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The Musunuri Nayakas were a prominent Telugu people Hindus warrior dynasty that rose to power in the 14th century in the Deccan Plateau region following the fall of the Kakatiya dynasty to the Delhi Sultanate in 1323 Common Era. They originated from the region of Musunuru in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Their emergence marked a significant phase of resistance against northern Muslim forces, in response to the devastation inflicted upon the Telugu states, and represented a resurgence aimed at re-establishing indigenous Hindu rule in the region.
Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka initiated the revolt by uniting various local chieftains to challenge the dominance of the Delhi Sultanate and reclaim Orugallu (Warangal Fort). He first expelled Muslims from Rajahmundry and took control of the region between the Krishna and Godavari River rivers. Aware of the numerical disadvantage, he began ruling from Rekapalle in the Bhadrachalam forest, an area with difficult terrain, and launched guerrilla attacks against Muslim armies. His successor, Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka, continued this mission by leading the confederation of Andhra chieftains and successfully driving the Delhi Sultanate out of Warangal.
The growing power of the Bahmani Kingdom in the Deccan posed a significant threat to the Musunuri domain. The situation was further complicated when the Recherla Nayakas, who had initially been allies in the resistance, shifted their allegiance to the Bahmani rulers. This political shift contributed to the defeat of Kapaya Nayaka, along with the forces of the Vijayanagara Empire, at the Battle of the Bahmani–Vijayanagara War. In 1368, the Recherla Nayakas subsequently annexed the territories that had once been under Musunuri control.
Musunuri Nayakas belonged to the Kamma caste. However, according to Cynthia Talbot, the modern castes of Andhra region did not originate until the late stages of the Vijayanagara Empire. The Musunuri Nayakas were staunch Shaivism, hence Kapaya Nayaka claimed he was divinely appointed by Shiva to protect the dharma of the kingdom.
Prolaya Vema Reddi of the Panta Reddi clan, who seems to have established his own independent rule in Addanki by 1325, is believed to have taken control of the region between the Krishna River and Godavari River rivers, perhaps up to Rajahmundry. Historian M. Rama Rao states that Prolayavema Reddi and Prolaya Nayaka must have made a "joint effort" to drive the Muslim rule out from the area.
In 1330, Prolaya Nayaka published the Vilasa grant, a copper-plate grant near Pithapuram, in which he bemoaned the devastation of the Telugu people brought about by northern Muslim armies, and attempted to legitimise himself as the rightful restorer of order.; ; Prolaya Nayaka left no children and was succeeded by a cousin, Kapaya Nayaka, who governed until 1368 and attempted to further expand his rule.
Muhammad bin Tughluq, who became the Sultan of Delhi in 1324, witnessed numerous rebellions starting in 1330, first in the immediate vicinity in the Ganga-Yamuna doab, which caused a famine in Delhi, and rebellions within ranks in Ma'bar (Madurai) and Bengal. It is possible that Kapaya Nayaka advanced in the direction of Warangal in this period, acquiring some of its territory. Consequently, Telangana was also counted among the rebellious territories. In 1334–35, the Sultan marched on Deccan in an attempt to quell the rebellions, but his army was struck by some kind of epidemic and the Sultan himself fell gravely ill. He was forced to retreat to Delhi via Daulatabad. It is said that about a third of his army perished due to the epidemic.
Ferishta narrates that, around this time, Kapaya Nayaka approached the Hoysala Empire ruler Veera Ballala III for assistance in evicting the Sultanate from Warangal. After consideration, assistance was offered.
Historian R. C. Majumdar characterizes it as a 'national revolt' backed up by a regular army. Governor Malik Maqbul found himself unable to withstand the rebellion and fled to Delhi. Ferishta states that Kapaya Nayaka and Ballala III then jointly marched on the newly declared Madurai Sultanate and divested it of its outlying territories, in particular Tondaimandalam.
Despite his supposed opposition to the Dehlavi Sultans, Kapaya Nayaka continued using the Kush Mahal built by the Sultans in Warangal and adopted the Persianised title "Sultan of the Andhra country" ( ). In 1361, he gifted to the Bahmani Sultan Mohammed Shah I the Turquoise throne of Warangal, made during the Delhi rule, as part of a treaty agreement.
After the death of Kapaya Nayaka, his allied Nayakas are said to have returned to their own towns, and the period of the Musunuri family ended. The Recherla Nayakas became the dominant power in the Telangana that lasted till 1435.
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