Sriranga II
Encyclopedia
Sriranga II (r. 1614 CE) was nominated in 1614 by King Venkata II to succeed him as king of the Vijayanagara Empire
in Southern India
. Sriranga was supported by a faction headed by Yachama Naidu of Recherla Velama dynasty, one of the Venkata II's loyal viceroys and commanders, but was not favored by a set of nobles headed by Gobburi Jagga Raya, brother (or father) of Venkata II’s favourite Queen Obayamma.
, and crowned the namesake son of the former emperor.
Yachama Naidu opposed the plans of Jagga Raya and, with the help of a washer man, smuggled Sriranga’s 12-year-old second son, Rama, from the fort. However, a subsequent attempt by Yachama Naidu to bring Sriranga II and his family through an underground escape tunnel was discovered, making Sriranga II’s confinement more severe.
Finally, Yachama Naidu arranged with the captain of the Vellore Fort
to murder the guards and release Sriranga II and his family. The guards were eventually killed, but the news reached Jagga Raya first, and he rushed in before Yachama Naidu could succeed, killing the captive king, Sriranga II, and his entire family.
and captured the fort but the putative heir of Venkata II and few of his nobles managed to escape from the fort and joined the Jagga raya's camp. The murder of the Royal family created shock and horror throughout the kingdom, fomenting hatred of Jagga Raya and his group. As a result, when Yachama headed his forces towards the Vellore fort there was no one to oppose him and the fort was surrendered without any resistance. Many nobles and chieftains deserted the Jagga Raya faction and joined Yachama's camp, which backed a legal royal claimant.
Thus Sriranga II was killed within four months of his accession, but one of his sons, Ramadeva, escaped from the massacre to become the next King
of Vijayanagara
, after winning a gruesome war of succession (Battle of Toppur) in 1617.
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
in Southern 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...
. Sriranga was supported by a faction headed by Yachama Naidu of Recherla Velama dynasty, one of the Venkata II's loyal viceroys and commanders, but was not favored by a set of nobles headed by Gobburi Jagga Raya, brother (or father) of Venkata II’s favourite Queen Obayamma.
Coup and Murder
The presence of a putative heir of former King Venkata II further worsened matters. Jagga Raya, with two of his lieutenants seized Sriranga II and his family and threw them into prison at Vellore FortVellore Fort
Vellore Fort is a large 16th-century fort situated in Vellore city near Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The Fort was at one point of time the headquarters of the Vijayanagara Empire...
, and crowned the namesake son of the former emperor.
Yachama Naidu opposed the plans of Jagga Raya and, with the help of a washer man, smuggled Sriranga’s 12-year-old second son, Rama, from the fort. However, a subsequent attempt by Yachama Naidu to bring Sriranga II and his family through an underground escape tunnel was discovered, making Sriranga II’s confinement more severe.
Finally, Yachama Naidu arranged with the captain of the Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort is a large 16th-century fort situated in Vellore city near Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The Fort was at one point of time the headquarters of the Vijayanagara Empire...
to murder the guards and release Sriranga II and his family. The guards were eventually killed, but the news reached Jagga Raya first, and he rushed in before Yachama Naidu could succeed, killing the captive king, Sriranga II, and his entire family.
Aftermath
Yachama attacked ChandragiriChandragiri
Chandragiri , is a suburb of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India. Recently it is included under Municipal Corporation limits of Tirupati...
and captured the fort but the putative heir of Venkata II and few of his nobles managed to escape from the fort and joined the Jagga raya's camp. The murder of the Royal family created shock and horror throughout the kingdom, fomenting hatred of Jagga Raya and his group. As a result, when Yachama headed his forces towards the Vellore fort there was no one to oppose him and the fort was surrendered without any resistance. Many nobles and chieftains deserted the Jagga Raya faction and joined Yachama's camp, which backed a legal royal claimant.
Thus Sriranga II was killed within four months of his accession, but one of his sons, Ramadeva, escaped from the massacre to become the next King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
, after winning a gruesome war of succession (Battle of Toppur) in 1617.