Rudradeva Prataparudra I

Rudredeva, who was also known as Prataparudra I. was the eldest son and successor of Prola II. After his accession to the throne, he devoted all his energy and resources to safeguarding his independent status and to extending his dominion wherever possible To pursue his policy of aggrandizement, he had to wage wars on many chiefs. A graphic description, of his achievements is given in his Anmakonds inscription, a document of great historical importance. It seems by the year 1162 A.D., the date of the Anmakonda record, Rudradeva vanquished a number of his enemies and transformed his petty principality into an extensive kingdom . The inscription mentions the names of Dommaraja (Nagunur principality in the Karimnagar district), Medaraja (Pakhal area to the north-east of Warangal) and Mailagideva (Polavasa territory in the Jagatyal Taluk of Karimnagar district) as opponents whom he had overcome in battle These victories, all in the region to the north of Anmakonda. enabled him to extend his dominion night upto the banks of the Godavari.i Then turning his attention to the south, Rudradeva burnt the city of Chododaya. the ruler of Kondapalli (who died about



this time due to poisoning by his brother Bhima). After this, he marched on Vardhanapura, the capital of Bhima who had poisoned his brother Chodadaya to death. Bhima fled to the forest and the capital was easily captured by the Kakatiyas. These conquests were also consolidated.

Rudradeva seems to have devoted the later part of his reign to the conquest of the coastal region. He regarded himself as the political successor of the Western Chalukyan emperors and laid claim to the sovereignty over Vengi and other parts of the coastal Andhra country, earlier conquered and enjoyed by Vikramaditya VI and his son until 1133 A.D, He started making his efforts to avenge his father's death in the hands of the Telugu Chodas of Velanadu and their subordinates. The latter were ruling over the territory (comprising of the Kurnool, Guntur, Krishna and the Gddavari districts) to the south of the Kakatiya kingdom. By the time of Rajendra Choda lI, the decline had set in for the Velanadu kingdom. The Chalukyas in the Vengi manetela were continuing their intrigues as usual. Apart from this, during the years 1176-82 A.D., the battle of Palanadu was fought. Rudradeva rendered military assistance to Nalagama's faction. In this battle, the military strength of Velanadu had got weakened. Exploiting the situation, Rudradeva led his forces into coastal Andhra and conquered upto Srisailam and Trpurantakam in the south. In 1186 A.D., Gonka III of Velanadu might have lost his life in battle with Rudradeva and his son Prithvisvara confined his rule to the north of Godavari (Pithapuram). According to Anmakonda inscription, his kingdom comprised the whole area between Srisailam and Tripurantakam in the south, the Malyavantam in the north, the Bay of Bengal in the east and Kalyani in the west.


Being a powerful king, Rudradeva both up an extensive kingdom. He paved the way for the subjugation of Vengi by his successors by contracting diplomatic and matrimonial alliances with the great feudatory families such as the Kolas and the Natavadis. Sivayogasara refers to his founding near his capital Anmakonda of a new town called Orugallu, destined to become the principal city of the entire Andhradesa under his successors. Rudra was also a patron of art and letters. Many splendid temples built in the Chalukyan style rose all over the country. The famous Thousand Pillar Temple (known as the Rudresvara temple) at Anmakonda was built during this period. Rudra is described as the resort and refuse of learned men. The authorship of a work on rajaniti called 'Nitisaranm' in Sanskrit is attributed to him After Rudradeva's death and the imprisonment of his nephew Ganapati in the hands of the Yadavas of Devagiri. his younger brother Mahadeva ascended the throne and ruled the kingdom for a short span of about three years (1195/96- 1198/99 A.D.). He led an expedition against the Yadava kingdom to avenge Rudra's death and also get the release of his son Ganapati. He lost his life in the battle