Kerala was split into numerous small kingdoms after the collapse of the Chera dynasty in Kerala during about the 11th-12th centuries. The southern Venad kingdom was influential between these. The last Chera king moved his capital from Kodungallur in central Kerala to Venad (later Travancore) and after the Cholas invasion merged with the South Ay kingdom. So from around the 12th century onwards Venad was ruled by the new kings with both Chera and Ay legacy.
Venad had also adopted princesses from Kolathu Nadu in northern Malabar during the 14th century. Kolathu Nadu was ruled earlier by kings of Mushika, who claimed Yadava roots much like the southern Ay kings who merged with the Cheras. From then on, the matrilineal system of succession became prevalent in Venad, instead of the earlier patrilineal system of succession with frequent adoptions made from north Malabar. In the coming centuries the Venad ruling family was then split into separate maternal branches. They included Thrippapur, Elayadathu Swaroopam, Desinganad etc.
Also the local Nair landlords called Pillais took advantage of this situation and captured all the political power in the Travancore area and even possession of the Shri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Travancore's most famous temple. Padmanabhaswamy temple was an important part of people 's life in Venad during the medieval period. The Padmanabhaswamy temple was focused on the arts , culture, religious life etc. This condition lasted until about the 18th century and all kinds of mischiefs were performed by the Pillais to maintain their political control. It also involves crown prince murders according to different sources.But during 18th century, a new prince Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma came to power in Travancore.
Marthanda Varma was born in 1706 to Karthika Thirunal Queen of Attingal and Kilimanur Palace Raghava Varma. At the time Queen Karthika Thirunal-an adoptee from the ruling family of northern Kolathunadu-was Attingal 's senior queen.
Trippappur Swaroopam (Thiruvithamkoor or Travancore) was a small chiefdom at the time of Varma 's birth, stretching from Edava in the north to Aralvaimozhi in the south. The basic political and economic system of medieval Kerala was going through a crisis.
The King of Venad 's strength was very weak and his influence over his territories could not be maintained. In the early 18th century, the ancient political system of medieval Kerala was going through a crisis.
When the Travancore crisis had already deepened, Marthanda Varma ascended the throne. King Rama Varma had been forced to invite Tamil Nadu troops to collect duties and order. Even the affairs of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple headed for a crisis due to lack of funds. The Thampi brothers, Rama Varma's sons, immediately revolted with the help of a Tamil army, against Marthanda Varma.
The reign of Marthanda Varma was one of relentless warfare, against enemies both within and outside his territory. Marthanda Varma turned his attention to central Kerala after weakening the influence of the Ettuveetil Pillamar, the Nair elite, and their allies, the Yogakkars. He discovered that Dutch control in Kerala stemmed from their thriving spice trade at the port of Kochi. He set out to conquer the major spice-producing areas which supplied Kochi with cargo. In 1743, after declaring a state monopoly on pepper at Travancore, the king annexed to Travancore Quilon, Kayamkulam, Thekkumkur, Vadakkumkur and Purakkad between then and 1752.
The port of Kollam (Quilon)-which was controlled by a branch of the Venadu family to which Marthanda Varma also belonged-was defeated in 1731 and its last chief was forced to sign a treaty enabling Travancore to annex his chiefdom after his death. The chief was taken to Trivandrum and housed in the Valikoikkal Palace, almost as a state prisoner. A Travancore army contingent was stationed at Kollam, under Dalavay Arumukham Pillai.
First, Marthanda Varma turned his attention to, and took Marta's little chiefdom. Kayamkulam 's neighboring chiefdom-anticipating Travancore 's impending invasion-soon entered Kochi, Purakkad, and Vadakkumkur. The chief of Kayamkulam was also successful in rescuing the chief of Kollam from his prison at Trivandrum. The allies constructed new fortifications and stepped up their defenses against Travancore 's assault. The Dutch East India Company also agreed to support the war effort.
The ensuing Kayamkulam chief invasion of Marta signaled the outbreak of the war. The Travancore army captured Nedumangadu and Kottarakkara, and stopped Elayadathu and Kayamkulam from joining forces. Afterwards, Travancore Dalavay Ramayyan led an expeditionary force to capture Kollam city. But, without accomplishing his task, he was forced to resign.
Having equipped its forces with the assistance of the French and the English companies, Travancore renewed a military operation against Kollam 's chief. In the following battles the Kayamkulam king was killed (1734). Yet Kollam 's defense continued under the leadership of the deceased chief 's brother and once again Travancore forces were forced to fall back.
The next campaign Travancore went up against Elayadathu Swaroopam (Kottarakara). When the Kottarakara chief who had been kept in solitary confinement in Trivandrum died in 1739, Marthanda Varma refused to acknowledge the senior female member 's claim to succession. The princess had fled to Thekkumkur where she was given asylum by the president. Around this juncture, Ceylon 's Dutch Governor Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff felt an chance to further participate in Kerala 's politics.
In 1739 van Imhoff arrived in Kochi, took up the cause of Kottarakara 's female ruler and in a meeting between the two protested against Marthanda Varma 's annexation of that chiefdom. In 1741, Kottarakara 's female ruler was restored by the Dutch against Marthanda Varma 's wishes, who attacked the chiefdom and defeated the combined Kottarakkara-Dutch forces before finally annexing the chiefdom to Travancore whilst the female ruler fled to Kochi.
Marthanda Varma agreed in 1749–50, to "donate" his domain to Sri Padmanabha and then rule as the "vice-regent" of the deity (Sri Padmanabha Dasa).
