List of Tamil monarchs

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This is a list of ethnically Tamil and predominantly Tamil speaking monarchs, who ruled in Southern India and parts of Sri Lanka and South East Asia. The ancient Tamil monarchy was largely hereditary and supported by numerous chieftains.[1]

Tamil royal titles[]

  • 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)

Ethnically Tamil monarchs[]

Three Crowned Kings[]

Tamilakam in the 'Sangam Period.

There were "Three Crowned Kings" which is –

  • Chera
  • Chola
  • Pandya

Pandyan dynasty (c. 600 BCE – 1620 CE)[]

Pandyan Empire at greatest extent

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

Imperial Pandyans (590–920 CE)[]

Pandyans under Chola empire (920–1216 CE)[]

  • Sundara Pandyan I (920 CE)
  • 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 CE)
  • Kulasekara Pandyan III
  • Vira Pandyan III
  • Jatavarman Srivallaban (1175–1180 CE)
  • Jatavarman Kulasekaran I (1190–1216 CE)

Later Pandyans (1212–1345 CE)[]

Tenkasi Pandyans (1422–1620 CE)[]

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 CE)
  • Cataiyavarman III Kulasekara Pandyan (1429–1473 CE)
  • Azhagan Perumal Parakrama Pandyan (1473–1506 CE)
  • Kulasekara Pandyan (1479–1499 CE)
  • Cataiyavarman Civallappa Pandyan (1534–1543 CE)
  • Parakrama Kulasekara Pandyan (1543–1552 CE)
  • Nelveli Maran (1552–1564 CE)
  • Cataiyavarman Adiveerama Pandyan (1564–1604 CE)
  • Varathunga Pandyan (1588–1612 CE)
  • Varakunarama Pandyan (1613–1618 CE)
  • Kollankondan ( Approx 1620 CE)

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

Chola Empire at greatest extent

Legendary Chola rulers[]

Early Chola rulers (c. 300 BCE – 850 CE)[]

A bronze statue of Karikalan.

Imperial Chola Empire (850–1279 CE)[]

A sculpture of Rajaraja Chola I.

Chera dynasty (c. 300 BCE – 1528 CE)[]

South India & location of Cheras in west

Early Chera rulers (c. 3rd century BCE – 4th century CE)[]

A Chera coin with legend "Makkotai"
A Chera coin with legend "Kuttuvan Kotai"
  • Uthiyan Cheral Athan
  • Nedum Cheral Athan
  • Palyani Sel Kelu Kuttuvan
  • Narmudi Cheral
  • Vel Kelu Kuttuvan (Senguttuvan Chera)
  • Adu Kottu Pattu Cheral Athan
  • Selva Kadumko Valia Athan
  • Anthuvan Cheral
  • Perum Cheral Irumporai
  • Illam Cheral Irumporai
  • Mantharan Cheral Irumporai
  • Kanaikkal Irumporai
From inscriptions[]
  • Ko Athan Cheral Irumporai
  • Perum Kadungo Irumporai
  • Ilam Kadungo Irumporai
  • Kadummi Pudha Chera
From inscribed coins[]
  • Mak-kothai
  • Kuttuvan Kothai
  • Kollippurai/Kollippurai
  • Kol Irumporai
  • Sa Irumporai

Kongu Chera dynasty (c. 400–844 CE)[]

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

Chera Perumal dynasty (844–1122 CE)[]

  • Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara (844–870 CE)
  • Rama Rajasekhara (870–883 CE)
  • Vijayaraga (883–895 CE)
  • Kotha Kotha Kerala Kesari (895–905 CE)
  • Kotha Ravi (905–943 CE)
  • Indu Kotha (943–962 CE)
  • Bhaskara Ravi Manukuladithya (962–1021 CE)
  • Ravi Kotha Rajasimha (1021–1036 CE)
  • Raja Raja (1036–1089 CE)
  • Ravi Rama Rajadithya (1036–1089 CE)
  • Adithyan Kotha Ranadithya (1036–1089 CE)
  • Rama Kulasekhara (1089–1122 CE)

Venadu Chera dynasty (Kulasekhara) (1090–1528 CE)[]

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

Pallava Empire (c. 275–897 CE)[]

A Pallava coin with lion insigne of Narasimhavarman I.

Early Pallavas[]

  • Virakurcha (275–300), founder of dynasty
  • Simha Varman I, Provincial governor of Palnadu region of Andhra
  • Siva Skanda Varman I (300–325)
  • Buddhavarman (325–340)
  • Vishnugopavarman (340–350)

Middle Pallavas[]

  • 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[]

Ay Kingdom[]

Ay chieftains (early historic)[]

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

Medieval Ay kings[]

  • Chadayan Karunanthan
  • Karunanthadakkkan Srivallabha (r. 856–884 CE)
  • Vikramaditya Varaguna (r. 884–911 CE)

Mushika Kingdom[]

Early rulers[]

  • Ezhimala Nannan

Medieval rulers[]

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

Jaffna Kingdom (c. 1277–1619 CE)[]

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

Kingdom of Ramnad (c. 1601–1949 CE)[]

List of Sethupathi rulers

Chieftains With the Madurai Nayaks (c. 1601–1677)[]

  • Udaiyan Sethupathi (Sadaikkan) (1601–1623)
  • Koottan Sethupathi (1623–1635)
  • Dalavai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1635–1645)
  • Thirumalai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1646–1676)
  • Raja Suriya Sethupathi (1676)
  • Aathana Raghunatha Sethupathi (1677)

Imperial rulers (c. 1678–1795 CE)[]

  • Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi (1678–1710)
  • Muthu Vairavanatha Sethupathi I (1710–1712)
  • Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1713-1725)
  • Sundaresvara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1725)
  • Bavani Sangara Sethupathi (1725–1727)
  • Kumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1728–1735)
  • Sivakumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1735–1747)
  • Rakka Thevar Sethupathi (1748)
  • Sella Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1749–1762)
  • I (1762–1772 or 1781–1795)

Rulers of princely state under British Raj (c. 1795–1949 CE)[]

As king[]
  • Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1795–1803)
As Zamindars[]

Pudukkottai Kingdom (c. 1686–1948 CE)[]

Sivaganga Kingdom (c. 1725–1947 CE)[]

  • Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1725–1750), first ruler
  • Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1750–1780)
  • Velu Nachiyar (1780–1790)
  • Vellacci (1790–1793)[3]
  • Vangam Periya Udaya Thevar (1793–1801), last ruler
Zamindar under British rule (1803–1947)

Velir Monarches[]

Palaiyakkarar Monarches[]

Other Tamil monarchs[]

Tamil speaking monarchs[]

The following is a list of Tamil speaking but not ethinically Tamil dynasties or monarchs.

Nayaka dynasties[]

Nayaks Kingdom of Gingee (1509–1649 CE)[]

  • Krishnappa Nayaka (1509–1521), first ruler
  • 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), last ruler

Madurai Nayak Kingdom (1529–1736 CE)[]

  • Nagama Nayaka, first ruler
  • 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), last ruler

Thanjavur Nayak kingdom (1532–1673 CE)[]

Kingdom of Kandy (1739–1815 CE)[]

  • Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (reigned 1739–1747), first ruler
  • Kirti Sri Rajasinha
  • Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha
  • Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, last ruler

See also[]

References[]

  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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