Thread on underated Raghunatha Nayaka of Tanjavur.
The Vijayanagar empire took a major hit in the Battle of Talikota. The southern feudatories took advantage of the crisis and withdrew their allegiance and withheld tributes. The Nayaks of Tanjore alone remained loyal to empire
The Vijayanagar empire took a major hit in the Battle of Talikota. The southern feudatories took advantage of the crisis and withdrew their allegiance and withheld tributes. The Nayaks of Tanjore alone remained loyal to empire
The empire was slowly declining in power until Raya Venkata 2. Achyutappa Nayaka, the father of Raghunatha was a loyal feudatory of the Raya. He supported the Raya in bringing back the southern nayaks into submission at the battle of Vallamprakara.
When the Golconda forces put siege on Pekonda, Raghunatha Nayaka arrived from Tanjore with a superior cavalry on Rayas orders.
Together with Yachamanedu and Kasturiranga the Vijayanagar forces pursued the Golconda forces till Pennar river where 50k Golconda troops were
Together with Yachamanedu and Kasturiranga the Vijayanagar forces pursued the Golconda forces till Pennar river where 50k Golconda troops were
Slaughtered. The revenge of the defeat of Talikota was taken there itself. Under Venkata 2, VIJAYANAGAR Empire prospered again for 3 decades.
Soon after Vijayanagar got embroiled in a civil war,Raya SriRanga 2 supported by Racherla Yachamanedu and another faction led by Jagga Raya. The Raya was captured in a coup and murdered while his son Rama was smuggled out by Yachama from prison.
A civil war was about to begin..
A civil war was about to begin..
Raghunatha Nayaka, the Loyal feudatory first defeated a chieftain called Solaga and then embarked on a mission to destroy the Portuguese outposts in Jaffna.
Tanjavur forces wrecked havoc on the Portuguese at Jaffna, had them evicted and reinstated the Cankili II of the Aryachakravarti Dynasty on the Jaffna throne.
From there he marched back to meet the loyalist forces of the Raya of Yachamanedu against Jagga Raya.
From there he marched back to meet the loyalist forces of the Raya of Yachamanedu against Jagga Raya.
Jagga Raya was supported by The Nayaks of Madurai and Gingee forces, Portugese, the cheras etc., who were eager for independence while Vijayanagar loyalist forces comprised of Nayaks of Tanjore and forces of Yachamanedu, Some Dutch and Jaffna auxiliaries.
At the battle of Toppur
At the battle of Toppur
The Biggest Gun battle of South Asia, Jagga Raya was slained and Loyalists gained Victory making Rama Deva the new Raya of Vijayanagar.
Raghunatha Nayaka became the supreme power among the Nayaks after the victory at Toppur.
Raghunatha Nayaka became the supreme power among the Nayaks after the victory at Toppur.
The troubles of Jaffna made Raghunatha Nayaka to dispatch forces to drive out the Portuguese again. The Sankili Kumara, placed by him on the Jaffna throne was ousted by Portuguese. But the Tanjore troops failed.
Yet, Raghunatha Nayaka was the most illustrious and Instrumental power in the revival of Vijayanagar Empire and Kingdom of Tanjavur. Beside his military prowess, his contribution to arts, music and architecture is immense.
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