Malabar History

The history of the Malabar region on India's southwestern coast is defined by centuries of global spice trade, maritime exchanges, and colonial resistance. Governed early on by the Cheras, Zamorins of Calicut, and Kolathiris. The kingdoms existed in the Malabar regions are as follows.

Valluvanad Kingdom

The history of the Valluvanad dynasty is as old as the Kulasekhara Empire. The Jewish edict of Bhaskara Ravi Varma I mentions Rayira Chathan, the ruler of Valluvanad. The Parthivapuram edict and the Veeraraghavapattayam also mention the rulers of Valluvanad.

The first king of Valluvanad was Rajashekharan. The kings of this dynasty were known as Vellattiri, Vallabhan, Valluvakonathiri, Arangottudayavar, Chathan Kotha, and Rayiran Chathan. There are opinions that Valluvanad was the land of the Valluvas (Parayars) or that Vallabhakshoni, which means the land of Vallabhan, was Valluvanad. At one time, most of South Malabar was under Valluvanad. But today Valluvanad is only a taluk in Palakkad district. The first capital of Valluvanad was Angadipuram. The family deity of Valluvakonathiri is Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy. Valluvanad is also the birthplace of the great poets Poonthanam Namboothiri and Kunchan Nambiar .

The Zamorin took over Thirunavaya in the late 13th century. Until then, Mamankam was under the leadership of Valluvakonathiri . During the Mamanka period, all the rulers of Kerala sent flags to show their loyalty to the Zamorin. However, Valluvakonathiri was the only one who sent not flags but suicide bombers. Soldiers from the families of Puthumana, Chandroth, Verkode and Vayankara went as suicide bombers. Kandar Mondor, his son Itthappu, Chandroth Panicker and his son-in-law Chandu are unforgettable suicide bombers in the history of Valluvanad. During the Mysore invasion, only a very small area was under Valluvakonathiri. The king, who was afraid of the Mysore war, fled to Travancore. When the British captured the Malabar regions from Tipu, the king of Valluvanad entered into an agreement with the English East India Company and abdicated.

Eranad Kingdom

Ernad was one of the four kingdoms of the Kulasekhara Empire. The other kingdoms were Kolathunad, Venad and Perumpadappu. Kozhikode entered history after the 13th century. Before that, Kozhikode was part of Polanad. The ruler of Polanad was Porlathiri. The word Samudri means king of the seas. Muslim travelers and historians started using the name Zamorin from the 14th century. The Portuguese first called the Zamorin Samoorin and later Samorin. The Zamorins are also known as Kunnalakkonathiri. The name Zamorin is first used in Ibn Battuta's travelogues. Eralpad, the ruler of Eranad, captured Kozhikode from Porlathiri. With that, Eralpad started ruling with Kozhikode as his headquarters. After that, they came to be known as the Zamorins of Kozhikode. The Zamorins developed Kozhikode into a great port city. The Arabs and the Chinese were the first major foreign traders to arrive here. The landing of the Portuguese Vasco da Gama Kappad (1498) was a major event during the Zamorin's reign. As Kozhikode became prosperous, the Zamorin became a powerful ruler. He constantly attacked neighboring countries. The Zamorin's naval commanders were the Kunjalimarakkans. Later, the Zamorin constantly clashed with the Portuguese. The Zamorin lost his power due to the attacks of the Mysore Sultans. After Tipu was defeated by the English in the Third Mysore Attack, he entered into an agreement with the English East India Company in 1792. With this, the English East India Company received all the princely states in Malabar.

Kolathunadu Kingdom

Kolathunadu was the area from Netravati to Korappuzha in the north. The title of the king was Kolathiri. They were descendants of a very old dynasty. The Sangam poet Paranar has sung about the famous king Nannan, who ruled with Ezhimala as his capital in the early days. Nannan died in a war with the Cheras. After that, the history of the Ezhimala kingdom is unclear for some time.

