Part 11 - Bhima IV (A.D. 1262-1268)

Son of Keta III, and brother of Ganapati, Bhima had ar brief reign of six years. His records are few. The earliest inscription in from Velpur, dated A D. 1264, mentioning the king as mahamandalesvarakota......devarajulu. The damaged portion in the record must have contained the word, Bhima. The record from Rompicherla, dated A.D. 1265 mentions Bhima. The local ruler was Mallapanayaka, the son of Jayapanayaka. Bhima’s reign must have lasted up to A.D. 1268 the earliest date for his successors, Devaraja and Mummad raju.

His Political Relations

The Supposition that Bhima and his queen were ruling jointly is baseless. Bhima’s contemporary on the Kakatiya throne was Rudramadevi. The Kakatiyas were supreme in the Telugu country and almost all the local dynasties including the Telugu Cholas owed allegiance to Rudrama. In one of her records dated A.D. 1267, Rudrama is mentioned Prataparudra. Her records are found in Guntur, Kistna and Nellor districts bearing the dates A.D. 1264 and 1268. Bhima IV followed his brother Ganapati, in acknowledging the Kakatiya suserainty as attested by his Velpur record of A.D. 1264mentioning Kakatiya Rudradeva maharaja. Bhima IV must have continued the Kota policy of friendship towards the Kotas of Yenamadala.