Chikka Veerarajendra - The Last King of Coorg with the princess Gowramma The majority of the early accounts of Coorg(Kodagu) are fundamentally eminent and the genuine record of history in Coorg is available only following the ninth century. On the word of inscriptions, Coorg was under the rule of many dynasties of South India such as Changalvas, Cholas, Gangas, Hoysalas, Kadambas and Pandyas.
It is believed that early on the northern part of Kodagu was under the Kadambas and the south under the Gangas. The Cholas were a powerful force in the eleventh century they defeated the Gangas. However, the Changalva Arasus continued o rule the south Kodagu when Raja Chola was ruling in Tanjavur.
The northern parts of Kodagu were ruled by the Kongalvas who were a vassal of the Cholas. The situation more or less remained the same till the invasion under Alauddin Khilji. In the fourteenth century the Changalvas became prominent rulers of Kodagu. For most of the period the influence of the Changalvas or the Kongalvas never reached beyond the borders of Kodagu.
The period between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries were tumultuous and rulers changed faster than the seasons. However, Kodagu continued to cling on to its independent stature. The fall of the Vijayanagara empire signaled a change and in this period Keladi Nayaks of Ikkeri took over Kodagu and established the Paleri(Haleri) Kingdom. Paleri kings, who were Lingayats of Veerashaiva faith, ruled the region for more than 200 years (1580 - 1834). The first ruler of Paleri dynasty was Vira Raja. His grandson Muddu Raja I was a popular ruler and ruled for more than 50 years. He moved his headquarters to current day Madikeri in 1681. It was called Muddu Raja Keri and later shortened to Madikeri. Under the Paleri dynasty Kodagu attained a status as an Independent kingdom.
Dodda Vira Raja ruled from 1687 - 1736. Under his rule the administration of the region was streamlined into villages and districts. Other notable figures in the history of Kodagu are Dodda Vira Rajendra (1780 - 1809) and Linga Raja II (1811 - 1820). Natives of the country of Coorg, from the French magazine 'L'Illustration'. c.1866 The Coorgs(Kodavas) saw the first successful invasion when Hyder Ali took over their land in 1763. However, it was not long before Hyder's army was defeated and Kodagu reverted back to Kodavas in 1765. In 1768 Lingaraja, the younger brother of the Haleri King Muddayya attacked Hyder's troops near the boundary with Mysore and defeated them. A treaty was effected and the boundaries of Mysore and Coorg, fixed. Once again, due to internal squabbling among the ruling kings, Hyder Ali sided with Linga Raja I and suceeded in installing him on the throne, finally taking direct control of the Kodavas in 1775. Lingaraja I died in 1780, leaving behind his two children to claim the throne. Coorg Warrior. c 1850 Hyder Ali took custody of the minor princes and appointed one of his minister to rule Coorg. An open rebellion broke out in June, 1782 and the Kodavas drove out Hyder's troops and dignitaries. Hyder Ali died and his son Tippu Sultan took over.
In 1783, Tippu Sultan marched through Kodagu, while returning from Mangalore to Srirangapatana. He retained control of Coorg and strengthened the garrison at Mercara Fort. He called a meeting of Coorg chiefs and delivered to their hands written mandate accusing them of polyandry, plundering his armies & rebelling against Hyder and himself seven times. He warned the Kodavas with dire consequences, if they would rebel again. Enraged by the diktat, the Kodavas again rose up in rebellion, sacked and plundered Madikeri.
The same year Tippu sent a force of 2,000 men against Kodavas, which was defeated.
Engraving of General Lally, The Chief Commander of French in India. In 1784 Tippu invaded Coorg with his ally General Monsieur Lally and his french troops. Lally and his men were successful in capturing many Kodava's in the North & Western Parts of Coorg. The captured Kodava(Coorgs) were taken to Mysore, forcibly converted to Islam & enlisted in the Mysore Army. In 1784 Tippu entered Coorg with a 32,000 strong army, along with a French battalion commanded by General Monsieur Lally and defeated the Coorgs. In 1788, Kodavas rescued their king Dodda Vira Rajendra, the eldest of the princes, who had been taken prisoner by Tippu and held in Periyapatna fort. Once back in Coorg, the young Prince quickly organized an army and and kept on engaging Tippu's forces in the battlefield. By 1790 Dodda Vira Rajendra had successfully attacked and sacked most of the forts garissoned by Tippu Sultan's forces, except Mercara Fort. The same year Dodda Vira Rajendra came in contact with the British.
In October 25, 1790 Dodda Vira Rajendra signed a treaty with the British, who promised to protect his kingdom against Tippu's onslaught and offer him independence in running the affairs of his kingdom. In return, the Raja would have to assist and fight along the British forces in their war with Tippu Sultan. In 1791, after a prolonged siege, Tippu's forces evacuated Mercara Fort and Dodda Vira Rajendra regained his entire kingdom. Eventually, the Kodavas backed the British troops and Tippu fell in the year 1799.
The Princess Victoria Gouramma of Coorg. A steel engraving by Winterhalter and Grave by James S. Virtue Co. London. c.1835 Following Coorg's British annexation in the early 1830s, the town was directly under British rule until the Indian Independence in the late 1940s. Coorg was recognized by the Indian Constitution as part "C" state and elected a government to assume office in the early 1950s with a chief minister of its own.
In November of 1956, the town of Coorg united with the onetime state of Mysore, as part of a state reorganization. Now, the district of Coorg is part of the state of Karnataka.
