Rama Varma of Venad

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Travancore Royal Family by Rajah Ravi Varma, nephew of Umayamma Rani due to the failure of heirs there. Ittammar Raja's sister and her sons, Rama Varma and Raghava Varma (who were descendants of Parappanadu due to marumakkathayam), settled in Kilimanoor and married the now adopted sisters. Of the adopted sisters, one died soon after her adoption while the other was the mother of the Maharajah Marthanda Varma
.

Reign

Rajah Rama Varma was a weak ruler during whose reign the

Venad. This frightened the disloyal nobles for sometime, who now, however, turned their attention towards killing Marthanda Varma, the heir apparent under the Marumakkathayam law. Previously, the Ettuveetil Pillamar
had been responsible for the assassination of prince Kerala Varma.

The Kunju Thampimar

The Rajah Rama Varma had married a princess known as Abhirami alias Shrimathi Avirama Kochamma from whom he had issue, two sons, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi, known as the

Kunju Thampimar and a daughter Ummini Thankachi. On the demise of the Rajah in 1729, Maharajah Marthanda Varma succeeded to the throne under the Marumakkathayam
law of inheritance.

However, the succession of their cousin to their father's throne, infuriated the

Venad. The Madurai nayak Government deputed a Commander known as Azhagappa Mudaliar to install the Kunju Thampimar in Venad and punish Marthanda Varma
. However the Mudaliar was bribed by the King, and the Thampi brothers were severely reprimanded for their actions.



Soon after this, in 1733, the Thampi brothers made a visit to their cousin while he was at Nagercoil Palace where they were both killed by Marthanda Varma. While the traditional accounts state that they attempted to assassinate Marthanda Varma and were hence killed, it is not clear as to why their sister Ummini Thankachi was also killed by Marthanda Varma. There is also another local legend that she committed suicide following the killings of her brothers. Thus the sons of Rajah Rama Varma were vanquished and Marthanda Varma became the Rajah of Venad which he expanded into modern Travancore.

References

See also

Rama Varma of Venad
Born: 16- Died: 1729
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Unni Kerala Varma
(as Raja of Venad)
Raja of Venad

1721–1729 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rama_Varma_of_Venad&oldid=1215538274"