Part 3 - Madhavadeva (A.D. 1208-1247)

Madhavadeva was the son and successor of Sarngadhara I. Mentioned as the ruler of Addanki, Madhava was the first king of the line to have issued records of his own. His earliest record is from Manikasvaram (Ongole taluq), dated A.D. 1208 recording his grant of land in Kotikalapudi to the west of Gundlakamma, to Mandukesvara. His record from Nagulappalapadu dated A.D. 1239 records his grants for the merit of Ganapatideva and his parents. Another record of the same year and place records Madhava’s gifts for the merit of Ganapatideva maharaja. Though no records of Madhava are found after A.D. 1239, his reign may have lasted till A.D. 1247—the earliest date for his sons

His Political Relations

Madhava was known as Madhava Maharajulu and Madhavanayakudu in his records His prasasti has the titles—Mahamandalesvara, ativishamahayarudhapraudha rekharevanta, parabalakritanta, Saranagatauajra, mandalikaramandalijivaraksha, and chakranarayana.” Some of these epithets show that he was a distinguished warrior, horseman, and destroyer of enemies.

Madhava and the Kakatiyas

The Kakatiya ruler in this period was Ganapatideva. As noted elsewhere, his conquest of the Velanandu country was accomplished soon after the death of Prithvisvara of the Velanandus is by about A.D. 1214 and not so late as A.D. 1228 as supposed by some writers.

King Madhava in his first record of A.D. 1208 does not refer to Ganapati. Perhaps till Ganapatrs conquest of Velanandu, he was de facto independent ruler, for the Velanandus were declining. But in his last records of A.D. 1239, Madhava mentions Ganapati as his suzerain. So the subjugation of Madhava and his Kingdom in Kammanadu which in its turn was followed by the conquest of Mulikmadu, Pottapinadu, Renadu and Gandikota and the expedition into the South. But, we have no details of any battles between Madhava and the Kakatiyas at Addanki or elsewhere in the kingdom.

Madhava and Other Kings

The Velanandu kingdom was under Prithvisvara, and his successors in this period. The Telugu chola kingdoms of Konidena, Pottapi and Nellore were under Ballichoda, Opilisiddhi II and his successors, and Nallasiddha I, Errasiddha and Tikka I respectively. Pota II,. Dora III and Ganapati of the Chagis, Kota II, Bhima III and Keta III of the Kotas, Kusumaraja and Bhima of the Parichchadis, Rudra I of the Natavadis, Odayaraja and Nagadeva, Allutikka, Viragandagopala and Abhideva Malideva of the Pallavas of Guntur and Nellore, were contemporary with Madhava. Though Madhava’s titles show that he had some victories over his enemies, the enmies are not specified in his records.