Kondavidu

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The Reddy dynasty (1325-1424 CE) was established in southern India by Prolaya Vema Reddy.[1] Prolaya Vema Reddy was part of the confederation that started a movement against Muslims in 1323 CE and succeeded in repulsing them from Warangal[2]. Reddys at present are a social group and part of the Kshatriya caste.
Contents [hide]
1 Origin
2 Extent of rule
3 Prolaya Vema Reddy
4 Later kings
5 Literature During The Reddy Rule
6 See also
7 Notes
8 External links
[edit]Origin

After the fall of Kakatiya dynasty in south India in 1323 CE, there was a movement for independence under the leadership of Musunuri Nayaks. All the warrior castes of Telugu land united and successfully recaptured Warangal from the Delhi Sultanate. However, the unity of Telugu land lasted only for fifty years[3].
[edit]Extent of rule

Vema Reddy of Addanki became independent after the martyrdom of Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka at the hands of Recherla Velama chiefs in the battle of Bhuvanagiri (Bhongir in Telangana region)[4]. They ruled the coastal area of Andhra Pradesh from 1353 to 1448 CE. The initial capital of the kingdom was Addanki. Later it was moved to Kondavidu and subsequently to Rajahmundry[5]. The dynasty declined due to its regular warfare with Recharla Velama chiefs and Gajapathis of Orissa. In later years, the Reddys had to be content as vassals of Golconda Muslim kings.
The Reddys were known for their fortifications. Two major hill forts, one at Kondapally 20 km north west of Vijayawada and another at Kondavidu about 30 km west of Guntur bear testimony of the fort building skill of the Reddy kings. Reddys also ruled many local dominions (samsthanams) until the British seized their power.
[edit]Prolaya Vema Reddy

Prolaya Vema Reddy, the first king of the Reddy dynasty. Vema assembled a large army of peasants and herdsmen, and adopted guerrilla warfare. It is said that when he attacked Muslims, Vema Reddy had their water supply lines contaminated with sewage leading to dysentery in their ranks. Veera Ballala III of Dwarasamudra helped the coalition of Vema Reddy and Kapaya Nayaka. Vema chased the general of the Tughlaq army, Malik Maqbul to the Warangal fort and Kapaya Nayaka then stormed it and took control. Vema then led a blitzkrieg on the Kondavidu fort and hacked off the head of Maliq Gurjar, the Muslim commander there and liberated Nidudavolu, Vundi, and Pithapuram after pitched battles. Vema then defeated an army of Jalaluddin Shah in a raid on Tondaimandalam, while Vira Ballala engaged the Sultan himself. Vira Ballala was finally defeated and skinned alive, and his dry skin was hung from the walls of Madurai where Ibn Battuta reportedly saw it later. Undaunted, Vema continued his lightning raids on the Muslim-occupied forts of Bellamkonda, Vinukonda and Nagarjunakonda and captured them all. He then declared himself a raja (king) with Kondavidu as his capital. Prolaya Vema reddy's sister's daughter got married to Basthar land lord Gandla potu Narsimha reddy's brother's son.
His famous inscriptions from this period state: "I restored all the agraharas of Brahmins, which had been taken away by the evil Muslim kings. I am indeed an Agastya to the ocean which was made of the Muslim".
Prolaya Vema Reddy commissioned major repairs to the Srisailam Mallikarjuna Swami temple, and had a flight of steps built from the Krishna river to the temple. He also had the Sri Maha Vishnu temple at Ahobilam repaired. The restoration of peace starting with his reign brought about a revival of literature and the arts. Errana, the translator of the Maha Bharata, lived during his period.
[edit]Later kings



