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{{Short description|12th–14th century Indian dynasty}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Kakatiya dynasty
| common_name            = Kakatiya dynasty
| image_flag             =
|image_map              = Map of the Kakatiyas.png
|image_map_alt          = Map of the Kakatiyas.
|image_map_caption      = Map of the Kakatiyas, circa 1150–1300 CE.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical Atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |page=147, map XIV.3 (<span class="ltr">b</span>)|isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=185}}</ref>
| today                  = India
| status                 = Empire
| status_text            = Empire<br /><small>(Subordinate to [[Western Chalukyas]] until 1163)</small>
| government_type        = Monarchy
| year_start             = 1163{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=26}}
| year_end               = 1323
| date_end               = 9 November 
| event_pre              = Earliest rulers
| date_pre               = {{circa}} 800
| p1                     = Eastern Chalukyas
| p2                     = Western Chalukya Empire
| s1                     = Reddi Kingdom
| s2                     = Musunuri Nayakas
| s3                     = Delhi Sultanate
| s4                     = Bahmani Sultanate
| s5                     = Vijayanagara Empire
| flag                   =
| capital                = Orugallu ([[Warangal]])
| common_languages       = [[Telugu language|Telugu]]<br/>[[Sanskrit]]<br/>[[Kannada language|Kannada]]{{sfn|Rao|1993|p=22}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Precolonial India in Practice Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra |date=20 September 2001 
 |quote=The Kakatiyas first issued inscriptions in Kannada that were very closely modelled on those of their imperial overlords, the Chalukyas of Kalyani 
 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-803123-9 
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfAKljlCJq0C&dq=Kakatiya+kannada&pg=PA35}}</ref>
| religion               = [[Hinduism]] (Converted from [[Jainism]]){{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=25}}
| title_leader           = [[Monarch|King]]
| demonym                =
| area_km2               =
| area_rank              =
| GDP_PPP                =
| GDP_PPP_year           =
| HDI                    =
| HDI_year               =
}}
{{APhistory}}

The '''Kakatiya dynasty''' ([[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: Kākatīya){{efn|Sanskrit: काकतीय; <small>romanised</small>: ''kākatīya''; [[Telugu language|Telugu]]: కాకతీయులు; [[Kannada]]: ಕಾಕತೀಯ}} was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dr. Mamidi |first=Harikrishna |author-link=Mamidi Harikrishna |date=2023-10-19 |title=Rise and fall of Kakatiyas, turning point in Indian history |url=https://telanganatoday.com/rise-and-fall-of-kakatiyas-turning-point-in-indian-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019020424/https://telanganatoday.com/rise-and-fall-of-kakatiyas-turning-point-in-indian-history |archive-date=2023-10-19 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Telangana Today |language=en-US}}</ref> Their territory comprised much of the present day [[Telangana]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]], and parts of eastern [[Karnataka]], northern [[Tamil Nadu]], and southern [[Odisha]].{{sfn|Ventakaramanayya|1942|pp=1–2}}<ref>For a map of their territory see: {{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |page=147, map XIV.3 (<span class="ltr">b</span>)|isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=185}}</ref> Their capital was Orugallu, now known as [[Warangal]].The Kakatiya rulers traced their ancestry to a legendary chief or ruler named [[Durjaya (Andhra chieftain)|Durjaya]], a descendant of [[Karikala Chola]].  

Early Kakatiya rulers served as feudatories to [[Rashtrakuta dynasty|Rashtrakutas]] and [[Western Chalukya Empire|Western Chalukyas]] for more than two centuries. They assumed sovereignty under Prataparudra I in 1163 CE by suppressing other Chalukya subordinates in the Telangana region.<ref name=":0" /> [[Ganapati (Kakatiya dynasty)|Ganapati Deva]] (r. 1199–1262) significantly expanded Kakatiya lands during the 1230s and brought under Kakatiya control the Telugu-speaking lowland delta areas around the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and [[Krishna River|Krishna]] rivers. Ganapati Deva was succeeded by [[Rudrama Devi]] (r. 1262–1289) who is one of the few queens in Indian history. [[Marco Polo]], who visited India around 1289–1293, made note of Rudrama Devi's rule and nature in flattering terms. She successfully repelled the attacks of [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadavas]] (Seuna) of Devagiri into the Kakatiyan territory.<ref name=":0" />

In 1303, [[Alauddin Khalji]], the emperor of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] invaded the Kakatiya territory which ended up as a disaster for the Turks.{{efn|{{harvtxt|Sharma|1957|p=234}}: "Vennama, the son of Dāma, led his troops in a defeat of the Turks very probably during Ala-ud-din Khalji's first invasion of Telangana in 1303. This success against the Turkish arms took place in the battle of Upparapalli, where Potuganti Maili is said to have put the enemies to flight."}} But after the successful [[Siege of Warangal (1310)|siege]] of Warangal in 1310, Prataparudra II was forced to pay annual [[tribute]] to Delhi. Another attack by [[Muhammad bin Tughluq|Ulugh Khan]] (i.e. Tughluq) in 1323 saw stiff resistance by the Kakatiyan army, but they were finally defeated. The demise of Kakatiya dynasty resulted in confusion and anarchy under alien rulers for sometime, before [[Musunuri Nayaks]] united the various Telugu clans and recovered [[Warangal]] from the [[Delhi Sultanate]].<ref>{{harvnb|Talbot|2001|p=178}}; {{harvnb|Eaton|2005|pp=26–27}}; {{harvnb|Chattopadhyaya|1998|pp=57–59}}</ref>

