Keladi Chennamma was the Queen of Keladi Kingdom in Karnataka. She was daughter of Siddappa Setty of Kundapur who is from a Lingayathi Banajigaru Community. She married King Somashekara in 1667. After Somashekara, she became the queen of Keladi Nayaka

Keladi Nayaka

Keladi Nayaka Kingdom were an important ruling dynasty of post-medieval Karnataka, India. They initially started to rule as a feudatory of the Vijayanagar Empire...

 dynasty who fought the Mughal Army

Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 of Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb

Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...

 from her base in the kingdom of Keladi in the Shimoga district of Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 State, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. She adopted Basavappa Nayaka a son of Bedanur Markappa Chetti a lingayath Banajigaru Community which is her close relatives. She gave shelter to the son of Shivaji Maharaj infuriating the Mughal

Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 emperor Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb

Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...

. Her cabinet was headed by brave Timmanna Nayaka who was the descendent of a commander of Vijayanagra. The battle in Keladi with Mughals ended in a treaty. Her rule lasted for 25 years and Keladi kingdom was probably the last to lose autonomy to Mysore rulers and subsequently to British. She is considered as the epitome of the kannada women's valor along with Onake Obavva

Onake Obavva

Onake Obavva was a woman who fought the forces of Hyder Ali single-handedly with a masse in the small kingdom of Chitradurga in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ, India. Her husband was a guard of a watchtower in the rocky fort of Chitradurga...

 and Kittur Chennamma

Kittur Chennamma

Kitturu Rani Chennamma was the queen of the princely state of Kittur in Karnataka. In 1824, 33 years before the 1857 war of independence, she led an armed rebellion against the British in response to the Doctrine of lapse. The resistance ended in her martyrdom and she is remembered today as one...

.

Aurangzeb had conquered many kingdoms in North India and had turned his eyes towards the South. His thirst for expansion was not yet quenched and his vast, powerful army attacked this small state. The excuse had been that the Queen had given shelter to the son of Maharaja Shivaji.

She had the complexion of a pearl, with bright eyes and a broad forehead. A long nose and curly hair adorned a face of royal dignity. The beautiful Queen was full of good qualities too. And she had the ability to kill her enemies in the battles, like Durga (the goddess of power). Beauty, valour, piety and generosity all blended in this great Queen.

External links

• http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1670.htm