Mudigonda Chalukyas

845 AD - 1200 AD
Founder : Ranamarda
Capital : Mudigonda

The Mudigonda Chalukyas were based east of the Kakatiya territories. They hailed from the village of Mudigonda (located near modern Khammam), and ruled most of modern-day Khammam district and east area of Warangal between the 8th and 12th centuries. They were originally subordinates of the Chalukyas of Vengi, but later passed under the suzerainty of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. From c.1000 onwards, Bottu Beta and his successors ruled as subordinates of the Kakatiyas.

The history of family is known to us from the Mogilicheruvula grant of Kusumayudha IV, Kukunuru plates (krivvaka grant) of Kusumaditya and Nattaramesvaram records.

Their kingdom bordered the kingdoms of Vengi and Malkhed.
Gonagudu I

Kokkiraja, Son
Ruled from Capital Mudigonda.
Kokkiraja was a valorous king who ruled the kingdom with the help of his brother Ranamarda.

c. 865 AD - c. 890 AD : Ranamarda, Brother

According to Mogilicharla inscription he developed Manchikonda, Kondapalli as cities and reportedly wore a necklace called 'Ranamarda Kantiya' to denote his victories.

c. 890 AD - c. 915 AD : Kusumayudha I

Kusumayudha belongs to the `Ranamarda' family of the Mudugonda Chalukya lineage. In this connection it is stated in the inscription that Kusumayudha was the ornament of the Ranamarda family (Ranamardd=anvaya-kula-tilaka) and that he restored the 'Ranamarda- kanthi' to the Eastern Chalukya king namely Chalukya Bhima, son of Vikramaditya, which he had wrested from 'Kannara Ballaha',- a title of Krishna II of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, who obviously had taken possession of it earlier.

 

c. 895 AD : Kusumayudha I aided the escape of Vengi Chalukya Bhima I (892 - 921) from Rashtrakuta Vassal Vemulawada Chalukya Baddega I (c.850-895) who showed dauntless courage and remarkable bravery in restoring the Vengi kingdom to Chalukya Bhima I.

Kannara Ballaha or Krishna Vallabha who was a contemporary of Chalukya Bhima is none other than the Rashtrakūta king Krishna II who ruled from 878 A.D. to 914 A.D. He was an enemy of the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. He suffered defeat and humiliation at the hands of Gunaga Vijayaditya III, the paternal uncle and predecessor of Chalukya Bhima I. The death of the former in 892 A.D., the succession of the latter to the throne, and internal dissensions in the Eastern Chalukyan royal family gave Krishna II an excellent opportunity to avenge his former defeats. Now, the Mudugonda Chalukyas were the vassals of the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi; and their territory lay in between the Eastern Chalukya and Rashtrakūta dominions. Krishna II., therefore, had to pass through their territory during his advance on Vengi. He was obviously successful in seizing it. That was how the Ranamarda country fell into his hands. Kusumayudha I, as stated in the Koravi inscription, succeeded in wresting it back from him and investing his overlord, Chalukya Bhima I, with it.

Kusumayudha has 2 sons Vijayaditya Gonaga and Niravadya.

c. 915 AD - 933 AD : Vijayaditya Gonaga / Kariya Gonaga or Gonagudu II 

Kusumayudha I was succeeded by his eldest son, Gunaga Bijayita. He seems to have been a powerful warrior. It is stated that solely with the help of his sword he ruled the earth along with Chalukya Bhima, enjoying all the pleasures of royalty. 

Gonagayya who lost his kingdom went to Arikesari II (930 - 955 AD)  of Vemulawada Chalukyas for help.

933 AD : From the Vemulawada inscription of Arikesari II (A.D. 930-955) the chief of Vemulavada Chalukya family, it is known that Bijja sought shelter in his court, when he was attacked by Rashtrakuta Govinda IV (A.D. 930-936). 