Prime Minister and close friend of Marthanda Varma, Ramayyan Dalavay, died in 1756. The death of Ramayyan caused Marthada Varma to suffer terrible grief, and he died two years later in 1758.
Venad had also adopted princesses from Kolathu Nadu in northern Malabar during the 14th century. Kolathu Nadu was ruled earlier by kings of Mushika, who claimed Yadava roots much like the southern Ay kings who merged with the Cheras. From then on, the matrilineal system of succession became prevalent in Venad, instead of the earlier patrilineal system of succession with frequent adoptions made from north Malabar. In the coming centuries the Venad ruling family was then split into separate maternal branches. They included Thrippapur, Elayadathu Swaroopam, Desinganad etc.
Also the local Nair landlords called Pillais took advantage of this situation and captured all the political power in the Travancore area and even possession of the Shri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Travancore's most famous temple. Padmanabhaswamy temple was an important part of people 's life in Venad during the medieval period. The Padmanabhaswamy temple was focused on the arts , culture, religious life etc. This condition lasted until about the 18th century and all kinds of mischiefs were performed by the Pillais to maintain their political control. It also involves crown prince murders according to different sources.But during 18th century, a new prince Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma came to power in Travancore.
Marthanda Varma was born in 1706 to Karthika Thirunal Queen of Attingal and Kilimanur Palace Raghava Varma. At the time Queen Karthika Thirunal-an adoptee from the ruling family of northern Kolathunadu-was Attingal 's senior queen.
Trippappur Swaroopam (Thiruvithamkoor or Travancore) was a small chiefdom at the time of Varma 's birth, stretching from Edava in the north to Aralvaimozhi in the south. The basic political and economic system of medieval Kerala was going through a crisis.
The King of Venad 's strength was very weak and his influence over his territories could not be maintained. In the early 18th century, the ancient political system of medieval Kerala was going through a crisis.
When the Travancore crisis had already deepened, Marthanda Varma ascended the throne. King Rama Varma had been forced to invite Tamil Nadu troops to collect duties and order. Even the affairs of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple headed for a crisis due to lack of funds. The Thampi brothers, Rama Varma's sons, immediately revolted with the help of a Tamil army, against Marthanda Varma.
The reign of Marthanda Varma was one of relentless warfare, against enemies both within and outside his territory. Marthanda Varma turned his attention to central Kerala after weakening the influence of the Ettuveetil Pillamar, the Nair elite, and their allies, the Yogakkars. He discovered that Dutch control in Kerala stemmed from their thriving spice trade at the port of Kochi. He set out to conquer the major spice-producing areas which supplied Kochi with cargo. In 1743, after declaring a state monopoly on pepper at Travancore, the king annexed to Travancore Quilon, Kayamkulam, Thekkumkur, Vadakkumkur and Purakkad between then and 1752.
The port of Kollam (Quilon)-which was controlled by a branch of the Venadu family to which Marthanda Varma also belonged-was defeated in 1731 and its last chief was forced to sign a treaty enabling Travancore to annex his chiefdom after his death. The chief was taken to Trivandrum and housed in the Valikoikkal Palace, almost as a state prisoner. A Travancore army contingent was stationed at Kollam, under Dalavay Arumukham Pillai.
First, Marthanda Varma turned his attention to, and took Marta's little chiefdom. Kayamkulam 's neighboring chiefdom-anticipating Travancore 's impending invasion-soon entered Kochi, Purakkad, and Vadakkumkur. The chief of Kayamkulam was also successful in rescuing the chief of Kollam from his prison at Trivandrum. The allies constructed new fortifications and stepped up their defenses against Travancore 's assault. The Dutch East India Company also agreed to support the war effort.
The ensuing Kayamkulam chief invasion of Marta signaled the outbreak of the war. The Travancore army captured Nedumangadu and Kottarakkara, and stopped Elayadathu and Kayamkulam from joining forces. Afterwards, Travancore Dalavay Ramayyan led an expeditionary force to capture Kollam city. But, without accomplishing his task, he was forced to resign.
Having equipped its forces with the assistance of the French and the English companies, Travancore renewed a military operation against Kollam 's chief. In the following battles the Kayamkulam king was killed (1734). Yet Kollam 's defense continued under the leadership of the deceased chief 's brother and once again Travancore forces were forced to fall back.
The next campaign Travancore went up against Elayadathu Swaroopam (Kottarakara). When the Kottarakara chief who had been kept in solitary confinement in Trivandrum died in 1739, Marthanda Varma refused to acknowledge the senior female member 's claim to succession. The princess had fled to Thekkumkur where she was given asylum by the president. Around this juncture, Ceylon 's Dutch Governor Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff felt an chance to further participate in Kerala 's politics.
In 1739 van Imhoff arrived in Kochi, took up the cause of Kottarakara 's female ruler and in a meeting between the two protested against Marthanda Varma 's annexation of that chiefdom. In 1741, Kottarakara 's female ruler was restored by the Dutch against Marthanda Varma 's wishes, who attacked the chiefdom and defeated the combined Kottarakkara-Dutch forces before finally annexing the chiefdom to Travancore whilst the female ruler fled to Kochi.
Marthanda Varma agreed in 1749–50, to "donate" his domain to Sri Padmanabha and then rule as the "vice-regent" of the deity (Sri Padmanabha Dasa).
Prime Minister and close friend of Marthanda Varma, Ramayyan Dalavay, died in 1756. The death of Ramayyan caused Marthada Varma to suffer terrible grief, and he died two years later in 1758.