Kakatiyas unified the distinct upland and lowland cultures of Telugu lands, which brought into being a feeling of cultural affinity between those who spoke the [[Telugu language]]. Kakatiya period also saw the construction of reservoirs for irrigation in the uplands called "tanks" many of which are still used today. They were egalitarian in nature and anyone, regardless of birth, could acquire the ''[[Nayak (title)|nayaka]]'' title that denoted the warrior status. They recruited peasants into the military which resulted in a new warrior class and provided social mobility. Kakatiya era also saw the development of a distinct style of architecture which improved and innovated upon the existing modes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=B. Satyanarayana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SujVAAAAMAAJ|title=The Art and Architecture of the Kākatīyas|date=1999|publisher=Bharatiya Kala Prakashan|isbn=978-81-86050-34-7|pages=33, 65|language=en}}</ref> Most notable examples are the [[Thousand Pillar Temple]] in [[Hanamkonda]], [[Ramappa Temple]] in Palampet, [[Warangal Fort]], [[Golconda Fort]] and [[Kota Gullu]] in [[Ghanpur, Mulugu district|Ghanpur]].

== Etymology and names ==

Studies of the inscriptions and coinage by the historian [[Dineshchandra Sircar]] reveal that there was no contemporary standard spelling of the family name. Variants include ''Kakatiya'', ''Kakatiyya'', ''Kakita'', ''Kakati'' and ''Kakatya''. The family name was often prefixed to the name of the monarch, giving constructs such as ''Kakatiya-Prataparudra''. Some of the monarchs also had alternate names; for example, ''Venkata'' and ''Venkataraya'' may have been alternate names of Prataparuda I, with the former appearing on a coin in the form ''Venkata-Kakatiya''.{{sfn|Sircar|2008|p=241}}{{efn|Kakatiya coins bore the [[Nandinagari]] script.({{harvnb|Prasad|1988|p=9}})}}

According to Kakatiya inscriptions, the family's name derives from the name of a place called Kakati. However, Kumarasvami Somapithin, in his 15th-century commentary on Vidynatha's ''Prataparudra-Yashobhushanam'' or ''Prataparudriya'' states that the family was named after their tutelary goddess Kakati, a form of [[Durga]].{{sfn|Sharma|1957|p=196}}{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=24-25}} It is possible that the early Kakatiya chiefs resided at a place called Kakati, which had a shrine of their tutelary goddess.{{sfn|Sharma|1957|p=197}}{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=22-23}}

Although the Hindu mythological texts do not mention any such form of Durga, the worship of a goddess named Kakati is attested by several other sources. For example, Vallabharaya's ''Krida-bhiramamu'' mentions an image of Kakatamma ("Mother Kakati") in the Kakatiya capital Orugallu. The 16th century [[Shitab Khan|Shitap Khan]] inscription mentions the reinstallation of the image of goddess Jaganmatruka (mother of the universe) and the lotus seat of the Kakatirajya, which had been destroyed by the [[Turkic peoples|Turushka]]s (Turkic people).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=22}} According to one theory, Kakati was originally a [[Jainism|Jain]] goddess (possibly [[Padmavati (Jainism)|Padmavati]]) and later came to be regarded as a form of Durga.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=24-25}}

The [[Bayyaram]] tank inscription from the reign of Ganapati-deva states that the Kakatiya chief Venna (c. 9th century) resided at Kakati, because of which his descendants came to be known as Kakatishas ("lords of Kakati").{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=22, 37}} Ganapati-deva's Garavapadu charter traces the family's ancestry to [[Durjaya (Andhra chieftain)|Durjaya]], a descendant of [[Karikala Chola]] arrived at a town called Kakati during a hunting expedition, and set up his camp there.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=22-23}} The modern identity of Kakati is uncertain: different historians have variously attempted to identify it with modern Kakati village in [[Karnataka]] and [[Kanker, Chhattisgarh|Kanker]] in [[Chhattisgarh]]. ''Siddheshvara-Charitra'', a later literary work, states that the ancestors of the Kakatiya family lived at Kandarapura (identified with modern [[Kandhar]] in [[Maharashtra]]). However, no other evidence supports this tradition.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=23}} Later, the Kakatiya capital Orugallu (present-day Warangal) was also called "Kakati-pura" ("Kakati town"), as attested by some inscriptions of the dynasty.{{sfn|Sharma|1957|p=197}}

== Sources ==
[[File:Vishnu with His Mount, Garuda, His Consort, Lakshmi, and Attendants, 12-13th century, Kakatiya period. Andhra Pradesh, Kalyani region, India.jpg|thumb|Vishnu with his mount, Garuda, his consort, Lakshmi, and attendants, 12-13th century, Kakatiya period. Kalyani region, [[Andhra Pradesh]], India]]
Much of the information about the Kakatiya period comes from inscriptions, including around 1,000 stone inscriptions, and 12 copper-plate inscriptions.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=3-6}} Most of these inscriptions document matters relating to religion, such as donations to [[Hindu]] temples. They are particularly abundant for the period 1175–1324 CE, which is the period when the dynasty most flourished and are a reflection of that. The probability is that many inscriptions have been lost due to buildings falling into disuse and also the ravages of subsequent rulers, most notably the Muslim [[Mughal Empire]] in the [[Telangana]] region. Inscriptions are still being discovered today but governmental agencies tend to concentrate on recording those that are already known rather than searching for new examples.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|pp=11, 17, 19}} A 1978 book written by [[P. V. Parabrahma Sastry|P.V.P. Sastry]] on the history of the Kakatiyas, published by the Government of Andhra Pradesh also constitutes one of the sources.

