Rama Deva Raya

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Rama Deva Raya
Vijayanagara Empire
Ruling dynasties
Vira Vijaya Bukka Raya
1422–1424
Deva Raya II1424–1446
Mallikarjuna Raya1446–1465
Virupaksha Raya II1465–1485
Praudha Raya1485
Saluva dynasty
Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya1485–1491
Thimma Bhupala1491
Narasimha Raya II1491–1505
Tuluva dynasty
Tuluva Narasa Nayaka1491–1503
Vira Narasimha Raya1503–1509
Krishna Deva Raya1509–1529
Achyuta Deva Raya1529–1542
Venkata I1542
Sadasiva Raya1542–1570
Venkata III1632–1642Sriranga III
1642–1646

Rama Deva Raya (or Vira Rama Deva Raya) (1617–1632 CE) ascended the throne after a gruesome war in 1617 as the King of

Venkata II
.

Civil War

Chengelpet
was seized by Yachama Naidu.

Battle of Toppur

Main article: Battle of Toppur

The defeated Jagga Raya sought refuge in the jungle but bounced back and sought help from the

Tanjore Nayaks, who still treated the Vijayanagar
as their authority.

Armies

Jagga Raya and his allies, the Nayaks of

Tanjore forces headed by the Tanjore King Raghunatha Nayaka. Yachama - Tanjore forces were further strengthened by nobles from Karnataka and (according to some accounts) Dutch and Jaffna
armies.

Both the Armies met at the Toppur, at an open field on the northern banks of River

Grand Anicut
in late months of 1616.

Result

In the Battle Jagga Raya's troops could not withstand the aggression generated by the imperial forces. Yachama and Raghunatha, the generals of the Imperial camp led their forces with great discipline. Jagga Raya was slain by Yachama, and his army broke the ranks and took flight. Yethiraja, the brother of Jagga Raya, had to run for his life. The Nayaka chieftain of Madurai tried to escape, he was pursued by Yachama's general Rao Dama Nayani who captured him near

Thanjavur Nayak
and Yachamanedu, who planted pillars of victory and crowned Rama Deva as Rama Deva Raya, in early months of 1617. Rama Deva Raya was barely 15 years old when he ascended the throne.

Continued Hostilities

Yethiraja, the brother of Jagga Raya, after losing the Toppur Battle, aligned with the Gingee Nayak and attacked Tanjore, but was defeated with the later ending as captive. Yethiraja waged on, until he reconciled with Rama Deva Raya, after giving his daughter in marriage. Things settled for the king after the death of the putative son in 1619.

Loss of Kurnool

The

Bijapur Sultan, taking advantage of the ravaging civil wars attacked Kurnool
in 1620, but was defeated and sent back only to return in 1624 and taking that region completely.

Yachama

Yachama Naidu, now the military governor of the kingdom opposed the marriage of Rama Deva to Yethiraja's daughter. The king was reprimanded but he went on to marry the daughter of Yethiraja. Yachama felt the humiliation and requested Rama Deva to remove him from the royal service with the pretext of age. Yethiraja, now father-in-law of Rama Deva Raya broke into a conflict with Yachama when he demanded the Gobburi lands, and by 1629 with help from

Tanjore and Gingee forces, Yachama's territories were attacked by the imperial army. Yachama's forces though inferior in number, put up a stiff fight. After a prolonged siege, Yachama agreed to return the Gobburi lands to Yethiraja. The regions of Pulicat, Chengalpattu and Maduranthakam was completely brought under control of Vellore
. Yachama was allowed to rule Venkatagiri but he chose to spend his life in the protection of Udaiyarpalaiyam chieftain.

Successor

Rama Deva Raya, with no brothers and sons nominated Peda Venkata Raya (

Aliya Rama Raya, now governing Anekonda
as successor and died on 1632, aged 30 after a troublesome rule of 15 years.

References
Preceded by
Vijayanagar empire

1617–1632 		Succeeded by
Venkata III
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