The Mooshaka dynasty may have been descendants of Nannan. The Mooshaka dynasty were the kings of Kolathunadu. Ezhimala and Elimala are the names of the Mooshaka dynasty in Sanskrit. A Sanskrit poem explaining the history and lineage of the Mooshaka dynasty was composed by Atula, who was a follower of a king named Srikantha of this dynasty. It was composed in the latter half of the 11th century. Although the first parts of this poem are based on legends like Vikramaraman and Jayamani, the last parts are historical facts. We can learn about the kings named Vallabha and Srikantha from this work. It is said that the king of Mooshaka named Vikramaraman saved the Buddhist monastery named Srimoolavasam from the sea. It can also be learned from this work that the king named Vallabha founded Vallabhapattanam.

This country was called Kolathunad and the ruler Kolathiri from the 14th century. In the 13th century, the world-famous traveler Marco Polo recorded this country as Elinad. Ezhimala has a natural harbor. This area has found a place in the works of many foreign travelers. Marco Polo describes this place as a haven for pirates. "If ships going to other ports happen to dock at this port due to the harsh weather or other reasons, the people here will loot all the goods on the ship, and then they will make fun of them by saying, 'Your destination is some other port. God has brought you to us, so all the rights to your goods are ours, that is God's will.' But they receive the ships that are heading for their port with respect and provide them with necessary protection.

In the summer, ships from China return after six or seven days. There are no other ports nearby for them to anchor at. Therefore, they anchor here safely. Ibn Battuta's travel notes state that "Ezhimala is a beautiful place, and large Chinese ships only call here, at Kozhikode, and at Kollam." The Chinese traveler Wang Dayuan observed: "A variety of trees and plants grow thickly in the mountains and forests here. There are many medicinal plants in these forests. This is one of the places where pepper is grown the most. No other place with such natural beauty can be named; it cannot be compared."

When Kannur grew into a large city and port, the importance of Ezhimala declined. The rulers of Randathara, Kottayam and Kadatanad were vassals of Kolathiri. The origin of the Ali dynasty is also associated with this dynasty. The eldest king and four younger sons ruled Kolathiri. They were sons-in-law. The eldest member of the royal family assumed the position of Kolathiri and became king. The succession order was as follows: Thekkalamkur, Vadakkalamkur, Kavathkur and Anjamkur. The daily administration of the southern part was entrusted to Thekkalamkur. The northern parts were entrusted to Vadakkalamkur, the family affairs to Kavathkur and the bodyguard of Kolathiri to Kavathkur. The eldest woman in the Kovilakam was called Achamma. 

Traditionally, the Murugancherry family holds the ministerial post, with Chitottu Kurukal as the military chief. Mavila Nambiar is in charge of financial affairs. Arippan Namboothiri is the court priest. Muttamas Namboothiri and Kathimada Namboothiri hold the positions of Tantri in the main temples. Madaikavu is the main temple of the Kolathiri family. Cherusseri Namboothiri, the author of Krishnagath, and Udayavarman were the followers of Kolathiri. Kolathiri and the Zamorin were at loggerheads. Many wars were fought between them. During the arrival of the Portuguese, the Zamorin was more powerful than Kolathiri.

Kolathiri accepted the Portuguese who had fallen out with the Zamorin, allowed them to build forts, and facilitated trade, which was part of the enmity with the Zamorin. Later, when they realized the true nature of the Portuguese, they quarreled. Kolathiri sought the help of the Dutch to fight the Portuguese. When the Badnor Naiks attacked Kolathunadu, they were repelled with the help of the English. Although the Arakkal dynasty had close ties with the Kolathiri dynasty, their lust for power drove them apart. The Arakkal king invited Hyder Ali of Mysore to Malabar to oppose Kolathiri.

The Kolathiri dynasty was completely destroyed by Hyder's attack. The lords and mistresses took refuge in Travancore. King Karthika Thirunal provided them with all the facilities. They built palaces and settled in places like Mariyappally, Ennakkad, Mavelikkara, Aranmula, Nedumpram, etc. in central Travancore. Even after the Mysore Sultans left the country, most of them did not return. This is how the royal families of these regions were formed. The Kolathiri dynasty survived until the latter half of the 18th century. After defeating Mysore, the English annexed the entire Malabar region, including Kolathunadu, to the Madras province.