Information about the Kakatiya period also comes from [[Sanskrit]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] literary works written during Kakatiya and post-Kakatiya period. The most notable among these works include ''Prataparudriyam'', ''Krida-bhiramamu'', ''Panditaradhya-charitamu'', ''Sivayogasaramu'', ''Nitisara'', ''Niti-sastra-muktavali'', ''Nrutya-ratnavali'', ''Pratapa-charita'', ''Siddhesvara-charitra'', ''Somadeva-rajiyamu'', ''Palnativira-charitra'', ''Velugotivari-vamsavali'', and ''Velugotivari-vamsacharitra''.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=8-12}} Chronicles by Muslim authors such as [[Isami (historian)|Isami]] and [[Firishta]] describe Prataparudra's defeats against the Muslim armies. The [[Kannada language|Kannada]] text ''Kumara-Ramana-charita'' also provides information about Prataparudra's relations with the [[Kampili kingdom]].{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=12}}

Besides epigraphs and literature, the forts, temples and tanks constructed during the Kakatiya period are an important source of information about contemporary society, art and architecture.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=12-13}}

== Origin ==

The Kakatiya rulers traced their ancestry to a legendary chief or ruler named [[Durjaya (Andhra chieftain)|Durjaya]], a descendant of [[Karikala Chola]]. Many other ruling dynasties of Andhra also claimed descent from Durjaya.  Nothing further is known about this chief.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=53}}

Most of the Kakatiya records do not mention the [[Varna (Hinduism)|Varna]] (social class) of the family, but the majority of the ones that do, proudly describe them as [[Shudra]].{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=51}} Examples include the Bothpur and Vaddamanu inscriptions of Ganapati's general Malyala Gunda ''senani''. The Kakatiyas also maintained marital relations with other Shudra families, such as the [[Kota Vamsa|Kotas]] and the [[Natavadi]] chiefs. All this evidence indicates that the Kakatiyas were of Shudra origin.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=29}}

A few copper-plate inscriptions of the Kakatiya family describe them as belonging to the [[Kshatriya]] (warrior) varna. These inscriptions primarily document grants to [[brahmin|Brahmans]], and appear to be inspired by the genealogies of the [[Chola Empire|Imperial Cholas]].{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=51}} For example, the [[Motupalli]] inscription of Ganapati counts legendary [[solar dynasty]] kings such as [[Rama]] among the ancestors of Durjaya, the progenitor of the Kakatiya family. The Malkapuram inscription of Visvesvara Sivacharya, the preceptor of Kakatiya rulers Ganapati-deva and Rudrama-devi, also connects the Kakatiyas to the solar dynasty (Sūryavaṃsa). {{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=27}} The term "Kshatriya" in these panegyric records appears to signify the family's warrior-like qualities rather than their actual varna.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=27-29}}

=== Relationship to the Rashtrakutas ===
[[File:Periodo hoysala-kakatiya, kubera, prov. sconosciuta, 1100-1350 dc ca.jpg|thumb|Kubera, Hoysala-Kakatiya period, 1100-1350 CE.]]

According to an interpretation of the Mangallu and the [[Bayyaram]] inscriptions, the Kakatiyas were not just [[Rashtrakuta]] vassals, but also a branch of the Rashtrakuta family.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x1zt3Uv9rF8C&dq=rashtrakuta+gundyana&pg=PA3 |title=Arch. Series |date=1960 |publisher=Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Archaeology |language=en}}</ref>

The 956 CE Mangallu inscription was issued by the [[Chalukyas of Vengi|Vengi Chalukya]] prince Dānārnava, at the request of the Kakatiya chief [[Gunda IV]].{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=2, 39-40}} The inscription names Gundyana's ancestors as Gundiya-Rashtrakuta ([[Gunda III]]) and Eriya-Rashtrakuta ([[Erra (Kakatiya dynasty)|Erra]]).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=16}} This suggests that Gunda IV was a Rashtrakuta general, and not a Vengi Chalukya subordinate, as assumed by some earlier historians.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=16}}

The [[Bayyaram]] tank inscription, which records the construction of the ''Dharma-kirti-samudra'' tank by Ganapati's sister Mailama (or Mailamba), provides another genealogical list.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=30}} The similarities of names mentioned in the Mangallu and Bayyaram inscriptions lists suggest that both of these refer to the same family:{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=17-18}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Genealogical list of early Kakatiyas{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=17}}
! Mangallu grant inscription !! Bayyaram tank inscription
|-
| Kakatiya family || Durjaya family
|-
|  || Venna-''nripa''
|-
| Gundiya Rashtrakuta || Gunda I
|-
|  || Gunda II
|-
|  || Gunda III
|-
| Eriya Rashtrakuta || Erra
|-
| Betiya (married Vandyanamba) ||
|-
| Kakartya Gundyana || Pindi-Gunda (Gunda IV)
|}

The significance of the suffix "Rashtrakuta" in the names of the early Kakatiya chiefs is debated. According to one theory, the suffix only implies that these chiefs were Rashtrakuta subordinates. This theory is based on the fact that the phrase ''Rashtrakuta-kutumbinah'' appears in several Rashtrakuta-era copper-plate inscriptions, and refers to the officers and subjects of the Rashtrakuta kingdom.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=18-19}}