Sanskrit-Telugu on copper plates, 1358, Anavota Reddy.
Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) was the successor of Prolaya Vema Reddy. He conquered many small kingdoms like Nirvajyapura (present day Nidadavolu) ruled by Vengi Chalukyas, Vundi ruled by Suryavamsa Kshatriyas, Korukonda ruled by Kondaya Nayakas and Pithapuram ruled by Koppularajus by 1356 CE.
Anavema Reddy (1364-1386 CE) was the brother of Anavota Reddy. He liberated Rajahmundry from the Muslims and razed down a Mazar (which was built on top of a Hindu Temple). He then scaled the Korukonda fort by night with a small force and freed it from Muslim control. He also conquered the Simhachalam fort and parts of the Kalinga kingdom. He built the Vira Siromandapam at the Srisailam temple. His inscription from Srisailam states that their family belongs to the 'Vellacheri' gotram. His inscription states: "I the valiant member of the fourth Varna destroyed the throngs of Muslims and gathered learned brahmanas at this court".
Kumaragiri (Komaragiri) Reddy (1386-1402 CE) was the son of Anavota Reddy. Kataya Vema Reddy, the Senapathi of Anavota Reddy and the brother-in-law of Kumaragiri Reddy, and Pedakomati Vema Reddy always indulged in internal squabbles. Many parts of the kingdom announced their independence and did not pay taxes. Kumaragiri Reddy had two daughters, Anitally and Hariharamba.
Kataya Vema Reddy (1395-1414 CE) suppressed the revolt in Rajamahendravaram and ruled it for 19 years. Harihara Rayalu, the ruler of Vijayanagara empire, married his daughter Hariharamba to Kataya Vema Reddy on hearing about his valour. He fought many wars with Pedakomati Vema Reddy. He had a son.
Allada Reddy (1414-1423 CE) ruled on behalf of the young Komaragiri Reddy who was only 10 years old at the time. Allada Reddy managed to fend off Pedakomati Reddy twice, and made peace treaties with Vijayanagar and Kalinga.
Veerabhadra Reddy(1423-1448 CE) succeeded to the kingdom of Rajamahendravaram. Devaraya II of Vijayanagara came to the support of the Reddy kings against the Gajapathis of Orissa. The Reddys could not get the support from Mallikarjuna of Vijayanagar, the successor of Devaraya II, in time and lost to Hamvira, the son of Kapilendra Gajapathi. The Reddy kingdom started to decline because of internecine warfare with the Recherla Velamas and the Gajapathis. By 1448 CE, Rajamahendravaram and the surrounding places were taken by Kapilendra Gajapathi. By 1454 CE, the Kondavidu region also came under the control of the Gajapathis. Veerabhara Reddy's decedents moved to Parlakhemundi region to fight with Gajapathis, were defeated and stayed in this region in a village near Parlakhemundi. The most prominent warrior of the descendants of Veerabhara Reddy in this region was Raghuveera Reddy(1540-1590 CE), who anglicized or changed the surname (and also first names) as Jeeri. The reason for this change is not known. Speculation: Achyuta Raya in 1530 and in 1542 by Sadashiva Raya while the real power lay with Aliya Rama Raya, the son-in-law of Krishnadevaraya, whose relationship with the Deccan Sultans who allied against him has been debated same time being the plan to take on the Gajapathis sent in disguised groups were abandoned sametime the Deccan Sultante taking over control of Warangal left no choice for these decendents of Naga's to survive as mere agriculturists.
[edit]Literature During The Reddy Rule

Peace and literature blossomed during the period of stability proferred by the Reddy kings.
Gona Buddha Reddy lived during the 13th century so actually belonged to the Kakatiya period. He is famous for his Ranganatha Ramayanam. His translation of the Ramayana was a pioneering work and is still used during puppet shows[6]
Errapragada of the Kavitraya (The three poets) fame was the court poet of Prolaya Vema Reddy. He is famous for his Telugu rendition of the Aranya Parva left incomplete by Nannaya Bhattu (Aadi Kavi who started the translation of the MahaBharata into Telugu). Errana's translation of the Ramayana in Chapu form (a style of poetry) has been lost. Srinatha was a poet in the Reddy court.

