Part 6 - Mallideva II and Bhima IV (A.D. 1231-1254)

Mallideva II was the son of Manmachoda II who was the elder son of Beta, the elder brother of Mallideva and Gangadevi Bhimaraja IV was the son of Manmasatya II. Mallideva II and Bhima IV ruled conjointly for a period of twenty-three years. They were loyal to the Cholas. They seem to have had a peaceful region at the end of which were succeeded by Ganapati and Bhimavallabha.

The earliest inscriptions of the reign are dated A.D. 1231 at Draksharama. According to one record, Mallideva was a mahamandalesvara and son of Kona Rajendra Manmachoda-yaraju bearing the sahasrabahu prasasti. Bhimaraja figures in another record of A.D. 1231 at Draksharama. Kona Mallayadevaraja, figuring in a Draksharama inscription dated A.D. 1254 and the 38th year of Tribhuvanachakravarti Rajarajadeva is undoubtedly identical with Mallideva II. Mallideva II and Bhima IV never attempted at extending the kingdom which retained its usual extent in this period.

Their Political Relations

Mallideva II and Bhima IV maintained amicable relations with the contemporary rulers and do not seem to have come into contact with the Kakatiyas in this period.

The Chola emperors were Rajaraja III and Rajendra III (A.D. 1246-1274). The Kona Haihaya loyalty to them is attested by the inscription of Mallideva at Draksharama dated A.D. 1254 and the 38th regnal year of Rajaraja III.

In this period, the Velanandu chodas were a decaying power. The Chalukyas were replaced by the Hoysalas. The Kakatiyas under Ganapati were expanding their power in Vengi and the south. Ganapati contracted alliances of marriage with many local powers in the southern half of Vengi and his inscriptions in Kistna and Guntur Districts attest his power. But he did not intrude into the northern half of Vengi and so the Kona Haihayas were spared from his invasions in this period