Arikesari II offered shelter to Vijayadhithya and made him the ruler of Chennur

933 AD - 936 AD : Niravadya (Nijjayaraja)

935 AD : The Koravi grant mentions that Niravadya brother of Vijayaditya Gonaga usurped the throne.

Probably sided with Govinda IV (930 - 936)

Anungu Gonanga was ruling happily enjoying "kama-bhoga". Besides, we are also told that Gonanga was summoned by Peddana, son of Nalla Meraya of Koravi to his presence and declared, "to me you are a friend beloved as my life; for the help you rendered me I must recompense you what you desire

It is stated that Niravadya set up the present epigraph in order to maintain the privileges granted by his own brother to Koravi; and that he also built Bhimesvaram and a tank etc.

The record recounts that the sovereignty of the Vengi kingdom which was eclipsed (asta) as a result of the invasion of the Rashtraknța king Krishna II, was regained and restored to Chalukya Bhima (892-922), Lord of Vengi, bearing the title Vishnuvardhana and the epithet Saucha-kandarpa. The heroic chief who played a leading role in this achievement by dint of his bravery and prowess of arms was Kusumayudha of the Ranamarda family. In the course of this alien invasion the ancestral estate of the Ranamarda family also fell into the hands of the enemy, but it was recovered. In recognition of this signal service Chalukya Bhima shared half of his kingdom with Kusumayudha who is stated to have been ruling the Vengi country consisting of Manchikonda province and other tracts.

936 AD - c. 965 AD : Kusumayudha II son of Vijayaditya Gonaga
Ruled Koravi region

Arikesari II (930 - 955 AD) of Vemulavada Chalukya defeated Govinda IV (930 - 936) dethroned him and transferred the Rashtrakuta empire to Amogavarsha III (936 - 939) and Koravi to Kusumayudha II son of Vijayaditya Gonaga.

Vijayaditya II

Kusumayudha III
He had four sons Gonaga, Nijjayaraja, Mallapa and Lobhachalaka.
Gonaga and Nijjayaraja came to the throne successively after the death of Kusumayudha III.

Gonaga 

Nijjayaraja

1004 AD : Kusumayudha IV

The Mudugonda Chalukyas moved their capital to a place called Bottu, and adopted "Bottu" as their family name. The exact identity of this place is not certain, but it was located south of Mudigonda. 

Mogalicheruvu grant and Krivvaka inscription was issued by Kusumayudha IV.

Bezawada copper plate inscription – Kusumayudha had donated Kukiparru village to Potamaiah, a Brahmin. Narayani Copper Plate inscription (1004 A.D.)

995 AD : Betaraja I

Viriyala Erra supported by Western Chalukya King Taila II (973 – 997) killed Kakatiya King Gunda IV (950 - 995) and installed Bottu Beta as the ruler of koravi.

Kusumayudha V

Betaraja II

Kusumayudha VI
Kaktiya Rudra in his last days deputed his general Recherla Rudra to subdue the Bottu chief of Koravi. Kusumayudha VI along with his ministers Karunadhi pati, Indaparaju and Devaraju was forced to retreat to the forest and lived underground for 12 years and later recaptured the kingdom.

1200 AD : Nagatiraja
Nagatiraja was the last prominent ruler in this dynasty.
Kakatiya Mahadeva died in 1198 AD and his son Ganapatidev captured, Nagatiraja attacked Kaktiya kingdom. Recherla Rudra came to the rescue and chased away Nagatiraja. 

After the release of Kakatiya Ganapatideva, he annexed the Mudigonda region to the Kaktiya empire. Thus ended the rule of Mudigonda Chalukya dynasty in c.1200 AD.

1213 AD : Palampeta inscription issued by Rudrasenani states that Recharla Rudra defeated the last king of Mudigonda Chalukyas Nagathi Raju. 

1218 AD : According to the Srikakulam inscription, Nagatiraja who lost his kingdom lived in Konalu region.

Bottu Sriramabhadra : Issued inscription in Gopalaswamy temple at Srikakulam.



https://mcrhrdi.gov.in/images/epigraphia/Vol-I.pdf

http://www.sarkarinaukriseva.com/2015/12/vemulawada-mudigonda-chalukyas-telangana-history-notes-వేములవాడ-ముదిగొండ.html
Inscriptions of the Minor Chalukya Dynasties of Andhra Pradesh By Kolluru Suryanarayana
http://www.namasthetelangaana.com/Nipuna-Education/వేములవాడ-ముదిగొండ-చాళుక్యులు-15-2-477398.aspx