The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t4.77

v2.c15.s2.t4.77

When Kumāra Rudradēva, having completed his preparations for war, felt that he could take the field confident of victory, he proceeded most carefully to draw up his plans for the invasion. He was well aware that an attack upon Ambadēva would also involve him in a war with his allies, and it was his object to isolate Ambadēva from these allies and so to deal with each of them separately. Keeping this object in view, he concerted measures to launch a three-pronged attack on Ambadēva’s territories and at the same time to dispatch separate expeditions against his allies. In A.D. 1291 Queen Rudrāmbā set out for Tripurāntakam to attack Ambadēva, accompanied by a large army under Manuma-Gannaya, son of Kolani Sōmamantri, and his cousin Annayadēva, son of Indulūri Peda Gannayamantri. No details of the ensuing conflict are recorded. It is, however, certain that Ambadēva was defeated and retreated southwards into Mulikināḍu; for according to the *Śivayōgasāram* the Kolani and Indulūri chiefs mentioned above, inspired by the valiant leadership of Rudramadēvī, dispersed the dispositions of the enemy’s forces, and captured seventy-two forts during a single onslaught.² As a result of this victory, Tripurāntakam and the surrounding country passed into the hands of Rudramadēvī, who concerted measures for re-establishing her authority firmly over the district. The exact date of the reconquest of the region is not definitely known; but a comparative study of the various Kāyastha and Kākatīya inscriptions found in the locality points to the middle of A.D. 1291 as the probable time when it was effected.³ The attack on Cheraku Rājanarēndra by the Chāḷukyan chief, Tāta Pinnama, ancestor of the later Āreviḍu family, which took place at this time, was apparently connected with Rudramadēvī’s Tripurāntakam expedition. Rājanarēndra was probably a vassal and ally of Ambadēva; he is referred to in the Telugu *Dvipada Bālabhāgavatām* of Dōnēru Kōnērunātha as perpetrator of all kinds of evil deeds.⁴ Tāta Pinnama appears to have been a contemporary of Kumāra Rudradēva; and it is not unlikely that he proceeded against the Cheraku chief at the instance of Rudradēva and put an end to his evil career. It is interesting to note that the Cherakus who make their appearance in the inscriptions in the Nandikotkur