List of Tamil monarchs

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia


Template:TNhistory This is a list of Tamil-speaking monarchs, who ruled in Tamilakam and Sri Lanka and parts of south east Asia. The ancient Tamil monarchy was largely hereditary and supported by numerous chieftains.[1]

Tamil royal titles[edit]

  • Perun-Ko, Perarasan, Irai, Iraivan (emperor)
  • Perarasi (empress)
  • Ko, Arasan, Mannan, Aliyan or Araiyan (king)
  • Arasi (queen)
  • Ilavarasi or Piratti (Princess)
  • Ilam-Ko or Ilavarasan (prince)
  • Kuru-nila Mannan or Chitarasan (petty king)
  • Chitarasi (petty queen)
  • Antavan (ruler)

Three Crowned Kings[edit]

Tamilakam in the 'Sangam Period.

Pandyan Kingdom[edit]

Early Pandyans (6th century BCE – 3rd century CE)[edit]

  • Koon Pandiyan
  • Nedunjeliyan I (he was mentioned in legend of Kannagi)
  • Pudappandiyan
  • Mudukudumi Peruvazhudhi
  • Nedunjeliyan II
  • Nanmaran
  • Nedunjeliyan III
  • Maran Vazhudhi
  • Kadalan Vazhudhi
  • Mutriya Chezhiyan
  • Ukkirap Peruvazhudhi

Medieval Pandyans (6th – 10th centuries CE)[edit]

Pandyans under Chola empire (10th – 13th centuries)[edit]

  • Sundara Pandyan I
  • Vira Pandyan I
  • Vira Pandyan II
  • Amarabhujanga Tivrakopa
  • Jatavarman Sundara Chola Pandyan
  • Maravarman Vikrama Chola Pandyan
  • Maravarman Parakrama Chola Pandyan
  • Jatavarman Chola Pandya
  • Seervallabha Manakulachala (1101–1124)
  • Maaravaramban Seervallaban (1132–1161)
  • Parakrama Pandyan I (1161–1162)
  • Kulasekara Pandyan III
  • Vira Pandyan III
  • Jatavarman Srivallaban (1175–1180)
  • Jatavarman Kulasekaran I (1190–1216)

Later Pandyans (13th – 14th centuries)[edit]

Tenkasi Pandyans (15th – 17th centuries)[edit]

During the 15th century, the Pandyans lost their traditional capital city Madurai because of the Islamic and Nayaks invasion, and were forced to move their capital to Tirunelveli in southern Tamilakam and existed there as vassals.

  • Cataiyavarman Parakrama Pandyan 1422–1463
  • Cataiyavarman III Kulasekara Pandyan 1429–1473
  • Azhagan Perumal Parakrama Pandyan 1473–1506
  • Kulasekara Pandyan 1479–1499
  • Cataiyavarman Civallappa Pandyan 1534–1543
  • Parakrama Kulasekara Pandyan 1543–1552
  • Nelveli Maran 1552–1564
  • Cataiyavarman Adiveerama Pandyan 1564–1604
  • Varathunga Pandyan 1588–1612
  • Varakunarama Pandyan 1613–1618
  • Kollankondan ?–?

Chola Empire (c. 300 BCE–1280 CE)[edit]

A bronze statue of Karikalan.
A sculpture of Rajaraja Chola I.

Legendary Cholas[edit]

Legendary early Chola kings

Early Cholas (c. 300 BCE –850 CE)[edit]

Imperial Cholas (850–1279 CE)[edit]

Later Cholas (16th Century)[edit]

(early 16th century, opponent of Nagama Nayak) VASANTH k 1660 sect is tha latest king

Chera Kingdom[edit]

A Chera coin with legend "Makkotai"
A Chera coin with legend "Kuttuvan Kotai"

Early Cheras[edit]

From inscriptions[edit]

  • Ko Athan Cheral Irumporai
  • Perum Kadungo Irumporai
  • Ilam Kadungo Irumporai
  • Kadummi Pudha Chera

From inscribed coins[edit]

  • Mak-kothai
  • Kuttuvan Kothai
  • Kollippurai/Kollippurai
  • Kol Irumporai
  • Sa Irumporai

Kongu Cheras/Keralas (Karur)[edit]

  • Ravi Kotha
  • Kantan Ravi
  • Vira Kotha
  • Vira Narayana
  • Vira Chola
  • Vira Kerala
  • Amara Bhujanga Deva
  • Kerala Kesari Adhirajaraja Deva

Kodungallur Cheras (the Perumals, formerly Kulasekharas)[edit]

Venadu Cheras (Kulasekharas)[edit]

  • Rama Kulasekhara (1090–1102)
  • Kotha Varman Marthandam (1102–1125)
  • Vira Kerala Varman I (1125–1145)
  • Kodai Kerala Varman (1145–1150)
  • Vira Ravi Varman (1145–1150)
  • Vira Kerala Varman II (1164–1167)
  • Vira Aditya Varman (1167–1173)
  • Vira Udaya Martanda Varman (1173–1192)
  • Devadaram Vira Kerala Varman III (1192–1195)
  • Vira Manikantha Rama Varman Tiruvadi (1195- ?)
  • Vira Rama Kerala Varman Tiruvadi (1209–1214)
  • Vira Ravi Kerala Varman Tiruvadi (1214–1240)
  • Vira Padmanabha Martanda Varman Tiruvadi (1240–1252)
  • Ravi Varma (1299–1313)
  • Vira Udaya Martanda Varman (1313–1333)
  • Aditya Varma Tiruvadi (1333–1335)
  • Vira Rama Udaya Martanda Varman Tiruvadi (1335–1342)
  • Vira Kerala Varman Tiruvadi (1342–1363)
  • Vira Martanda Varma III (1363–1366)
  • Vira Rama Martanda Varman (1366–1382)
  • Vira Ravi Varman (1383–1416)
  • Vira Ravi Ravi Varman (1416–1417)
  • Vira Kerala Martanda Varman (1383)
  • Chera Udaya Martanda Varman (1383–1444)
  • Vira Ravi Varman (1444–1458)
  • Sankhara Sri Vira Rama Martanda Varman (1458–1468)
  • Vira Kodai Sri Aditya Varman (1468–1484
  • Vira Ravi Ravi Varma (1484–1503)
  • Martanda Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1503–1504)
  • Vira Ravi Kerala Varman, Kulasekhara Perumal (1504–1528)