According to another theory, the suffix implies that the Kakatiyas were a branch of the Rashtrakuta family because the term ''Rashtrakuta-kutumbinah'' was used for officers employed by the Rashtrakuta administration, not feudatory chiefs: the early records of the Kakatiya chiefs describe them as ''[[samanta]]s'' (feudatory chiefs).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=19}} The [[Kazipet]] Darga inscription of [[Durgaraja]] states that his father [[Beta II]] was born in the family of [[Samanta]] Viṣṭi.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=20}} Historian P.V.P. Sastry theorises that『Viṣṭi』is a corruption of [[Vrishni]], the name of a clan from which some Rashtrakutas claimed descent. He notes that some chiefs of Rashtrakuta origin adopted the title "Viṭṭi-narayana", which means "as great as Narayana ([[Krishna]]) of the Vitti (Vrishni) family.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=20-21}} Sastry further proposes that the term "Voddi", which appears in the phrase ''Voddi-kula'' ("Voddi family") in the Mangallu inscription may be same as "Viṣṭi".{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=21}} Sastry also believes that the early Kakatiya chiefs followed [[Jainism]], which was also patronized by the Rashtrakutas, thus strengthening the view that the two dynasties were connected (see [[#Religion|Religion]] section below).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=24-25}}

The Kakatiyas seemed to have adopted the mythical bird [[Garuda]] as their royal insignia, as attested by the Ekamranatha temple inscription of Ganapati-deva, the [[Ramappa Temple|Palampet]] inscription of the Kakatiya general [[Recharla Rudra]], and Vidyanatha's ''Prataparudriya''.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=20}} The Bayyaram tank inscription calls the Kakatiya chief Beta I (son of Gunda IV) ''Garudamka''-Beta, and "Garuda" here appears to refer to the family's emblem.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=19, 25}} In Hindu mythology, Garuda is the [[vahana]] of god [[Vishnu]]. The Rashtrakutas and some other dynasties of Deccan claimed descent from the [[Vrishni]] clan (associated with Vishnu's [[avatar]] [[Krishna]]), and had adopted Garuda as their royal insignia.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=19}} According to Sastry, this corroborates the theory that the Kakatiyas were associated with the Rashtrakuta family.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=25}} Sastry further speculates that the Kakatiyas may have adopted the Garuda symbol because of Jain influence: the [[yaksha]] of the Jain [[tirthankara]] [[Shantinatha]] is represented by the Garuda symbol.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=25}} However, when the Kakatiyas switched their allegiance to the [[Chalukyas of Kalyani]], they also adopted the [[varaha]] symbol used by the Chalukyas.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=45}}

Based on Ganapati-deva's Garavapadu inscription, which names [[Karikala Chola]] among the family's ancestors, epigraphist C.R.K. Charlu theorised that the Kakatiyas were a branch of the [[Telugu Cholas]]. However, no other Kakatiya record mentions Karikala, and unlike the Telugu Cholas, the Kakatiyas did not claim to belong to the [[Kashyapa]]-[[gotra]]. Therefore, Sastry dismisses Charlu's theory as untenable.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=21}}

== Early feudatory chiefs ==

The regnal years of the early members of the Kakatiya family are not certain. The earliest known Kakatiya chief is Venna or Vanna (r. c. 800-815), who was born in the family of [[Durjaya (Andhra chieftain)|Durjaya]], a descendant of [[Karikala Chola]] and ruled from Kakati. According to Kakatiya inscriptions, he ruled from a town called Kakati, because of which his family was called Kakatishas ("lords of Kakati"). Not much is known about his successors Gunda I and Gunda II, who ruled during c. 815-865 CE.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=37}} The Bayyaram tank inscription compares his successors - Gunda I, Gunda II, and Gunda III - to the three Ramas ([[Parashurama]], [[Rama|Dasharatha-Rama]], and [[Balarama]]).

The c. 956 CE Mangallu inscription suggests that the Kakatiyas came to the [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speaking region as commanders of the Rashtrakuta armies.{{sfn|Sharma|1957|p=197}} The earliest of these was Venna's son [[Gunda III]], who died during [[Krishna II]]'s invasion of the [[Chalukyas of Vengi|Vengi Chalukya]] kingdom around 895 CE.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=37-39}} Krishna II captured the Kurravadi (possibly present-day [[Kuravi]]) region from the Vengi Chalukyas, and probably appointed Gunda III's son [[Erra (Kakatiya dynasty)|Erra]] as a governor there. Not much is known about Erra's son Betiya.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=39}}

As a Rashtrakuta vassal, Betiya's son [[Gunda IV]] (r. c. 955-995) helped the Vengi Chalukya prince Danarnava ascend the throne after a succession dispute. In 973 CE, after the collapse of the Rashtrakuta empire and the murder of Danarnava, he attempted to carve out an independent principality at [[Kuravi]]. The Mudugonda Chalukyas, whom he had displaced from Kuravi, sought help from the [[Chalukyas of Kalyani|Kalyani Chalukyas]], who had usurped the power from the Rashtrakutas. The Kalyani Chalukya forces probably defeated and killed Gunda IV.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=39-42}} His son [[Beta I]] (r. c. 1000-1052 CE) accepted the Kalyani Chalukya suzerainty and received from them the fief of Anumakonda (modern Hanamakonda), which later became the Kakatiya capital. He distinguished himself in the Chalukya campaigns against the Cholas, during the reign of [[Someshvara I]].{{sfn|Sharma|1957|p=199}}

