History of the Andhras - Katragadda

287 Pages·2003·3.22 MB·English

by  Durga Prasad

History of the Andhras
upto 1565 A. D.
DURGA PRASAD
P. G. PUBLISHERS
GUNTUR-10
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P R E F A CE
I have made an earnest attempt, in this book, to present
a concise and clear account of the History of the Andhras upto
A.D. 1565. ! do not claim that this is an original contribution
on my part in the field of historical research. I have simply
tried to give a dependable compendium of the best works on
the subject covering all aspects. This is neither a text book
nor a guide. But I hope it serves the purpose of both the
under-graduate and in particular the Post-graduate students
of History as a study-material for the concerned paper in their
examinations. Repetition of material is unavoidable keeping
in view the nature of topic-wise treatment of the subject.
I express my deep sense of gratitude to all those writers
whose publications ! have made use of with great profit. Also
! extend my grateful thanks to all those who have been behind
me in providing the necessary spirit and enthusiasm in my
en devour and those who have seen the book through the press.
April, 1988.
Guntur. J. DURGA PRASAD
C O N T E N TS
Pages
CHAPTER I —INTRODUCTION
1. Sources of History of Andhras till 1565 A.D. 1 -5
2 Aryanization of the Andhra country and its condition
in the pre-Mauryan and Mauryan periods 6-8
CHAPTER II—THE SATAVAHANAS
1. Identity of the Satavahanas 9-12
2 Homeland of the Satavahanas 12-17
3- Chronology of the Satavahanas 17-23
4. Later Sstavahana Chronology 23 - 31
5 Political History of the Satavahanas 32-36
8. The Satavahana—Western Kshtrapa Relations 36-40
7. Cultural condition under the Satavahanas 40 - 45
CHAPTER III —SUCCESSORS OF THE SATAVAHANAS
1. The Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri 46-53
2. The Brihatphalayanas 53-54
3 The Ananda Gotras 55-56
4 The Salankayanas 57-60
5. The Early Pallavas 60-70
6. The Vishnukundins 70 - S4
CHAPTER IV—THE EASTERN CHALUKYAS
1. Circumstances under which the Eastern Chslukyan
rule was established 85 - 91
2, political history of the Eastern Chalukyas 91-96
3. Relationship between the Eastern Chalukyas and the
Rashtrakutas 97 - 102
4. The relations between the Eastern Chalukyas and
the Cholas (The interference of the Western Chalu-
kyas of Kalyani in the affairs of the Vengi Chalukyas) 102- 108
5 General conditions of the Eastern Chalukyan period 108-112
CHAPTER V —THE AGE OF THE CHALUKYA-CHOLAS
1. The condition of Andhra under the Chatukya-Cholas 113-118
2 The Chodas (Durjayas) of Velanadu 119-128
3 The Telugu Choda families 128-132
Pages
CHAPTER VI —THE KAKATIYAS
1. Early Feudatory Rulers 133-135
2 Rudradeva 135-137
3. Ganapathideva 137-142
4. Rudramadevi 142-146
5 Prataparudra II 146 -151
5- Prataparudra and the Muslim Invasions (The Muslim
Invasions on Andhra) 151 - 156
7. General conditions of the Kakatiya period 156-164
CHAPTER VII —THE AGE OF THE MUSUNURl CHIEFS AND THE REDDIS
1. The Musunuri Chiefs 165-172
2. The Reddis of Kondavidu and Rajahmundry 172-180
3- The relations between the Reddis and the Reyas
of Vijayanagara 180-187
CHAPTER VIII —THE VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
1. The origin of the Vijayanagara empire 189-198
?- Circumstances under which the Vijayanagara empire
was established 193 - 205
3 The Sangamas 205-219
4. The Saluvas 219-226
5 Tuluva Dynasty 226 - 255
G. Vijayanagara after the battle of Bannihatti (1565
A.D.) (Aravidu Dynasty) 255-258
7 General features of the Vijayanagara empire 258 - 273
Appendix
A Note on the Raya Bahmani Relations 274 - 275
ILLUSTRATIONS
1st Cover Page: Sculpture from Nagarjunakonda 3rd Century
3rd Cover Page : Monolithic Car, Hampi - 15th Century.
4th Cover Page : Telugu Thalli
CHAPTER
Introduction
1. Sources of History of Andhras till 1565 A.D.
'History as a subject of study is more or less completely
at the mercy of its sources'. It is a fact that we have no
ancient or medieval literature created in Andhra which can
be classified as truly historical. So it is but natural one has
to depend heavily on 'Primary source material of incidental
nature, created not for the purpose of communicating the
history of contemporary times chronologically set forth, but
to record events and impressions for political, legal and religious
purposes like the epigraphs of medieval times, the quasi-
historical literary works and so forth'.
Just like ancient Indian history, the history of the Andhras
is still in the formative stage. Though the available source
material is vast, it is incomplete and at the same time diverse
in nature and variety. In the last 70 years, yeomen service
was rendered by eminent scholars and organisations in recover-
ing the records of the past with sustained effort and in re-
constructing the history of the Andhras with judicious nature.
Of course, the work is still going on.
The source material for the writing of ancient and medieval
Andhra history can conveniently be classified under (i) archaeo-
logy including epigraphs and numismatics apart from monu-
ments and other ancient relics, (ii) literature, native as well
as foreign, and (iii) foreign notices.
2 HISTORY OF THE ANDHRAS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES.
Among the available archaeological source materials, epi-
graphs or inscriptions are more copious for the ancient end
medieval Andhra history. With Asokart edicts, our authentic
history begins. This royal sage's rock edicts in Brahmi script
at Erragudi, Rajulamandagiri, Amaravati and Kottam in Andhra
reveal the extension of the Mauryan authority and its admini-
strative system over the Andhra area. Bhattiprolu relic casket
inscriptions datable to 200 B.C. reveal the fact that Buddhism
spread far and wide in our province in that remote age. The
Prakrit inscriptions in the Kanheri, Karle and Nasik caves,
Naganika's Nanaghat record, Balasri's Nasik inscription and