(1325 to 1424 A.D)
(a) Prolaya Vema Reddy (1325 to 53 A.D)

He was originally the feudatory of the Kalinga. After the fall of the Kakatiyas and true occupation of their kingdom by the Muslims, he liberated the region south of the Krishna river. Thus, he founded a new Reddy Kingdom with Addanki (Prakasam district) as the capital.
Mallaya Reddy, his brother and senapati defeated the forces of the Bahmani Sultan, Hasan Gangu, and captured the famous port of Motupalli.
Prolaya was a great patron of poets. Erra Pragada his court-poet, was the author of "Harivamsa" and a portion of the "Aranya Parva" of the Andhra Mahabharatam.
He built steps to the Patalaganga at Srisailam and to the hill Ahobilam.
He had the title of "Dharma Pratisthana Guru".

(b)Anapota Reddy (1353-64 A.D)

The Draksharama Inscription (East Godavari district) describes his military achievements and his assumption of the title of "Dvipa Jeta".
He shifted his capital from Addanki to Kondaveedu, a mountain fort in Krishna district.

(c) Anavema Reddy (1364-86)

The greatest of all the Reddy Kings, he succeeded his elder brother, Anapota, Whose son (Kumaragiri) was a minor at the time.
The Srisailam Inscription gives a list of his military achievements and also his titles. He brought under his control the entire Coastal Andhra, including the Kshatriya principality of the lower. Godavari-basin (Rajahmundry was its capital). He had the title of "Dividurga Vishala".
Vennala Kanti Surana, the author of "Vishnu Purana", was a contemporary of Anavema.

(d) Kumaragiri Reddy (1386-1402)

He was the son of Anapota and had to fight against his cousin, Pedakomati Vema (son of Anavema), for the throne.
He lost Srisailam (Tripurantaka region) to the Vijayanagara ruler, but kept his control over the other parts of the Kingdom with the help of his brother-in-law, Kataya Vema, who was later appointed as the governor of Rajahmundry -Simhachalam region and who went on to found an independent kingdom there after the death of Kumaragiri.
When he was attacked from different directions by the Bahmani Sultan, the Vijayanagara ruler and Pedakomati Vema (who occupied the oastal area in Guntur district), he abandoned Kondaveedu and went to Rajahmundry (1402) where he died shortly afterwards.
Though not a capable general, he was a great scholar and spent most of his time in the company of poets and artists. He was, infact, the author of a comprehensive work on dance and art, known as the "Vasantha Rajiyam".
He was popularly known as Vasantha Raja 1 for celebrating Vasantotsavam in his court.

(e) Pedakomati Vema Reddy (1402-20 A.D)

Though he succeeded in driving Kumaragiri out of Kondaveedu and occupying it, he had to fight constantly against the rulers of the newly found Reddi Kingdom of Rajahmundry (Kataya Vema and later Allada). And he was finally killed in a battle by the Vellamas of Southern Telengana.
Despite the continuous warfare, he found time for literary pursuits and patronage of learned men. Pedakomati Vema was himself a prolific writer. His prominent works are "Sahitya Chin-tamani", "Sangita Chintamani", "Sringara Dipika" and "Saptasati Saratika".
Srinatha, the greatest poet of this age, was Pedakomati's Vidyadhikari as well as the court poet. Srinatha's works include "Sringara Naishadhamu". Bhimesvara Puranam", Palanati Vira Charitamu", Kasikandam, "Sivaratri Mahatyam", etc. Potana, another outstanding poet of the age, was the brother-in-law of Srinatha, but lived in the Velama territory. "Andhra Bhagavatamu", of Potana ranks among the foremost Telugu literary works.

(f) Racha Vema Reddy (1420-29 A.D)

He was the last Reddy ruler of Kondaveedu.
Being an incapable ruler, he oppressed the people by over taxation. Finally a disgusted subordinate murdered him.
The Kondaveedu Kingdom was immediately annexed by the Vijayanagara ruler.