Part 49 - Mahadeva I alias Vishnuvardhana (A.D. 1266-1300)

Mahadeva and his successors ruled the Vengi Chalukya kingdom for over half a century from about A.D. 1265 with capital at Niravadyapura Nidadavole in Nidadavole taluq (west Godavari district). Mahadeva’s relationship to his predecessors who ruled the kingdom from Vengi is not known. These Chalukyas claimed lordship over kollipaka and were closely allied to the Kakatiyas by marriages. Prataparudra of the Kakatiyas was a Chalukya prince.

Mahadeva had a reign extending over thirty four years. His earliest inscription if from Palakol, dated A.D. 1266. It mentions the king as Vishnuvardhana, his son Indusekhara, grandsho Virabhadra and daughter-in-law. The Kolanupaka inscription’ mentions the king as Mahadeva and queen Lakkambika, grandson Virabhadra and his queen Rudrama of the Kakatiyas. Mahadeva’s next record is from Mallipudi dated A D. 1297 mentioning him as Prithvivallabha Mahadeva. In the next record dated A.D. 1298 from palakol Nidudaproli is prefixed to Mahadeva’s name. The net inscription is from Pasavemula, dated A.D. 1299 recording gifts by Vishnu-vardhana chakravarti and Rudradeva for the merit of their parents Sarvalokasraya. Vallabhacha kravarti and Bachala-devi. Two records from Palakol with dated A.D. 1296 and 1300 respectively mention king Mahadeva II grandson of Mahadeva I and record gifts by his daughter Odayamahadevi.

His Political Relations

Mahadeva bore the chalukya titles—Sarvalokasraya, Vishnuvardhana, Maharaja and chakravarti. In records he is mentioned as Sarvalokasraya Prithvivallabha Mahadeva, Sarvalokasraya (Prithvi) vallabha chakravarti and Sarvalokasraya Vishnuvardhana Mahadeva chakravarti. As he made Nidadavole his capital instead of Vengi, Nidadavole is prefixed to his name in records. Probably he associated Indusekhara and Virabhadra in governing the kingdom.

The rulers contemporaneous with Mahadeva were Rudrama of the Kakatiyas, Bhimavallabha and Ganapatideva of the Kona mandala Haihayas, choda I of the Haihayas of Panchadharala, Mallapa II and Upendra II of the Elamanchilli chalukyas, Purushottama of the Srikurmama chalukyas, Vijayagnandagopala and Viragandagopala of the Nellore Pallavas, Arjuna and Jayanta II of the Matsyas, Bayyaraju of the Pallavas of Virakuta, Madhava n and Vaijegadeva of the Yadavas of Addanki, Sarangapani of the Yadavas of Panugai, Allutikka, Tikka II and Manmagandagopala of the Nellore cholas.

Mahadeva contracted alliances of marriage with the Kona Haihayas. For his daughter-in-law Odayamahadevi, wife of Virabhadra, was probably a princes of Kona Haihaya family. His grand-daughter Anyamamba, daughter of Indusakhane by Odayamahadevi was married to Bhimavallabha of the Kona Haihayas. Mahadeva married his grandson Virabhadra to Rudramadevi, the Kakatiya empress. Towards the close of his reign, Mahadeva acknowledged the suzerainty shows that his two sons made the grant “after petitioning Machaya probably identical with the Cavalry officer of that name in the service of Prataparudra.” Mahadeva has been confused with his grandson bearing the same name, by some writers.