Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c9.s14: 14. Bēlūr and Manjarābād

c9.s14.1

The Bēlūr family were descended from the Haḍapa (or bearer of the betel-bag) to the king of Vijayanagar. Era-Krishnappa-Nāyaka, who is generally represented as the head, seems (Hk 112) at first to have received a grant of Bāgūr (Hosdurga tāluq), but early in the sixteenth century was invested with the government of the Bēlūr country. The principal titles of these chiefs were: lord of Maṇināga-pura, Sindhu-Gōvinda, dhavalānka-Bhīma. In 1645 Bēlūr and parts dependent on it were overrun by the Bednūr forces under Śivappa-Nāyak, who bestowed them on the fugitive king of Vijayanagar, then arrived as a refugee at his court. By the treaty concluded between Mysore and Bednūr in 1694, six nāḍs of Balam (Manjarābād) were ceded to the Bēlūr chiefs, and the remaining Bēlūr territory was annexed to Mysore. In 1792 Krishnappa-Nāyak joined the Mahrattas in their advance with Lord Cornwallis against Seringapatam, but on peace being made with Tipu Sultān, fled to Coorg in fear. Tipu, however, induced him to return, and gave him the government of Aigūr, the south of Manjarābād. On the fall of Seringapatam in 1799, Veṅkaṭādri-Nāyak attempted to gain independence and to recover the rest of Manjarābād. But he was captured after two years and executed.