[[Prola I]] (r. {{circa}} 1052-1076), the son of Beta I, participated in various Chalukya military campaigns, consolidated the Kakatiya control around Anumakonda by defeating local chiefs, and obtained Anumakonda as a hereditary fief.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=46}}{{sfn|Yazdani|1960|p=578}} The Chalukya king granted his son [[Beta II]] (r. {{circa}} 996-1051) the Sabbi-1000 province (the historical Sabbi-nadu region with 1000 villages, centered around [[Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla district|Vemulavada]]).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=48-49}} He was succeeded by his sons, first Durga-raja  and then Prola II (r. c. 1116–1157).{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}}

After the decline of the Rashtrakuta power, the Kakatiyas served as vassals of the [[Chalukyas of Kalyani|Kalyani Chalukyas]]. After the decline of the Chalukya power in the 12th century, they assumed sovereignty by suppressing other Chalukya subordinates in the Telangana region.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=6}}

== As sovereigns ==

=== Prataparudra I ===
{{South Asia in 1175|right|Location of the Kakatiyas and neighbouring South Asian polities in 1175, on the eve of the [[Ghurid Empire]] invasion of the subcontinent.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical Atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |page=37, 147|isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=074}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Eaton |first1=Richard M. |title=India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765 |date=25 July 2019 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-0-14-196655-7 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIF6DwAAQBAJ&pg=PP31 |language=en}}</ref>|{{Annotation|139|169|[[File:Long Fine Rectangle (plain).png|42px]]}}}}
The 1149 Sanigaram inscription of Prola II is the last known record of the Kakatiyas as vassals. The 1163 Anumakonda inscription of [[Rudradeva]] alias Prataparudra I is the earliest known record that describes the Kakatiyas as a sovereign power.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=2}}

According to Sastry, Prataparudra I reigned between around 1158&nbsp;– 1195,{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}} while Sircar gives the dates 1163–1195. He was also known as Rudra Deva, Kakatiya Rudradeva, Venkata, and Venkataraya{{sfn|Sircar|2008|p=241}}{{sfn|Sircar|1979|p=130}} He was the son of Prola II, who had made efforts to assert greater Kakatiya influence on territories in the eastern parts of the declining Western Chalukyan empire and who died in a battle fought against the [[Velanati Chodas|Velanati Choda]] ruler [[Gonka II]] around 1157/1158 while doing so.{{sfn|Prasad|1988|pp=119, 124}}{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=184}} It was during Prataparudra's reign, in 1163, that the Kakatiyas declared an end to their status as [[feudatory]] chiefs of the Chalukyas.{{efn|{{harvtxt|Talbot|2001|p=128}}: "Soon after he came to power, Rudradeva had the Thousand Pillared temple built in [[Hanamkonda]], then the Kakatiya capital. The Sanskrit inscription recording its foundation in 1163 contains an elaborate genealogy of Rudradeva's ancestry... Since it was the earliest of Rudradeva's inscriptions to omit any mention of the Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani, we can assume that the construction of the temple was meant to mark Rudradeva's new status as an overlord in his own right."}} It is notable that inscriptions were henceforth written using the Kakatiya chiefs' vernacular Telugu rather than the [[Kannada language]] that had prevailed until that point.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=13}}

Mahadeva succeeded Prataparudra I as king, reigning probably from 1195 to 1199.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}}

=== Ganapati ===
Just as the Yadava and Hoysala dynasties took control of linguistically related areas during the 13th century, so too did the Kakatiyas under the rule of Ganapati.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=13}} He is also known as Ganapathi Deva and, according to Sastry, reigned between 1199 and 1262; Sircar gives regnal dates of 1199–1260.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}}{{sfn|Sircar|1979|p=130}} He significantly expanded Kakatiya lands during the 1230s when he launched a series of attacks outside the dynasty's traditional Telangana region and thus brought under Kakatiya control the Telugu-speaking lowland delta areas around the Godavari and Krishna rivers. The outcome in the case of all three dynasties, says historian Richard Eaton, was that they "catalysed processes of supralocal identity formation and community building".{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=13}}

The Kakatiya capital at Orugallu, established in 1195, was not forgotten while Ganapati expanded his territory. He organised the building of a massive [[granite]] wall around the city, complete with ramps designed for ease of access to its [[rampart (fortification)|rampart]]s from within. A moat and numerous [[bastion]]s were also constructed.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=17}}

Ganapati was keen to bolster the dynasty's economy. He encouraged merchants to trade abroad, abolishing all taxes except for a fixed duty and supporting those who risked their lives to travel afar.{{sfn|Desai|1962}} He created the man-made [[Pakhal Lake]].