Kottayam Dynasty

The headquarters of the Kottayam dynasty was at Koothuparambi in North Malabar. The area that included Kottayam, Kurumbranad, Wayanad and Gudalur in Kongunad was called Puraikizhanad and the ruler was called Puraikizhar. The Puraikizhar dynasty had two branches; Muthukur and Ilamkur. Of these, Muthukur became Kottayam. Bhaskara Ravi Varma's Thirunelli. The edict mentions Puraikizhanad. This dynasty has three branches, the southern branch, the eastern branch and the western branch. The first two branches settled in Kottayam and the third in Pazhassi.

They had a fort in Puralimala. These kings are also called Puralisha. Their family deity is Sree Porkali Bhagavathy. The Kottayam royal family has contributed two immortal literary heroes to Kerala; Kerala Varma Thampuran, the author of the Valmiki Ramayanam Kilippattu, and Vidwan Thampuran, the writer of Attakatha. Pazhassi Kerala Varma Thampuran, the immortal revolutionary who fought against the British, is a member of the western branch of this dynasty.

The Kottayam branch of Kuthiravattamthillam was adopted from Tripunithura and Parappanadu. Of these, the adopted branch from Parappanadu was the birthplace of Raja Pazhassi. Thampuran fought alongside the British in 1780-82 and 1791-92 to drive out Tipu. When the British gained control of the Malabar regions (except Wayanad) as per the Srirangapatnam Treaty between the British and Tipu, they entered into temporary agreements with the native kings. Kottayam, Kurumbranad and Parappanad regions were given to Pazhassi Thampuran's uncle on 18 May 1793. This uncle and Pazhassi Thampuran were at enmity. Although he expressed his strong opposition to this action to the British Company, they did not respond favorably.

The responsibility of collecting and paying taxes was with the Naduvazhi. Taxes were collected annually. The company changed it. They ordered that taxes be collected for five years. The farmers could not bear the tax burden. Thampuran did not allow the Kurumbranadu king to collect taxes from Kottayam. He organized the farmers and declared a tax refusal movement. All the farmers obeyed Thampuran. The company tried many tricks to dissuade the farmers. Nothing worked. Finally, the company bosses reached a truce with Pazhassi Thampuran. After long talks, an agreement was made. According to which, Thampuran got the areas of Kathiroor, Kuttiadi, Pazhassi and Thamarassery. But the officials who came later violated the agreement. In 1795, Thampuran again stopped the collection of taxes and challenged the British. On April 19, 1796, the British surrounded Pazhassi Fort. Thampuran and his associates had escaped before that. The locals declared it a crime to help Thampuran. Later, a price was put on his head. Thampuran continued the anti-British struggle by organizing the locals in hiding. The British army suffered a heavy setback in the guerrilla war. In 1796, Thampuran besieged the Kuttiyadi Pass. Finally, they agreed to a peace treaty with Thampuran. On July 23, 1797, an agreement was made. Based on this, Thampuran received 8000 k per year. He also regained his power. Pazhassi Thampuran returned to the fort.

In protest, the King of Kurumbranadu dismissed Thampuran's trusted confidant Kaitheri Ambu Nair. The company's black hands were behind this. When he came to know about this, he clashed with the company again. The British soldier Bowman was killed in a clash with Kaitheri Ambu. The British army was defeated by the Kurichyas' secret warfare. Governor Duncan arrived from Bombay with an army. All efforts were intensified to confront Pazhassi. But even that was to no avail. In 1799, Thampuran claimed Wayanad. Tax refusal and secret warfare continued. Kaitheri Ambu, Edachenakunkan, and Talakkal Chandu were the leaders of Pazhassi's secret warfare. Chovvakkaran Moosa, Unnimutha Moopan, and Manjeri Athan Gurukkal were also close aides of Thampuran,

When all military operations failed to contain Thampuran, the company superiors concentrated their entire force there. Spies were sent to find Thampuran's hideout. They all fell victim to the arrows of the Kurichyas. Finally, Babur himself, who was the Sub-Collector of Thalassery, took over the leadership of the army. With the help of three spies, the British army found out Thampuran's secret hideout. On November 30, 1805, Thampuran's secret hideout was surrounded. Although the spies were killed by Thampuran's guards, when it became clear that all the ways for Thampuran to escape were blocked, the heroic patriot swallowed the enmity in the ring and became a martyr. His body was taken to Mananthavady and cremated.

