PRINCELY KINGDOM
HISTORY OF MYSORE

WODEYARS
Though the Wodeyars ruled Mysore as small chieftens much before 1399, it is only during 1399, Yaduraya founded this dynasty.  Chronologywise, following rulers reigned this petty kingdom as feudatories without much remarkable events. They were :

1. Yaduraya (1399 - 1423 AD)
2. Hiriya Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar (1423 - 1459 AD)
3. Thimmaraja Wodeyar (1459 - 1479 AD)
4. Hiriya Chamaraja Wodeyar (1479 - 1513 AD)
5. Hiriya bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar II (1513 - 1553 AD)
6. Bola Chamaraja Wodeyar (1572 - 1576 AD)
7. Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar III (1576 - 1578.

The next ruler Raja Wodeyar (1578 - 1617 AD) emerged as the first powerful ruler of the Wodeyar lineage.  During his reign, Srirangapatna had owed its allegiance to the Vijayanagara kingdom.  The decline of the powerful Vijayanagara kingdom was a fortune to him, he defeated the representative of Srirangapatna in a battle at Kesare near Mysore and made Srirangapatna as
his capital.  He revived subsequently the tradition of Vijayanagara and celebrated the famous Dasara for the first time in Srirangapatna.  The next ruler Raja Wodeyar ruled for a brief period of two years (1637 - 1638 AD) after the reign of Chamaraja Wodeyar (1617 - 1637 AD).

The next successful ruler of the lineage was Sri Ranadhira Kantirava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1638 - 1659 AD).  The attafck from the Bijapur Shahis were put down by him and the kingdom saw lot of economic reforms.  Coinage was first introduced by him in Wodeyar dynasty.  He built forts at both Srirangapatna and Mysore. Subsequent ruler Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar (1659 - 1673 AD) expanded his kingdom by acquiring the area of Shivappa Nayaka of the Keladi family at Ikkeri and the Palegars of Madurai and Trichy were subjugated.

The reign of Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (1673 - 1704 AD) was a golden period in mysore history.  His administration with lot of reforms and the explansion of his territory is worth mentioning.  He built agraharas, chavadis and storehouses etc., and attracted scholars.  The literature flourished under him.  The next successor Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1704 - 1714 AD), Dodda Krishnaraja Wodeyar (1732 - 1734 AD) succeeded in maintaining theterritory, but without any special mentions.  But the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar - II (1734 - 1766) was not that stable, Hyder and Tipu became the virtual ruler of Mysore.  Both Hyder and Tipu were in total control of the territory till their kingdom was plundered by the allied team of British, Maratha and the Nizam Shahis in 1799.

During the interregnum, Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar (1770 - 1776 AD) and Khasa Chamaraja Wodeyar (1766 - 1796 AD) reigned Mysore.  Upon Tipu's death, the five year old Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was installed and the regent Dewan Purnaiya took care of the administration. The next ruler Chamaraja Wodeyar reigned long like his father (1868 - 1895 AD).  Chamaraja Wodeyar IV was the 24th ruler of the kingdom, Dewan Sir M Vishweswarayya and Mirz Ismail assisted him in transforming this kingdom into a modern city.  After his death in 1940, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar became the 25th ruler but the kingdom was soon absorbed into the democratic India as a state.  The monarchical ruler ended, but the Wodeyar family still owns the fame and the royal assets today.

LAST UPDATED 1st Nov 2001
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Coinage of Wodeyars  Map  Time-Line