=== Rudrama Devi ===
[[File:Rudramadevi.jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Rudrama Devi]].]]
[[Rudrama Devi]], also known as Rudramadevi, reigned around 1262–1289 CE (alternative dates: 1261–1295 CE) and is one of the few queens in Indian history.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}}{{sfn|Kalia|1994|p=21}}<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=56–58}}</ref>  Sources disagree regarding whether she was the widow of Ganapati or his daughter.{{sfn|Rubiés|2000|p=73}}

[[Marco Polo]], who visited India probably some time around 1289–1293, made note of Rudrama Devi's rule and nature in flattering terms.{{sfn|Rubiés|2000|pp=50, 73}}{{efn|[[Marco Polo]] referred to the kingdom as Mutfili, which was the name for the area around a major port of the dynasty, now known as [[Masulipatnam]].({{harvnb|Chakravarti|1991}})}} She continued the planned fortification of the capital, raising the height of Ganapati's wall as well as adding a second earthen [[curtain wall (fortification)|curtain wall]] {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} in diameter and with an additional {{convert|150|ft|m}}-wide moat.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=17}}

A fragmentary [[Kannada]] language inscription also states that the Kakatiya general Bhairava defeated the Yadava army probably in or after 1263 CE, which may be a reference to his repulsion of [[Mahadeva of Devagiri|Mahadeva]]'s invasion. A coin of Mahadeva bears the Kakatiya emblem [[varaha]] with the Yadava symbols; this varaha may have been stuck on Mahadeva's coins to mark the Kakatiya victory.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.459498/2015.459498.A-Comprehensive_djvu.txt|title=Seuna-Kakatiya|last=T. V.|first=Mahalingam|year=1957|pages=150}}</ref>

Rudrama was married to Virabhadra, an [[Eastern Chalukya]]n prince of [[Nidadavolu]] who had been selected for that purpose by her father.{{sfn|Suryanarayana|1986|p=163}} Having no son as an heir,{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=17}} Rudrama abdicated in favour of her grandson when it became apparent that the expansionist [[sultan]] [[Alauddin Khalji]] was encroaching on the Deccan and might in due course attack the Kakatiyas.{{sfn|Rubiés|2000|p=73}}

=== Prataparudra II ===
The earliest biography of Rudrama Devi's successor, [[Prataparudra II]], is the ''Prataparudra Caritramu'', dating from the 16th century.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=16}} His reign began in 1289 (alternative date: 1295) and ended with the demise of the dynasty in 1323.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=36}}<ref name="sen2"/> It is described by Eaton as the "first chapter in a larger story" that saw the style of polity in the Deccan change from being regional kingdoms to transregional [[sultan]]ates that survived until the arrival of the [[British East India Company]] in the 18th century.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=9-11}}

== Decline ==
[[File:Replica_of_the_Koh-i-Noor_(cropped).jpg|thumb|A replica of the [[Koh-i-Noor]] diamond. The diamond was originally owned by the Kakatiya dynasty.]]

The Kakatiya kingdom attracted the attention of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] ruler [[Alauddin Khalji]] because of the possibility for plunder.{{sfn|Asher|Talbot|2006|p=40}} The first foray into the Kakatiya kingdom was made in 1303 by Malik Chajju, the nephew of the Indian Muslim Wazir [[Nusrat Khan Jalesari]] of Delhi, and [[Muhammad bin Tughluq|Fakhruddin Jauna]],<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=grhhAAAAIAAJ&q=led+by+two+generals+,+Malik+Fakr+-+ud+-+Din+Juna+and+Malik+Chhajju+,+penetrated+into+the+heart+of+Telangana+and+reached+the+vicinity+of+Warangal |title= Andhra Pradesh District Gazetteers:Volume 19 |publisher=Andhra Pradesh (India)|author= M. v Rajagopal |date=1976 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SG8uAQAAIAAJ&q=malik+chajju+nusrat+khan |title= Islamic Culture:Volumes 55-56 |author= Marmaduke Pickthall, Muhammad Asad |date=1981 }}</ref> which was a disaster due to the resistance of the Kakatiya army in the battle at [[Upparapalli]].{{sfn|Kulke|Rothermund|2004|p=160&nbsp;"An earlier attack on Warangal in 1304 had been unsuccessful."}}{{efn|{{harvtxt|Sharma|1957|p=234}}: "Vennama, the son of Dāma, led his troops in a defeat of the Turks very probably during Ala-ud-din Khalji's first invasion of Telangana in 1303. This success against the Turkish arms took place in the battle of Upparapalli, where Potuganti Maili is said to have put the enemies to flight."}} In 1309 the [[Gujaratis|Gujarati]] general, [[Malik Kafur]],<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Qdc3NKpQ5jEC&dq=malik+kafur+gujarati&pg=PA60 |title= By Sweat and Sword |page=63 |author=K. K. Nair  |date=2013 |publisher= KK Nair |isbn= 9788173049736 }}</ref> in an attempt to force Prataparudra into acceptance of a position subordinate to the sultanate at Delhi. Kafur organised a month-long [[Siege of Warangal, 1310|siege of Orugallu]] that ended with success in February 1310. Prataparudra was forced to make various symbolic acts of obeisance designed to demonstrate his new position as a subordinate but, as was Alauddin's plan, he was not removed as ruler of the area but rather forced thereafter to pay annual [[tribute]] to Delhi.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=17–18}} It was probably at this time that the [[Koh-i-Noor]] diamond passed from Kakatiya ownership to that of Alauddin, along with 20,000 horses and 100 elephants.{{sfn|Asher|Talbot|2006|p=40}}

