The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c26.3

v1.c26.3

THE concocted story of the *Chikkadevaraya Vamsavali*, about how Prince Tirumala was bribed by the Nayak of Madura in the beginning of Venkata's reign, and then retreated to Seringapatam in a rebellious attitude against his uncle, has found its way into several modern works. The character of the Kanarese Viceroy has thus come to be associated with the specially repulsive ideas of rebellion and treachery, totally at variance with the historical personality of the unfortunate nephew of Venkatapatiraya. Can it be possible that the energetic and warlike Emperor would have waited fourteen years till he saw his supposed rebellious nephew expelled from the capital of his viceroyalty? On the other hand, no word on this supposed attitude of Tirumala is found either in Anquetil du Perron, who merely remarks that he was residing at Seringapatam ¹; or in the Jesuit letters, which testify, however, that Venkata had a natural predilection for Tirumala's younger brother, Ranga ¹. Moreover we know two of Tirumala's inscriptions of the year 1585, in the Mysore district, in which he is styled Mahamandaleswara ²,—a title which suggests a subordinate rank under the Emperor. His rule as Viceroy of the Kanarese country could not be stigmatized as either weak or fictitious; for in 1609-10, just on the eve of his departure from Seringapatam, the Kalasa-Karkala chief, Bhayirarasa Vodeya, (son of Vira Bhayirarasa Vodeya, who did not acknowledge the suzerainty of Vijayanagara), is said in one of his inscriptions to rule as feudatory of Venkata II ³. Fr. Coutinho says in one of his letters that Tirumala 'is liked by more as well as more powerful chieftains' than his brother Ranga ⁴. Now, the above mentioned inscription of the Kalasa-Karkala chief proves that, instead of taking advantage of this friendship and respect of the subordinate chiefs for rebelling against his uncle, he obtained the acknowledgment of his sovereignty at least from one who did not pay homage to his predecessors since the time of the battle of Raksas-Tagdi ⁵.