Part 7 - Arjuna III alias Prataparjuna (A.D. 1399-1427)

Prataparjuna was the greatest of the Matsyas. A distinguished warrior he was more enterprising than his predecessors. Many records of his initial year are available. The earliestis from Simhachalam dated A.D. 1399 registering gifts by Surayapreggada, the pradhani of Oddadirajya. Two more records of the year at Simhachalam mention gifts by Tirpani Chingama and birpari Katamasetti in Oddadirajya. Siriyamma, sister of Prataparjuna gave lands in Oddadi in A D. 1399 to the god at Simhachalam. The next record is from Simhachalam dated A.D. 1407 mentioning Jantarnati Satyamahadevi. The Simhachalam record of A.D. 1408 records the grant of the village Mangi by Prataparjuna In A.D. 1412 he made further grants at Simhachalam. Annamaraju, son of Oddadi... vanamarajulu and Ovadevi, in A.D. 1415 made gifts at Simhachalam In A.D 1416 Arjunaraju Ravutarayadu, son or Mankamadivi, daughter of Oddadi Arjuna made gifts. This lady was evidently the daughter of Virarjuna and sister or Prataparjuna. Another record dated A.D. 1416 records grant of land in Oddadidesa by Satyamahadevi queen of Prataparjuna. In A.D. 1420, 1421 Arjuna made gifts at Simhachalam. In A.D. 1421 after his return from the conquest or Jantarnadu, Arjuna made gifts at Simhachalam. A record of the Silavamsis of Nandapur dated A.D. 1427 at Simhachalam, mentions Singaraju, son of Jayants of the Matsyas, the maternal uncle of Pratapa Gangaraju. Another recordat Srikurmam of A.D. 1427 mentions Singamadevi, daughter of Jayanta of the Matsyas and wife of Visvesvara of the Silas. Arjuna’s last date appears to be A.D. 1427.

His Political Relations

Arjuna III is mentioned as Oddadi Fratapaijunaraja, Prataparjunadevarajulu and mahamandalesvara Goddadn Prataparjuna dev a raja in his records. The name Prataparjuna suggests his capacities as a warrior.

The contemporary Ganga rulers were—Narasimha IV ancfc Bhanudeva IV. In the reign of these two weak kings, Ganga empire was an easy prey to the foreign invader. Probably Prataparjuna shook off allegiance to the Gangas completely.

Prataparjuna and the Silavamsis

Two dynasties Of Silavamasis were ruling at Virakuta and Nandapura. From records of this period, the marriage alliances between the Matsyas and the Silas are known. Pratapagangaraja of Silavamsa of Nandapura had a maternal uncle in Jayanta of the Matsyas whose son was Singaraju. This Jayanta must be identified with Jayanta II, the grandfather oF Prataparjuna. So Pratapa ganga’s mother was the sister of Virarjuna and aunt of Prataparjuna. Again, Singamadevi, the queen of Visvesvara of Silavamsa of Virakuta was the daughter of Jayanta of the Matsyas. Probably this Singama is identical with the daughter of Jayanta II noted above where her name and that of her husband are not mentioned.

Prataparjuna and the Gangas of Jantarnadu

Satyamahadevi. queen of Prataparjuna was a princess of the Ganga family of Jantarnadu. Prataparjuna led an expedition of conquest into Jantarnadu by A.D. 1421 and was victorisous. The causes for this expedition are not known The Ganga rulers in this period were Sangamaraju (A.D. 1398-1420) and Gangaraja(1420 A.D.) During the expedition, Arjuna, obviously Subordinated these rulers and perhaps captured Lakkavarapukota in Jantarnadu.

Princes Singaraju, Oddadi—vanamaharaju, Arjunamaraju Ravutarayadu and others and capable genreals—some of whose names occur in records—Vidusenapati, Aladusenapati and the latter’s son Rajanarendra Erusenapati, Annisenapati, and Kurumayi and others must have manned the Matsya armies and contributed much to the success of Pratapaifuna in his expeditions. Probably he came into conflict with the Reddis of Rajahmundry during the expeditions of the latter into kalinga.

Choda III at Panchadharala, Visvesvara and Choda ganga and Nagendra chakravarti at Elamanchili, Saubhagya deva at Virakuta, were contemporaneous with Prataparjuna. There is no evidence of Prataparjuna having come into contact with any of these rulers.