CHAPTER II.
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Early History. Connection with the Ch6lM. Early' History — Connection with the Ch61a8 — Early references to them — The country at heginning of the Christian era — Karikal Chdla and his successors, 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. — Pallava supremacy and pressure from Ch^hikyas, 7th century — Brief supremacy of the Ganga-Pallavas and rise of the Cholae, 9th and lOth centuries — Predecessors of E&jaraja I., circ. 880-984 — Conquests of Rajaraja I., 985-1013 — His domestic rule — His successors — RSjendra Chdla I., 1011-44— R6j.')dhir&j a D6va I., 1018-53— R4j6ndra D6va, 1052-64— Vira "Rajendra D6va, 1062-69- Usurpation of the Chdla throne hy Kuldttunga T., circ. 1073— His reign— Relations with Pandyas and Ceylon — Gradual decline of the Ch61a8 — Suhjection to Pandyas and Hoyaalas — Conquest of the south hy Malik Kdfur, 1310— General character of the Cholas. Vijatanaoar Period — Conquest by Vijayanagar, circ. 1340 — King Achyuta's campaign, 1532. NiYAKKAN Dynasty, 1569-1736 — Its origin — Visvanatha N^yakkan, 1569-63 — His immediate successors — Fall of Vijayanagar kingdom, 1565 — Tirumala Nayakkan, 1623-59 — He defies Vijayanagar — Calls the Muhammadans to his aid — And becomes their feudatory — His wars with Mysore— His death — His capital— Muttu Alak.^dri, 1659-62— Chokkan&tha (1662-82)— His troubles with his neighbours — His conquest and loss of Tanj ore— Attacked by Mysore and the Marathas — The latter seize his country — Ranga Krishna Muttu Virappa (1682-89) — Matters improve— Mangamm&l (1689-1704) — Her wars — Vijaya Ranga Chokkan&tha (1704-31)— Min&kshi (1731-36)— Musalman interference- End of N&yakkan dynasty — Character of its rule. Musalman Dominion — Chanda Sahib (1736-40)— A Maritha interlude (1740-43)— Musalman authority re-established, 1743 — The rival Musalman parties. The Carnatic VVar — Trichinopoly besieged, 1751-52 — Trichinopoly again besieged, 1753-54 — Comparative quiet, 1755-56— Events of 1757-61~Mysoro Wars, 1766-69 and 1780-84 — Mysore Wars of 1790-92 and 1799 — Treaties between the English and Muhammad Ali in 1781 and 1792 — Cession of the country, 1801.
The early history of Trichinopoly is largely that of the Ch61a people. The late Mr, Kanakasabhai Pillai has inferred from a study of some of the early Tamil poets that before the advent of the Cholas the country was occupied by the ferocious Naga race (the ancestors of the present Kalians, Maravans and other virile tribes) ; and that the Ch61a8, like the Ch^ras and Pdndyas who shared with them the dominion of the south, were a body of uon- Aryan maritime invaders from Lower Bengal, coming from a stock which crossed tho sea to Burma, Cochin-China, Ceylon and Southern India.^ Our first glimpse of the country in other autlioritio shows tho Ch61a8 in control of the major part of tho district ; and with
The Tamils E'ujhteen Hundred Years Ago by Mr. V. Kanakasabhai (Madras, 1904), p. 47. Tho dato (Ist and 2nd contnries A.D.) assignod by tho author to these pootH is basod upon tlio mention of tlio Ooylon kinj^ Oajabaliu iu tho Tamil Sila^-pwlvjoram. Dr. Ilultzsch {South Ind. Inac, II, ill, 378) is not prepared to accept this, us it is supportod by tho more identity of names.