Zamorin Dynasty

Eranad was one of the four important states of the Kulasekhara Empire. The other states were Kolathiri, Venad, and Perumpadappu. Eranad was also called Nediyiruppu. One of the rulers who signed Bhaskara Ravi Varma's Jewish edict was 'Ernattudaya Manavapala Manneena'. Later, the rulers who became famous as the Zamorins of Kozhikode were his descendants. Kozhikode gained a place in history after the 13th century. It was during this period that Kozhikode grew as a major port. Until then, this place, which was part of Polanad, was ruled by a ruler called Porlatiri. Most of the Kerala kings became rich through foreign trade. However, Eranad did not have a seashore. Eralpad, who was yearning for an access to the sea, attacked and occupied the seashore under the control of Porlathiri. Fearing for his life, Porlathiri fled the country. 

After conquering Polanadu, the Eralpads shifted their headquarters to Calicut. They built a fort and a temple at Velapuram and moved their royal residence there. After that, the kings of Calicut came to be known as Zamorins. The name Zamorin has been used in various ways by historians. Samuri, Tamuri, Tamoorin, etc. The origin of Zamorin is believed to be from the word Samudri. The word Samudri means the king of the seas. Muslim travelers and historians have been using this name since the 14th century. The first use of this name is in the travelogues of Ibn Battuta. The Portuguese first started calling the Zamorins as Samur and later as Zamorin. There is also an opinion that Zamorin means the chief among the vassals. They are also known as Kunnalakonathiri, which means the rulers of the lands from Mala to Alayazhi. Some records also refer to the Zamorins as Poonthurakon.

Under the rule of the Zamorins, Kozhikode grew into the best port in India. Due to the security and benefits that foreign traders received, many foreign ships arrived in Kozhikode. Arabs and Chinese were the prominent ones who traded with Kozhikode. Among them, the Zamorin was more fond of the Arabs. Due to this, the main monopoly of imports and exports of Kozhikode was for the Arabs. The Zamorin's power spread from Kannur in the north to Purakadu in the south. This growth was rapid. Kozhikode became the largest commercial center on the west coast. The Zamorin also gained the title of the richest ruler. This growth achieved in a short time made them arrogant. They constantly harassed the neighboring kings and tried to bring the rule under their feet.

Ibn Battuta, a foreign traveler, has recorded in detail the growth of Kozhikode. He introduces not only Kozhikode, but also all the prominent towns and ports of the time, including Sreekantapuram, Ezhimala, Dharmadam, Valapattanam, Pantalayini, Chaliyam, and Kollam, through his notes. Ibn Battuta visited Kozhikode six times between 1342-47. The Italian traveler Niccolò Conti describes Kozhikode as “the great commercial center of India.” Kozhikode was a port city with a large population and many buildings. Abdul Razak, an Arab traveler who visited Kozhikode in the 15th century, recorded that many merchants from Abyssinia, Sanjubar, Sarbad, Malacca, Mecca, and Hejaz resided here and that goods from all countries of the world were sold here.

In the Zamorin dynasty, there are four positions according to seniority: Zamorin, Eralpad, Munnalpad, and Nedutralpad. Among them, Eralpad is the ruler of Nedungad. The position of commander-in-chief is given to Munnalpad. Mangattachan is the Prime Minister. Dharmoth Panicker is also in the position of Kalari Gurunathan. The other ministers are Thinayencherry Ilayath and Warakkal Paranambi, and the permanent commander of the infantry is Thalacherinna. The navy, on the other hand, was under the control of the Marakkars. Its leaders are Kunjali Marakkars.

The women of the Zamorin family were named Sreedevi and Mahadevi, and the men were named Manavikraman and Manavedan. The Zamorin fought against the Portuguese for a century and a half. If the Zamorin's navy led by Kunjali Marakkar had not broken the back of the Portuguese who were ambitious for empire, the course of Indian history would have been different. Although the Zamorin fought many wars with the Dutch, the Zamorin lost his power due to the attacks of the Mysore Sultans. From the late 13th century until he lost his power , the Zamorin held the position of Raksha Purushaswath during the Mamankamahotsavam. Each time, the assassins of Valluvakonathiri tried hard to kill the Zamorin. But they never succeeded,

Following the Third Mysore War, a treaty was signed between Tipu Sultan and the British East India Company authorities at Srirangapatna in 1792. As a result, all the princely states of Malabar, including Kozhikode, were ceded to the English East India Company.