Vasanth kulam kathan,sunthar sageer (1535-1560)

Pallava Kingdom[edit]

From 275 CE – 897 CE

A Pallava coin with lion insigne of Narasimhavarman I.

Early Pallavas[edit]

  • Virakurcha (275 - 300) [Founder]
  • Simha Varman I [Provincial governor of Palnadu region of Andhra]
  • Siva Skanda Varman I (300 - 325)
  • Buddhavarman (325 - 340)
  • Vishnugopavarman (340 - 350)

Middle Pallavas[edit]

  • Kumaravisnu I (c. 345–360)
  • Skanda Varman II (c. 360–380)
  • Vira Varman (c. 380-400)
  • Skanda Varman III (c. 400–436)
  • Simha Varman I (c. 436–477)
  • Yuvamaharaja Vishnugopa [Brother of Simhavarman I, Provincial governor of Andhra]
  • Skanda Varman IV (c. 477–490)
  • Nandi Varman I (c. 490–500)
  • Kumaravisnu II (c. 500–510)
  • Buddha Varman (c. 510–525)
  • Kumaravisnu III (c. 525–545)

Later Pallavas[edit]

Ay Kingdom[edit]

Ay chieftains (early historic)[edit]

  • Ay Andiran
  • Ay Titiyan (the Podiyil Chelvan)
  • Ay Atiyan

Medieval Ay kings[edit]

Mushika Kingdom[edit]

Early Period[edit]

  • Ezhimala Nannan

Medieval Period[edit]

  • Validhara Vikkirama Rama (c. 929 AD)
  • Kantan Karivarman alias Iramakuta Muvar (c. 1020 AD)
  • Mushikesvara Chemani/Jayamani (c. 1020 AD)
  • Utaiya-varma alias Ramakuta Muvar (early 12th century AD)

Jaffna Kingdom (Aryacakravartis) (c. 1277 – 1619 AD)[edit]

Image of Singai Parasasekaran, his sons Pandaram, Paranirupsingan and Cankili I

Nayakars[edit]

Madurai Nayakar (1529 AD – 1736 AD)[edit]

  • Nagama Nayaka
  • Viswanatha Nayaka
  • Vitthala Raja Nayaka (1546–1558)
  • Kumara Krishnappa Nayaka (1563–1573)
  • Muttu Krishnappa Nayaka (1602–1609)
  • Muttu Virappa Nayaka (1609–1623)
  • Tirumalai Nayaka (1623–1659)
  • Muttu Alakadri Nayaka (1659–1662)
  • Chokkanatha Nayaka (1662–1682)
  • Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayaka (1682–1689)
  • Mangammal (1689–1704)
  • Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha Nayaka (1704–1731)
  • Queen Meenakshi, and the End of the Nayakas (1731–1736)

Gingee Nayakar (1509 – 1649)[edit]

  • Krishnappa Nayaka (1509–1521)
  • Chennappa Nayaka
  • Gangama Nayaka
  • Venkata Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Venkata Rama Bhupaala Nayaka
  • Thriyambamka Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Varadappa Nayaka
  • Ramalinga Nayani vaaru
  • Venkata Perumal Naidu
  • Periya Ramabhadra Naidu
  • Ramakrishnappa Naidu (d. 1649)

Thanjavur Nayakar (1532 – 1673 AD)[edit]

Kandy Nayakar (1739 – 1815 AD)[edit]

Ramnad Sethupathis[edit]

  • Sadasiva Thevar Sethupathi (1590–1621)
  • Kootan Sethupathi (1621–1637)
  • Dalavai Sethupathi (1637–1659)
  • Raghunatha Sethupathi (1659–1670)

Independent Sethupathis (1670 – 1794 AD)[edit]

  • Raghunatha Kilavan (1670–1708)
  • Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi I (1708–1723)
  • Sundaresvara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1723–1724)
  • Bhavani Shankara Thevar (1724–1728)
  • Kumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1728–1734)
  • Muthukumara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1734–1747)
  • Rakka Thevar (1747–1748)
  • Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi II (1748–1760)
  • Muthuramalinga Sethupathi I (1760–1794)

Under British Raj (1795 – 1979 AD)[edit]

Pudukkotai Tondaimans (1680 – 1948 AD)[edit]

Sivaganga estate (1725 – 1947 AD)[edit]

  • Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1730-1750)
  • Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1750-1780)
  • Velu Nachiyar (1780-1790)
  • Vellacci (1790-1793)[3]
  • Vangam Periya Udaya Thevar (1793-1801)
  • Zamindar under British rule (1803-1947)

Velir monarchs[edit]

Palaiyakkarars[edit]

Others[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Splendours of Tamil Nadu. p.146
  2. "genealogy of the royal house of jaffna".
  3. K. R. Venkatarama Ayyar, Sri Brihadamba State Press, 1938, A Manual of the Pudukkóttai State, p.720
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