In 1311, Prataparudra formed a part of the sultanate forces that attacked the [[Pandyan Dynasty|Pandyan empire]] in the south, and he took advantage of that situation to quell some of his vassals in [[Nellore]] who had seen his reduced status as an opportunity for independence. Later, though, in 1318, he failed to provide the annual tribute to Delhi, claiming that the potential for being attacked on the journey made it impossible. The succeeding Sultan Mubarak Shah responded by sending another of his Gujarati generals, [[Khusrau Khan]],<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-qHiAAAAMAAJ&q=khusrau+khan+gujarati |title= Gujarat State Gazetteer:Part 1 |page=164 |date=1989 }}</ref> to Orugallu with a force that bristled with technology previously unknown in the area, including [[trebuchet]]-like machines. Prataparudra had to [[Siege of Warangal, 1318|submit once more]], with his obeisance on this occasion being arranged by the sultanate to include a very public display whereby he bowed towards Delhi from the ramparts of Orugallu. The amount of his annual tribute was changed, becoming 100 elephants and 12,000 horses.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=18–19}}

The new arrangements did not last long. Taking advantage of a revolution in Delhi that saw the Khalji dynasty removed and the Punjab-born [[Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq]] installed as sultan,<ref>{{cite book|title=Proceedings - Punjab History Conference Volume 1|publisher=Punjabi University. Dept. of Punjab Historical Studies|date=1966|page=152|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WhFDAAAAYAAJ&q=Ghiyasuddin+Tughluq+is+supposed+to+have+been+born+from+a+Jat+woman+of+Punjab+,+whom+his+Turkish+father+is}}</ref> Prataparudra again asserted his independence in 1320. Tughlaq sent his son, [[Muhammad bin Tughluq|Jauna Khan]], to defeat the defiant Kakatiya king in 1321. Khan's army was riven with internal dissension due to rumours of the king's death, which caused many officers to leave the army.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=L5eFzeyjBTQC&dq=ulugh+khan+warangal&pg=PA95 |title= Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One |author= Satish Chandra |date= 2004 |page=95 |publisher= Har-Anand Publications |isbn= 9788124110645 }}</ref> This caused the siege on this occasion to last much longer&nbsp;— six months, rather than the few weeks that had previously been the case. The attackers were initially repulsed and Khan's forces retreated to regroup in Devagiri. Prataparudra celebrated the apparent victory by opening up his grain stores for public feasting. Khan returned in 1323 with his revitalised and reinforced army and, with few supplies left, Prataparudra was [[Siege of Warangal, 1323|forced into submission]] after a five-month siege. The unprepared and battle-weary army of Orugallu was finally defeated, and Orugallu was renamed Sultanpur. It seems probable, from combining various contemporary and near-contemporary accounts, that Prataparudra committed suicide near to the [[Narmada River]] while being taken as a prisoner to Delhi.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=20-21}}{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=176}}

==Characterization==

=== Geography ===
The Kakatiya base was the city of Orugallu{{sfn|Rao|Shulman|2012|p=17}} in the dry uplands of northern Telangana on the [[Deccan Plateau]]. From there they expanded their influence into [[Coastal Andhra]], the [[river basin|delta]] between the [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and [[Krishna River|Krishna]] rivers that feed into the [[Bay of Bengal]]. According to Rao and Shulman, the latter contained a high proportion of [[Brahmin]]s while the former was the haunt of "peasants, artisans and warriors".{{sfn|Rao|Shulman|2002|p=4}} Under the Kakatiyas, cultural innovation often began in the uplands, was refined in the lowlands and then recycled back into the Deccan. This bi-directional flow of cultural influences brought into being a feeling of cultural affinity between those who spoke the [[Telugu language]] where nothing of that nature had previously existed.{{efn|The term ''andhra bhasa'', meaning ''language of Andhra'', appeared as a synonym for the [[Telugu language]] at least as early as 1053 and suggests an emerging correlation of linguistics and geography. ({{harvnb|Eaton|2005|p=13}}) The linguistic mapping of regions of India continued to the present day and formed a part of the [[States Reorganisation Act, 1956]].}} The unification of the distinct upland and lowland cultures was their most significant political achievement, achieved through a process of binding many locally powerful figures in allegiance to the empire.{{sfn|Rao|Shulman|2012|p=17}}

The area of land under Kakatiya control reached its zenith around the 13th century CE during the rule of Ganapati Deva. By this time, [[South India]] and the Deccan was essentially under the aegis of four Hindu monarchies, of which the Kakatiyas were one.{{efn|Aside from the Kakatiyas, the dominant Hindu monarchies in [[South India]] and the Deccan around the 13th century CE were the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Yadavas]], the [[Hoysala Empire|Hoysalas]] and the [[Pandya Empire|Pandyas]]. The Yadavas, Hoysalas and Kakatiyas had carved up what had been the area controlled by the [[Western Chalukya Empire]], while the Pandyas controlled lands formerly under the [[Chola Empire]].({{harvnb|Ventakaramanayya|1942|p=1}})}}  The four dynasties were in a constant state of warfare with each other, with the Kakatiyas eventually exercising control from close to Anagondi in the west to [[Basavakalyan|Kalyani]] in the north-east, and down to Kanei and [[Ganjam district]] in southern [[Orissa, India|Orissa]].{{sfn|Ventakaramanayya|1942|pp=1–2}}

=== Architecture ===
{{main|Kakatiya architecture|Thousand Pillar Temple|Ramappa Temple|Warangal Fort|Kota Gullu}}
[[File:Master piece of ramappa temple.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|13th century [[Ramappa Temple]] in [[Telangana]].]]
A notable trend during the dynastic period was the construction of reservoirs for irrigation in the uplands, around 5000 of which were built by warrior families subordinate to the Kakatiyas. This dramatically altered the possibilities for development in the sparsely populated dry areas. Many of these edifices, often called "tanks", including the large examples at Pakala and Ramappa, are still used today.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=14}}