Kharavela's Guntupalli records help us a lot for the Satavahana
history.
Among the post-Satavahana dynasties of Andhradesa, the
Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri occupy an important place. Their
Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapeta, Amaravati and Ramireddipalle
Ayaka stone pillar inscriptions constitute the sole source of
information for the political, religious and social conditions of
the times. The Kondamudi copper plate grant gives information
about the Brihatphalayanas. Most of the inscriptions of the
early Pallavas, Anandagotras, Salankayanas, Vishnukundins,
Matharas, Eastern Gangas and the Eastern Chalukyas are only
copper plate grants. These records gave importance to the
Sanskrit language. The Brahmi script underwent transforma-
tion and the Telugu script emerged. The Telugu language also
found a place in the inscriptions. From the time of the Eastern
Chalukyas of Vengi, the number of stone inscriptions increased.
Inspite of some drawbacks on the part of all these inscriptions,
these are the records which form the most authentic sources
for the rulers, their dynastic succession, their chronology, extent
of their respective kingdoms and the economic, social and
cultural conditions more or less till 11th century A.D. The
inscriptions in Brahmi and Vengi characters of the Hindu and
the Buddhist Andhras who migrated to the South-East Asian
regions from the Kalinga and Andhra coasts indicate that they
established only our cultural traditions there. For the medieval
Introduction 3
period of Andhra history, one can conveniently depend upon
the inscriptions of the Chalukya-Cholas, Kakatiyas, Musunuris,
Reddis and Vijayanagara rulers and their chieftains.
Though not to the extent of epigraphs, numismatics also
helps us for our history reconstruction. Coins made of several
metals like gold, silver, copper or other baser metals of dif-
ferent periods are available. Of the available coins of almost
ail the Satavahana rulers, the number of potin (coins of a
mixed character) and lead coins is more. These coins bearing
the figures of an elephant, a horse, a camel etc. indicate the
probable means of conveyance commonly used in that period.
The ship-mast coins of Yajnasri Satakarni reveal the brisk
maritime trade of the Satavahana period. From the gold coins
of the Roman emperors unearthed in some parts of Andhra
datable to the Satavahana-lkshvaku period, it may be concluded
that the Romans carried on commerce with Andhra and paid
gold dinars. Similarly some gold coins of the Eastern Chalukyan
rulers Chalukya Chandra Saktivarma I and Rajaraja Narendra
were discovered in Burma. The coins of the Kakatiyas were
in Nandi-Nagari script while the Vijayanagara were in Nagari
characters. Coins of different metals in different denominations
issued in different periods help us only to some extent in
knowing about the rulers, about the extent of the kingdom,
and about the religious sentiments of the age.
The archaeological finds of the past include stone tools,
pottery, bricks, megaliths, Buddhist structural remains, Jain
relics, constructions of temples, forts and palaces, sculptures
and paints. A careful study of these finds throws a flood of
light on the religious beliefs, the social life and the artistic
excellence attained by the Andhras in the past. They reveal
the evolutionary process of the Telugu culture.
LITERARY SOURCES.
The literary sources for ancient and medieval Andhra
history may be divided into indigenous and foreign. Early
references to the Andhras were found in indigenous literature
which includes sriti and smriti works like the Aitareya Brahmana,
4 HISTORY OF THE ANDHRAS
the Epics, the Puranas, the early Buddhist and Jain works.
Gunadhya's Brhatkatha, Hala's Gathasaptasati and Vatsyayana's
Kamasutras reflected the social and cultural life of the Sata-
vahana period. Mention was made to the details of the
Rashtrakuta-Eastern Chalukya conflicts in poet Pampa's Gade-
yuddha and Vikramarjuna Vijaya, both Kannada Kavyas, His-
torical data relating to the Kakatiya, Reddi and Vijayanagara
times was obtained from the Sanskrit and Telugu literary
works dedicated by poets and scholars to their royal and
princely patrons. Purely literary works and quasi-historical
kavyas like Prataparudra Yasobhushanam, Siddheswara Chan-
tramu, Somadevarajiyamu, Saluvabhyudayamu, Rayavachakamu,
Rangarajacharitra and others, after being purged of all exag-
gerations, provided some solid historical information relating
to the deeds of the kings, princes and potentates. The Kalaj-
nanas and Vamsavalis also rendered help in the reconstruction
of history.
Apart from these works, some glorified popular ballads
like the 'Siege of Bobbili' and ballads relating to Sarvaya Papadu
and others threw light on the courage, heroism and reckless
valour of the local heroes of different Andhra regions. Another
interesting source of historical information relates to the
'Kaifiyats', These were local revenue records maintained by
village karnams during the medieval and later periods relating
to details of the village lands, their nature, ownership, and
payable tax etc. Changes in the political set up, revenue
assessment and life of the village were faithfully recorded in
these village annals which are of great value now as sources
of historical information. Colonel Colin Mackenzie and sub-
sequently C.P. Brown, the two Britishers, rendered yeomen
service in getting these records collected and copied. These
local chronicles provided valuable historical material especially
from the age of the Vijayanagara Rayas to the British period.
In the Indian Muslim historical writings of the medieval
period, only passing references to the events in Andhra were
made. For example. Allauddin Khilji's invasions of Andnra
were referred as part of his southern conquests in Amir Khusru's
Persian works especially in his Tarikh-i-Alai. Isami gave an