Desinganad
Desinganad (also known as Desinganadu or the Desinganad Swaroopam) was an ancient medieval feudal principality situated on the south-western coast of India, centered around the modern-day city and port of Kollam (Quilon) in Kerala.[1]
Etymology
Derived from King Jayasimha, an early medieval ruler from whom the branch is traditionally believed to have originated.[2]
History
The early headquarters of the Venattu kings was in Kollam. At the beginning of the 15th century, this dynasty split into two. Among them, the eldest of the Trippapur Moopan (Trippapur Mooppil Nair) and the youngest king of Venattu built a palace at a place called Thiruvithamkodu and moved there. This branch was known as the Trippapur Swaroopam. The remaining Kollam branch was also known as the Desinganadu Swaroopam. The headquarters of Desinganadu, which included the territory between Attingal and Kottarakkara.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the rulers of Desinganad acted as independent sovereigns, directly negotiating trade treaties, land allocations, and spice monopolies with incoming foreign powers, including the Portuguese and subsequently the Dutch.
Conflict and Annexation
By the early 18th century, Desinganad maintained strong geopolitical ties with neighboring Kayamkulam, a kingdom that was a fierce rival to the expanding state of Travancore. In 1731, the Raja of Kollam adopted the descendants of the Kayamkulam royal family. At that time, the Kayamkulam palace was in a state of bitter enmity with Travancore.
This alliance provoked Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the ambitious king of Travancore, who sought to unify the fractured southern kingdoms. Marthanda Varma launched a military campaign against Kollam, capturing the Desinganad king and placing him under house arrest in Thiruvananthapuram. Although the captive king briefly escaped and attempted to wage a combined resistance with Kayamkulam forces, the Travancore military proved overwhelming.
In 1746, when Marthanda Varma captured Kayamkulam and Kollam and annexed them to Travancore, Desinganad also became a part of Travancore. With that, Desinganad as a dynasty ceased to exist.[3]
References
- ↑ "Dutch in Kerala - Glimpses of World History through Kerala and Dutch". dutchinkerala.com.
- ↑ Kattayil (2020), Hari (2020). Kollam Jilla : Stalanama Charitram. NBS Kottayam. Search this book on
- ↑ Nair P, Kesavan (2020). Kollathinte Innalekal. Desinganadu Sahitya Academy, Kollam. Search this book on
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