Former princely state in present-day Kerala, SW India; successively under Indian Tamils, Hindu kings, and Muslim rule; became an independent state (mid-18th-c); under British protection, 1795; following Indian independence, Travancore and Cochin merged to form the state of Travancore-Cochin, renamed Kerala in 1956.
Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor (Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര് [Tiruvitāńkūr], തിരുവിതാംകൂര് [Tiruvitāṃkūr], തിരുവിതാങ്കോട് [Tiruvitāńkoṭ]) was a princely state in India with its capital at Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram). The state comprised most of south Kerala and the modern Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu and it had a 19-gun salute in the British Empire. Travancore was merged with the other Malayalam-speaking state of Cochin on 1 July 1949 to form Travancore-Cochin, and later with the Malabar district of Madras State on 1 November 1956 to form the south Indian state of Kerala.
Geography
Travancore was located in Southern Kerala.
The former kingdom's geography is defined by three natural terrains - a coastal area to the west, a midland in the centre and mountain peaks as high as 9,000 feet on the east.
History
Early history of the Region
The region was ruled by the Ay Dynasty during the first Sangham age (circa 300 BC – 600 AD) and was the scene of many battles between the Kulashekaras and the Cholas during the second Sangham age (circa 850–1400 AD), when Vizhinjam, the capital, was sacked by the Cholas.
Eighteenth century
Marthanda Varma
The modern history of Travancore begins with Marthanda Varma who inherited the kingdom of Venad, and expanded it into Travancore during his reign 1729–1758. He signed a treaty with the British East India company and with their help destroyed the power of the eight feudal land lords (Ettuveetil Pillamar) who supported the Thampi sons of the king Maharaja Rama Varma. He succeeded in defeating the Dutch East India Company during the Travancore–Dutch war, the most decisive engagement of which was the Battle of Colachel (10 August 1741) in which the Dutch Admiral De Lennoy was captured. Padmanaabha of Trivandrum (the Trippadidaanam) and from then on the rulers of Travancore ruled the kingdom as the servants of Sri. In 1757 AD, a treaty was concluded between Travancore and Cochin, ensuring peace and stabilty on the Northern border. Admiral De Lennoy, who was captured as a Prisoner of war in the famous Battle of Colachel was given appointment as the Senior Admiral (Valiya kappithan).He modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery. He made the 'maravan pada' as his personal security guard and a special security force based on colachel serving the Travancore kingdom.
Dharma Raja
His successor Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma who was popularly known as Dharma Raja, shifted the capital in 1795 from Padmanabhapuram (see also Padmanabhapuram Palace) to Thiruvananthapuram. RamaVarma's period is considered as a golden age in the history of Travancore. He was greatly assisted by a very efficient administrator, Raja Kesavadas, who was the Diwan of Travancore.
During his reign, Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore attacked Travancore in A.D.1791. The Travancore forces withstood the Sultan for 6 months, and the Maharajah appealed to the British East India Company for aid, starting a precedent which led to the installation of a British resident in the country. The British resident, Colonel Macaulay, managed to engage the ruler in treaties which effectively made the state a protectorate of the East India Company and ended its autonomy. Tipu Sultan was defeated and he did not trouble Travancore anymore till his death in 1799 during the Fourth Mysore War.
Balarama Varma
On his death in 1798, Balarama Varma took over at the age of sixteen. The British defeated Velu Thampi at battles near Nagercoil and Kollam and the Maharajah, who had till then refused to take any active open part in the fight, turned against Velu Thampi.
19th and early 20th Century
Balarama Varma was succeeded by Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bai in AD 1810–1815 with the blessings of the British.
The next ruler Maharajah Utharadam Tirunal Marthanda Varma AD 1847–1860 abolished slavery in the kingdom in 1853, and restrictions on the dress codes of certain castes in 1859.
The reign of Sri Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma AD 1885–1924 saw the establishment of many colleges and schools.
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi ruled as the regent from AD 1924–1931.
The last ruler of Travancore was Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma AD 1931–1949. He made the temple entry proclamation on 12 November 1936, which opened all the Kshetrams (Hindu temples in Kerala) in Travancore to all Hindus, a privilege reserved to only the upper caste Hindus till then. Ramaswami Iyer was unpopular among the general public of Travancore. When the British decided to grant independence to India, the minister declared that Travancore would remain as an independent country. This was brutally crushed by the Travancore army and navy leading to hundreds of deaths. After this, the Maharajah agreed to join India and Travancore was absorbed into the Indian union.
Postcolonial Travancore
The movement for the unification of the lands where Malayalam was spoken as the mother tongue took concrete shape at the State People's Conference held in Ernakulam in April 1928, and a resolution was passed therein calling for Aikya Kerala ("United Kerala"). On July 1, 1949 A.D., the State of Travancore-Cochin was established, with the Maharajah of Travancore as the Rajapramukh of the new State. 1954, the Travancore Tamilnadu Congress launched a campaign for the merger of the Tamil speaking regions of Southern Travancore with the neighbouring area of Madras. Under the State Reorganisation Act of 1956, the four southern taluks of Travancore, namely Tovala, Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode and a part of the Chencotta Taluk was merged with Madras state. The State of Kerala came into existence on November 1, 1956 A.D.
The Maharajah was stripped of all his ranks and privileges according to the twenty-sixth amendment of the Indian constitution act of July 31, 1971 A.D.
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