Palakkad Kingdom

The name Porainad, mentioned in the Sangha period works, later became Palakkad. The name Porainad may have come from the meaning of a land full of rocks. Thenari was the capital of Porainad. Porainad later became part of Cheranad. During the time of the Kulasekharans, this land was called Nedumpuraiyur. The headquarters of Nedumpuraiyur was shifted to Tharoor. With this, Porainad came to be known as Tharoor Swaroopam. When the Zamorin attacked and conquered the Tharoor fort, Tharoor Swaroopam was made its headquarters in Palakkad. To counter the Zamorin's attack, the Palakkad king Komi Achan invited Hyder Ali of Mysore to Palakkad. Hyder Ali's general, Makhdum Ali, came to Palakkad and defeated the Zamorin. In 1766, Hyder Ali killed the Palakkad kings and took possession of Palakkad. In 1783, Hyder Ali built the famous fort at Palakkad. Later, Palakkad became part of the East India Company.

Kadathanad Kingdom

The Kadathanad is named so because it was a place to pass from the Zamorin's land to the Kolathunad. The people of Kadatha Nadu were great warriors. Kadathanad is a land famous for its Kalaripayattu and Vadakkan Pattu. The areas included in the present Vadakara taluk were the ancient Kadathanad. The Kadathanad dynasty was also known as Vadakara Vazhunnor. The Kadathanad dynasty was the vassal state of Kolathiri for a long time. Varaikkal was the first headquarters of Kadathanad. In 1750, he gave up the position of Vadakara Vazhunnor and assumed the title of Raja of Kadathanad. In 1703, an English traveler named Hamilton wrote about the Vadakara Vazhunnor. Thacholi Othenan, Aromalchekavar and Unniyarcha were all heroic warriors of Vadakkan Pattu. Kadathanad was destroyed by Tipu Sultan's army. Later, Kadathanad came into the hands of the British from Tipu Sultan.

Thalappilly Kingdom

The Thalappilli kingdom was a very extensive and wealthy kingdom in its early days. It included the present-day Thalappilli taluk and the coastal areas from Ponnani to Chettuva.

In Sanskrit, this kingdom was called Shiro Viharam. They were also called the Chittilappilly kings. The eldest was Kakkad Karanavapad. This dynasty has branches called Kakkad Ayinikur, Manakulam and Punnathur. The descendants of Ayinikur are Cheralayam. The place of the Punnathur Nambidis is called Madapad. When the Zamorin conquered Thalappilly, Punnathur declared its allegiance and became a vassal. The others joined Kochi. In the 18th century, the Kakkad branch was defeated. The property was divided among the other three branches. Kakkad Karanavapad was the leader of the armies of the Kochi king in the northern regions.

Most of the present-day Chavakkad taluk, along with nearby areas like Kakkad, Kunnukulam, Chittilappally, etc., were under the Punnathur Nambidi. Kovilakam was located in Kottapadi near Guruvayur. Punnathur Fort has now been converted into an elephant camp of the Guruvayur Devaswom.

The smallest of the Thalappilli branches was Manakulam. The eldest of this branch is called Kandankotha and Srikanthan. The Chittathur branch was born from this form.

Nilambur Kingdom

Nilambur was a small inland kingdom under the rule of the Namboothiris. It is located 25 km north of Manjeri in Malappuram district. The famous Vettakkorumakan Kovil and Nilambur Kovilakam are located on the banks of the Chaliyarpuzha river in Nilambur.

Nilambur is a world-famous teak sanctuary. All these areas were ancient settlements. The ruins of many ancient temples can be seen in the forests of Nilambur. Various tribal groups live in the forests. The oldest teak forests in the world are here. The teaks here are the best. The South Museum in Nilambur attracts many people every day. Various bamboo species also grow in abundance. The Shoranur-Nilambur railway line was started to transport timber and other forest resources from here.

The song festival held in the month of Dhanu at the Vettakkorumakan Kovil in Nilambur Kovil is very famous. Unlike other kingdoms, they did not have much contact with foreigners. They lost their glory during Tipu's military campaign. Later, this area came under the control of the English. It was during this time that teak plantations were planted. The king of Nilambur was a generous landlord. The names of the kings were Ramavarma and Godavarma.

