Marthanda Varma

Marthanda Varma (Anizham Thirunal) (Malayalam: മാര്‍ത്താണ്ഡ വര്‍മ്മ), (1706–1758) was the Maharajah of the Indian princely state of Travancore from 1729 till his death in 1758, having succeeded his maternal uncle Rajah Rama Varma. He is credited as the "maker of modern Travancore".

Early life

Marthanda Varma was born in 1706 as the son of the Junior Rani of Attingal (the queens of Travancore were styled as the Ranis of Attingal) whose entire family, including herself, a sister who died, and two brothers including the said Rajah Rama Varma had been adopted by Umayamma Rani of Venad on the failure of heirs in the Venad Royal house from Kolathunaad or Ezhimala Hill kingdom of North Kerala. Kolathiris founded the Attingal Matriarchal dynasty in 1314 AD replacing the southern Nair dynasty after the reign of Udayamarthandavarma, king of Venad. Travancore at this time was known as Venad and was a very small principality extending from Attingal in the north till Kanyakumari, the southern-most tip of the Indian sub continent. Within this small kingdom the power of the king was only nominal due to the power of the nobles known as Madampis, chief among them being the Ettuveetil Pillamar or...
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