Throughout the history of Kodagu, no ruler has held direct sway over the region. Kodagu has always been under the influence of local chieftains and maybe because of this reason, their culture has never been assimilated with the neighbors and they have always maintained their unique identity
.
It is believed that early on the northern part of Kodagu was under the Kadambas and the south under the Gangas. The Cholas were a powerful force in the eleventh century they defeated the Gangas. However, the Changalva Arasus continued o rule the south Kodagu when Raja Chola was ruling in Tanjavur.
The northern parts of Kodagu were ruled by the Kongalvas who were a vassal of the Cholas. The situation more or less remained the same till the invasion under Alauddin Khilji. In the fourteenth century the Changalvas became prominent rulers of Kodagu. For most of the period the influence of the Changalvas or the Kongalvas never reached beyond the borders of Kodagu.
The period between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries were tumultuous and rulers changed faster than the seasons. However, Kodagu continued to cling on to its independent stature. The fall of the Vijayanagara empire signaled a change and in this period Keladi Nayaks of Ikkeri took over Kodagu and established the Paleri(Haleri) Kingdom. Paleri kings, who were Lingayats of Veerashaiva faith, ruled the region for more than 200 years (1580 - 1834). The first ruler of Paleri dynasty was Vira Raja. His grandson Muddu Raja I was a popular ruler and ruled for more than 50 years. He moved his headquarters to current day Madikeri in 1681. It was called Muddu Raja Keri and later shortened to Madikeri. Under the Paleri dynasty Kodagu attained a status as an Independent kingdom.
Dodda Vira Raja ruled from 1687 - 1736. Under his rule the administration of the region was streamlined into villages and districts. Other notable figures in the history of Kodagu are Dodda Vira Rajendra (1780 - 1809) and Linga Raja II (1811 - 1820). Natives of the country of Coorg, from the French magazine 'L'Illustration'. c.1866 The Coorgs(Kodavas) saw the first successful invasion when Hyder Ali took over their land in 1763. However, it was not long before Hyder's army was defeated and Kodagu reverted back to Kodavas in 1765. In 1768 Lingaraja, the younger brother of the Haleri King Muddayya attacked Hyder's troops near the boundary with Mysore and defeated them. A treaty was effected and the boundaries of Mysore and Coorg, fixed. Once again, due to internal squabbling among the ruling kings, Hyder Ali sided with Linga Raja I and suceeded in installing him on the throne, finally taking direct control of the Kodavas in 1775. Lingaraja I died in 1780, leaving behind his two children to claim the throne. Coorg Warrior. c 1850 Hyder Ali took custody of the minor princes and appointed one of his minister to rule Coorg. An open rebellion broke out in June, 1782 and the Kodavas drove out Hyder's troops and dignitaries. Hyder Ali died and his son Tippu Sultan took over.
In 1783, Tippu Sultan marched through Kodagu, while returning from Mangalore to Srirangapatana. He retained control of Coorg and strengthened the garrison at Mercara Fort. He called a meeting of Coorg chiefs and delivered to their hands written mandate accusing them of polyandry, plundering his armies & rebelling against Hyder and himself seven times. He warned the Kodavas with dire consequences, if they would rebel again. Enraged by the diktat, the Kodavas again rose up in rebellion, sacked and plundered Madikeri.
The same year Tippu sent a force of 2,000 men against Kodavas, which was defeated.
Engraving of General Lally, The Chief Commander of French in India. In 1784 Tippu invaded Coorg with his ally General Monsieur Lally and his french troops. Lally and his men were successful in capturing many Kodava's in the North & Western Parts of Coorg. The captured Kodava(Coorgs) were taken to Mysore, forcibly converted to Islam & enlisted in the Mysore Army. In 1784 Tippu entered Coorg with a 32,000 strong army, along with a French battalion commanded by General Monsieur Lally and defeated the Coorgs. In 1788, Kodavas rescued their king Dodda Vira Rajendra, the eldest of the princes, who had been taken prisoner by Tippu and held in Periyapatna fort. Once back in Coorg, the young Prince quickly organized an army and and kept on engaging Tippu's forces in the battlefield. By 1790 Dodda Vira Rajendra had successfully attacked and sacked most of the forts garissoned by Tippu Sultan's forces, except Mercara Fort. The same year Dodda Vira Rajendra came in contact with the British.
In October 25, 1790 Dodda Vira Rajendra signed a treaty with the British, who promised to protect his kingdom against Tippu's onslaught and offer him independence in running the affairs of his kingdom. In return, the Raja would have to assist and fight along the British forces in their war with Tippu Sultan. In 1791, after a prolonged siege, Tippu's forces evacuated Mercara Fort and Dodda Vira Rajendra regained his entire kingdom. Eventually, the Kodavas backed the British troops and Tippu fell in the year 1799.
The Princess Victoria Gouramma of Coorg. A steel engraving by Winterhalter and Grave by James S. Virtue Co. London. c.1835 Following Coorg's British annexation in the early 1830s, the town was directly under British rule until the Indian Independence in the late 1940s. Coorg was recognized by the Indian Constitution as part "C" state and elected a government to assume office in the early 1950s with a chief minister of its own.
In November of 1956, the town of Coorg united with the onetime state of Mysore, as part of a state reorganization. Now, the district of Coorg is part of the state of Karnataka.
Throughout the history of Kodagu, no ruler has held direct sway over the region. Kodagu has always been under the influence of local chieftains and maybe because of this reason, their culture has never been assimilated with the neighbors and they have always maintained their unique identity
.