Parappanad Kingdom

Another dynasty that was near Vettathunadu was Parappanadu. It had two branches, the Southern Parappanadu and the Northern Parappanadu. The Northern Parappanadu included Panniyankara, Beypur and Cheruvannur in Kozhikode taluk. This branch is also known as Beypur branch. The Kovilakam in Beypur was called Karipa Kovilakam. Another branch of this was Pazhanjari Kovilakam, and this branch is also known as Beypur Aliyar Kotta. The Southern Parappanadu included some parts of Tirur taluk.

The Parappanad dynasty was a vassal of the Zamorin until Tipu's invasion. During the invasion, the five ladies and three gentlemen of the Aliakkott Kovilakam, fearing that they would convert, sought refuge in Travancore. The Travancore king provided them with all facilities. 

Despite being liberated from the clutches of the Parappanadu and Mysore Sultans, several people settled permanently in Travancore. Their descendants are said to be the Kilimanoor dynasty. They live in Mavelikkara (Lakshmipuram), Cherukol, Pallam and Paliakkara. The kings of Parappanadu marry the princesses of the Travancore royal family. Kerala Varma Valiya Koithampuran, who wrote the Mayurasandesa, is the son of a Parappanadu princess who sought refuge in Travancore.

Arakkal Kingdom

The Arakkal dynasty, which ruled over Kannur, was the only Muslim dynasty in Kerala. Initially, their headquarters were at Dharmadam. Later, they moved to Kannur. It is unique that the eldest member of this dynasty, whether male or female, takes over the throne. If the ruler is male, the title is Aliraja, and if female, it is Arakkal Bivi. They follow the lineage of their sons-in-law. Muhammad Ali, Hassan Ali, Alimussa, and Alikunji Mussa were famous rulers of this dynasty. Although there are many legends linking the origin of the Arakkal dynasty with the Chirakkal dynasty, no clear historical records have been found. There is evidence that Alimussa, a member of this family, was the chief of the army of the Chirakkal king.

Ibn Battuta, the famous world traveler who traveled throughout Kerala, especially North Kerala, in the early years of the 14th century (1342-47) and spent a long time with Muslim leaders in Srikanthapuram, Ezhimala, Dharmadam, Valapattanam, Pantalayani, Kozhikode and Chaliyam, says that there were twelve kings in Kerala and none of them was Muslim, so it is believed that the origin of the Ali dynasty may be in the second half of the 14th century. Ali Mussa, the commander of the army of Kolathiri, and his family lived in Dharmadam. It was he who invaded and conquered the Lakshadweep communities for Kolathiri. Kolathiri handed over the responsibility of its administration to Ali on the condition that he would pay 18,000 rupees annually. After this, he shifted his residence to Kannur. For a long time, the administration of Lakshadweep was under the rule of the Arakkal dynasty. They had a very powerful navy. Hence, the name "Azhi Raja" later became "Ali Raja".

Since the region was rich in spices, the Portuguese, Dutch, French and English had made trade agreements with them. Hyder Ali arrived in Malabar in 1766 at the invitation of Raja Ali. During the invasion and rule of the Mysore Sultans, the Ali dynasty received many favors. One of Tipu Sultan's sons had married a princess of the Ali dynasty. The Sultan of Mysore had entrusted the administration of North Malabar to Raja Ali for some time. Under these favorable circumstances, their wealth and political influence increased. With the capture of Kannur Fort from the Dutch in 1772, Raja Ali's fame and glory increased. Until then, Raja Ali had the status of a vassal of the Raja of Chirakkal. But when the dominion of Malabar came into the hands of the British, all that came to an end. The Arakkal dynasty had to cede Kannur Fort, Lakshadweep, Minicoy, and Amin Island to the British.

Kumbala Kingdom

Kumbala was the northernmost dynasty of Kerala. Kumbala included all the major parts of the present Kasaragod district. The northern border of this kingdom was Kumbala and the southern border was Chandragiripuzha. Their palace was in Mayappadi. ​​Kumbala was eventually merged into Canara under the British.