Travancore

Kingdom of Travancore
Thiruvithaamkoor Rajyam
1729–1949
Travancore
Flag
Conch in wreath, guarded by two elephants on either side Padmanabhapuram (1729–1795) Trivandrum (1795–1949)
Coat of arms
Motto: ധർമോസ്മത്ത് കുലദൈവതം
Dharmōsmat Kuladaivatam
(English: "Charity is our household divinity")
Anthem: വഞ്ചീശ മംഗളം
Vancheesha Mangalam
(1937–1949)
(English:"Victory to the Lord of Vanchi")
Location of the Kingdom of Travancore (in red) in India (in green)
Location of the Kingdom of Travancore (in red) in India (in green)
Common languagesMalayalam (official) Tamil (Minority)
Religion
Majority: Hinduism (official)
Minority:
Chiefly Christianity and Islam
Small communities of Jews, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians
GovernmentMonarchy
Maharaja 
• 1729–1758 (first)
Marthanda Varma
• 1829–1846 (peak)
Swathi Thirunal
• 1931–1949 (last)
Chithira Thirunal
Diwan 
• 1729–1736
Arumukan Pillai
• 1838–1839 (peak)
R. Venkata Rao
• 1947–1949 (last)
P. G. N. Unnithan
Historical eraAge of Imperialism
• Established
1729
• Subsidiary alliance with the East India Company
1795
• Vassal of India
1947
• Merger with Kingdom of Cochin
1 July 1949
• Disestablished
1949
Area
1941[1]19,844 km2 (7,662 sq mi)
Population
• 1941[1]
6,070,018
CurrencyTravancore Rupee
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Venad
Travancore-Cochin
Today part ofIndia

The Kingdom of Travancore (/ˈtrævəŋkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor (Malayalam: [t̪iɾuʋid̪aːŋɡuːr]) or later as Travancore State, was kingdom that lasted from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At its zenith, the kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala (Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, major portions of Ernakulam district, Puthenchira village of Thrissur district) and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari district and some parts of Tenkasi district) with the Thachudaya Kaimal's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin.[2] However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India.

Malabar District of Madras Presidency to the north,[3] Madurai and Tirunelveli districts of Pandya Nadu region in Madras Presidency to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west.[4]

Travancore was divided into five divisions: Padmanabhapuram, Trivandrum, Quilon, Kottayam, and Devikulam, of which Padmanabhapuram and Devikulam was predominantly Tamil speaking region with small Malayalam speaking minorities.[5] The divisions of Trivandrum,Kollam,Kottayam was predominantly Malayalam speaking region with small Tamil speaking Minority.[5]

King Marthanda Varma inherited the small feudal state of Venad in 1723, and built it into Travancore. Marthanda Varma led the Travancorean forces during the Travancore-Dutch War of 1739–46, which culminated in the Battle of Colachel. The defeat of the Dutch by Travancore is considered the earliest example of an organised power from Asia overcoming European military technology and tactics.[6] Marthanda Varma went on to conquer most of the smaller principalities of the native rulers.

The Travancore royal family signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authority and the loss of political independence for Travancore.[7][8] They had to give up their ruling rights over the common people in 1949 when Travancore were forced to merge with Independent India.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 1941Census was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ British Archives http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/d3e53001-d49e-4d4d-bcb2-9f8daaffe2e0
  3. ^ Census of India, 1901. 1903.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thiruvithamkoor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference r1881 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Sanjeev Sanyal (10 August 2016). The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History. Penguin Books Limited. pp. 183–. ISBN 978-93-86057-61-7.
  7. ^ "Travancore and the friendship alliance with the British and its consequences" (PDF). International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research. 8 (2): 90–91. ISSN 2455-2070.
  8. ^ Nair, T. P. Sankarankutty (13 February 1978). "A New Look on Travancore Revolt". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 39: 627–633. JSTOR 44139406.