva I (1158–1195)
- Mahadeva (1195–1198): brother of King Rudradeva
- Ganapathi deva (1199–1261)
- Rudrama devi (1262–1296)
- Prataparudra II/ Rudradeva II (1296–1323): Son of Queen Rudramba.
