06-08-2009, 06:37 AM
WIKI
The Nayaks of Kandy (a.k.a. Nayakar Dynasty) were the rulers of Sri Lanka with Kandy as their capital from 1739 to 1815. They were also the last dynasty to rule Sri Lanka. They were from the royal family of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, who were of Telugu origin and were members of the the Balija caste/(Kapu Caste/Telaga. There were four kings of this lineage and the last king was exiled by the British to Vellore Fort in India. They assumed the Kandy throne through marriage alliances with the much prevailing Marumakkathayam law. These kings were Hindus later converted to Buddhism
The Mahanuwara dynasty that preceded the Kandy Nayaks always married brides from royal family of Madurai Nayaks and Tanjore Nayaks. The Nayaks of South India started of as governors of Vijayanagara Dynasty during 14 and 15th centuries who ruled parts of Tamil Nadu. After the Vijayanagara Empire collapsed in mid 16th century these governors declared independence, establishing their own kingdoms in Gingee, Tanjore, Madurai and Chandragiri. They were of Telugu origins, one of the reasons for a large set of Telugu population in Western parts of Tamil Nadu.
When the last king of Mahanuwara dynasty died without an heir, his queens brother from Madurai was chosen to throne as they followed the Marumakkathayam law. And successive kings were from the same kin from Madurai.
The Nayaks of South India also had military relations in 17th century when Karaiyar generals of Jaffna sought the support of the Nayaks of Tanjavur in 1620 to fight against the Portuguese.
These branches of Madurai Nayaks were reportedly headed by Bangaru Thirumalai whose son was adopted by the last Nayak Queen Meenakshi. Bangaru Thirumalai was a direct descendant of Thirumalai Nayaks younger Brother and was a Military governor in Tirunelveli and Madurai provinces.
The last king of Kandy of Mahanuwara dynasty was Vira Narendra Sinha who ruled from 1707 to 1739. This King ascended the throne in 1707 when he was seventeen and was considered to be a very pious and scholarly. In 1708 the king married a bride from Madurai Royal family, the daughter of Pitti Nayakkar. Again, in 1710, he married another bride from Madurai. He had no children by either of the queens. He also had a Kandyan wife from noble family of Matale. She bore him a son, the king also had a concubine from a high caste, who bore him a son named Unambuwe, and did survive. The bar to his succession was the lack of royal status in the mother.
Thus, the king nominated, as his successor, the brother of his first queen who had remained at the court ever since his sister married him. According to the law of succession that prevailed in Ceylon, the throne passed almost always from father to son, born of a mahesi or from brother to brother. Marumakkathayam literarily means inheritance by sister's children (as opposed to sons and daughters).
The Nayaks of Kandy (a.k.a. Nayakar Dynasty) were the rulers of Sri Lanka with Kandy as their capital from 1739 to 1815. They were also the last dynasty to rule Sri Lanka. They were from the royal family of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, who were of Telugu origin and were members of the the Balija caste/(Kapu Caste/Telaga. There were four kings of this lineage and the last king was exiled by the British to Vellore Fort in India. They assumed the Kandy throne through marriage alliances with the much prevailing Marumakkathayam law. These kings were Hindus later converted to Buddhism
The Mahanuwara dynasty that preceded the Kandy Nayaks always married brides from royal family of Madurai Nayaks and Tanjore Nayaks. The Nayaks of South India started of as governors of Vijayanagara Dynasty during 14 and 15th centuries who ruled parts of Tamil Nadu. After the Vijayanagara Empire collapsed in mid 16th century these governors declared independence, establishing their own kingdoms in Gingee, Tanjore, Madurai and Chandragiri. They were of Telugu origins, one of the reasons for a large set of Telugu population in Western parts of Tamil Nadu.
When the last king of Mahanuwara dynasty died without an heir, his queens brother from Madurai was chosen to throne as they followed the Marumakkathayam law. And successive kings were from the same kin from Madurai.
The Nayaks of South India also had military relations in 17th century when Karaiyar generals of Jaffna sought the support of the Nayaks of Tanjavur in 1620 to fight against the Portuguese.
These branches of Madurai Nayaks were reportedly headed by Bangaru Thirumalai whose son was adopted by the last Nayak Queen Meenakshi. Bangaru Thirumalai was a direct descendant of Thirumalai Nayaks younger Brother and was a Military governor in Tirunelveli and Madurai provinces.
The last king of Kandy of Mahanuwara dynasty was Vira Narendra Sinha who ruled from 1707 to 1739. This King ascended the throne in 1707 when he was seventeen and was considered to be a very pious and scholarly. In 1708 the king married a bride from Madurai Royal family, the daughter of Pitti Nayakkar. Again, in 1710, he married another bride from Madurai. He had no children by either of the queens. He also had a Kandyan wife from noble family of Matale. She bore him a son, the king also had a concubine from a high caste, who bore him a son named Unambuwe, and did survive. The bar to his succession was the lack of royal status in the mother.
Thus, the king nominated, as his successor, the brother of his first queen who had remained at the court ever since his sister married him. According to the law of succession that prevailed in Ceylon, the throne passed almost always from father to son, born of a mahesi or from brother to brother. Marumakkathayam literarily means inheritance by sister's children (as opposed to sons and daughters).