Battle of Changanassery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Changanassery
Part of the Travancore-Thekkumkur War
Map of Thekkumkur Kingdom
Date September 1749 Location Changanassery, Kingdom of Thekkumkur, India 9°27′04″N 76°32′42″E / 9.451°N 76.545°E / 9.451; 76.545 Result Victory for the Kingdom of Travancore
Belligerents
Kingdom of Travancore	Kingdom of Thekkumkur
Commanders and leaders
Marthanda Varma Ramayyan Dalawa Eustachius De Lannoy Kumaraswamy Pillai	Aditya Varma Manikandan Vazhappadathu Panicker Pathillathil Pottimar
Strength
10,000-12,000 soldiers	Unknown

The Battle of Changanassery was an important fight between two kingdoms, Thekkumkur and Travancore, in September 1749. This battle was a big turning point. Thekkumkur lost its power, and the Travancore empire grew much larger. It expanded all the way to the southern border of the Meenachilar river.

The Kingdom of Travancore was growing stronger. Its leader, Ramayyan Dalawa, who was the chief minister of Travancore, had already taken over other small kingdoms like Kayamkulam and Ambalapuzha. The Thekkumkur army had tried to help Ambalapuzha against Travancore. Because of this, King Marthanda Varma of Travancore decided to invade Thekkumkur after Ambalapuzha (also known as Champakassery) had fallen.

Why the War Started

In the 1200s, the capital city of Thekkumkur moved to Puzhavathu in Changanassery. Before that, it was in places like Thrikkodithanam and Vennimala. The last king of Thekkumkur was Aditya Varma Manikandan. He lived in the Neerazhi Palace in Changanassery.

King Aditya Varma Manikandan heard that Travancore's army, led by Ramayyan Dalawa, was getting closer. The young prince of Thekkumkur, seeing that other kingdoms like Ampalapuzha and Kayamkulam had fallen, suggested making friends with Travancore.

The young prince then traveled to Thiruvananthapuram. There, he met King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma of Travancore and asked for his help. King Aditya Varma Manikandan was very angry about his prince's actions. He sent a message to Thiruvananthapuram saying his mother was sick. The young prince warned King Marthanda Varma that this was a trick. However, King Marthanda Varma convinced the prince to go back to Changanassery to see his mother. He also gave the prince gifts for King Aditya Varma Manikandan.

Sadly, the young prince died shortly after returning to Thekkumkur. The king said it was from a snake bite. King Marthanda Varma of Travancore soon realized that the Thekkumkur king had made a terrible decision. He ordered Ramayyan Dalawa to march to Thekkumkur and capture King Aditya Varma Manikandan.

The Battle Begins

Ramayyan Dalawa, a key leader for Travancore.

When the Travancore soldiers reached Aranmula, which was in the south of Thekkumkur, they faced an unexpected problem. Some Telugu Brahmins (priests) blocked their way. They believed that Brahmins were sacred in Travancore and would not be attacked.

Ramayyan Dalawa asked Captain D'Lanoy to clear the path. D'Lanoy used his Christian, Moplah, and fisherman soldiers to move the crowd of Brahmins. This confusion gave King Aditya Varma Manikandan enough time to escape from his country to the north.

After clearing the way at Aranmula, Ramayyan Dalawa took over Thiruvalla gramam. The local administrators there, called the Vilakkilli Madom Pottimar, did not fight back. Ramayyan's next goal was the Neerazhi Palace of Thekkumkur in Changanassery. The Thekkumkur army was known to be stronger than the armies of other kingdoms Travancore had conquered.

The Travancore army attacked the Thekkumkur fort and the Neerazhi palace in Changanassery in September 1749.

On September 11, 1749, Ramayyan Dalawa successfully took control of Changanassery. This was the main seat of the Thekkumkur king. Travancore gained a lot of valuable items, including the state treasury, jewels, weapons, and even some European-made cannons.

The Vazhappally Pathillathil Potimar, who were administrators of the Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple, helped the Thekkumkur king. They moved him from the Neerazhi Palace to Nattassery in Kottayam. They also destroyed the Kannamperoor wooden bridge at Vazhappally. This was done to stop the Travancore troops from following them, especially if the weather was bad. King Aditya Verma fled to Calicut and found safety with the Zamorin.

By this time, Ramayyan had convinced Vazhappadathu Paniker, a commander from Thekkumkur, to help him. He learned the secret movements of the Pathillathil Pottimar. On September 11, 1749, the capital of Thekkumkur was conquered by Ramayyan Dalawa and became part of the Travancore kingdom.

The Vazhappally Pathillathil Pottimar

Vazhappally Shala - A temple at Vazhappally that was attacked

The Pathillathil Pottimar were ten Brahmin families who managed the Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple. They were accused of working against Travancore. This was because they helped the Thekkumkur king, Aditya Varma Manikandan, escape from Changanassery. They also tried to stop King Marthanda Varma's army by destroying the Kannanperoor bridge at Vazhappally.

The Vazhappally Pottimar initially tried to delay the Travancore army. They did not expect King Marthanda Varma to punish Brahmins, especially those who managed a temple.

Because they helped the Thekkumkur king escape and tried to stop Travancore's army, these families faced serious consequences. Their homes were searched, and their wealth was taken. Many of the men were sent away from the kingdom. By the early 1900s, only one family from the Pathillathil Pottimar was left in the Vazhappally Gramam.

What Happened Next

After the battle, King Marthanda Varma arrived in Changanassery. Many important local leaders, like the Nair nobles and chiefs from Thekkumkur, Ambalapuzha, and Vadakumkoor, came to meet him. They accepted him as their new ruler and offered him gifts.

Ramayyan Dalawa then marched north. He made sure the areas between Thekkumkur and Vadakkumkoor were well-protected. These areas stretched from Kumarakam in the east to the hills at Koondoor. He then moved further north to set the new northern border. This border was extended to the southern bank of the Periyar River, which flows west near Aluva.

This meant that all the land south of the Dutch trading posts at Kodungalloor now belonged to the Travancore Maha Raja. King Marthanda Varma had successfully expanded his kingdom from Kanyakumari in the south all the way to the Periyar River in the north. He brought all the smaller kings, chiefs, and nobles under his rule.

Sources

• Travancore State Manual by V.Nagam Aiya (1906)
• Thekkumkoor Charithravum Puravrithavum by N.E Kesavan Namboothiri (2014)
• History of Travancore by Shungunny Menon