Another notable architectural feature of the dynasty relates to temples. Even before the arrival of the dynasty, there were large, well-established and well-endowed Hindu places of worship in the relatively populous delta areas; however, the temples of the uplands, which were smaller and less cosmopolitan in origin and funding, did not exist until the Kakatiya period. In the lowlands, where Brahmins were numerous, the temples had long benefited from a desire to build social networks for the purposes of domestic and foreign trade, as well as for obtaining grazing rights in the face of competition; in the uplands, the endowment of the buildings was often associated with the construction and continued maintenance of reservoirs and enabled a different type of networking based on political hierarchies. The strengthening of those hierarchies, which was achieved in part by donating land for the temples and then attending worship, was necessary as the inland agrarian society grew rapidly in number and location.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=14–15}}

=== Society ===
There is a disparity between analysis of inscriptions, of which the work of Cynthia Talbot has been in the vanguard and the traditional works of [[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic Hinduism]] that described pre-colonial India in terms of a reverent and static society that was subject to the strictures of the [[Caste system in India|caste system]]. Colonial British administrators found much that appealed to them in the latter works but the Kakatiya inscriptions of Andhra Pradesh, which depict a far wider range of society and events, suggest that the reality was far more fluid and very different from the idealised image.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=12}}

Caste itself seems to have been of low importance as a social identifier.{{sfn|Subrahmanyam|1998}} There was a lack of consistency regarding the varna rank of Kakatiyas. In most of their inscriptions, no varna affiliation was specified. In the case of a few where it was specified, they were mostly recorded to have been Kshatriyas. A handful of the inscriptions however tried to portray them as kshatriyas.{{efn|{{harvtxt|Talbot|2001|p=51}}: "An inscription reads: `The Kakatiya dynasty, praised by the entire world and belonging to the fourth ''varna'', then came into existence. In it was born the king named Prola, who was renowned for being exceedingly judicious.'... [In a handful of inscriptions], the Kakatiyas are linked with the solar dynasty of the ancient ''kshatriyas'', stemming from Ikshvaku through Dasharatha and Rama... The lack of consistency regarding the ''varna'' rank of the Kakatiya dynasty is noteworthy, as is the fact that their ''kshatriya'' claims were put forth primarily in documents associated with gifts to ''brahmans''."}} Anyone, regardless of birth, could acquire the ''[[Nayak (title)|nayaka]]'' title to denote warrior statusKshatriy and this they did. There is also little evidence that Kakatiya society paid much regard to caste identities, in the sense of ''[[jāti]]''. Although occupation does appear to have been an important designator of social position, the inscriptions suggest that people were not bound to an occupation by birth.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=15–16}}{{sfn|Talbot|2001|pp=50-52}}

The population became more settled in geographic terms. The growth of an agricultural peasant class subsumed many tribal people who previously had been nomadic.  The nexus of politics and military was a significant feature of the era, and the Kakatiya recruitment of peasants into the military did much to create a new warrior class,develop social mobility and to extend the influence of the dynasty into areas of its kingdom that previously would have been untouched.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=174}} The Kakatiya kings, and in particular the last two, encouraged an egalitarian ethos. The entrenched landed nobility that had existed prior to the dynasty found its power to be on the wane; the royal gifting of lands formerly in the possession of nobles to people of lesser status did much to effect this dilution.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=16}}

== Religion ==

Historian P.V.P. Sastry theorises that the early Kakatiya chiefs were followers of [[Jainism]]. A story in the ''Siddhesvara-charita'' states that Madhavavarman, an ancestor of the Kakatiyas, obtained military strength by the grace of goddess [[Padmakshi Temple|Padmakshi]]. The 1123 Govindapuram Jain inscription of Polavasa, another family of feudatory chiefs, contains a similar account of how their ancestor Madhavavarman obtained military strength by the grace of the Jain goddess Yakshesvari.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=24}}

According to tradition, Prola II was initiated into [[Shaivism]] by the [[Kalamukha]] preceptor Ramesvara Panditabefor and established Shaivism as his family's religion. The Shaivism-affiliated personal names of the later Kakatiya kings (such as Rudra, Mahadeva, Harihara, and Ganapati) also indicate a shift towards Shaivism. This, according to Sastry, strengthens the theory that the early Kakatiya chiefs were Jains.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|p=25}}

== Genealogy ==

The following members of the Kakatiya family are known from epigraphic evidence. The rulers are children of their predecessors, unless otherwise specified.{{sfn|Sastry|1978|pp=30-36}}

=== Feudatory chiefs ===

* ''Nripa'' Venna, born in the family of Durjaya (r. c. 800-815)
* Gunda I (r. c. 815-?)
* Gunda II (r. c. ?-865)
* [[Gunda III]] (died before 900)
* ''Nripati'' [[Erra (Kakatiya dynasty)|Erra]]
* Betiya
* ''Nripati'' [[Gunda IV]] alias Pindi-Gunda (r. c. 955-995)
* ''Nripati'' [[Beta I]] alias Garuda Beta (r. c. 996-1051)
* [[Prola I]] (r. c. 1052-1076)
* [[Beta II]] alias Tribhuvanamalla (r. c. 1076-1108)
* [[Durgaraja]] alias Tribhuvanamalla (r. c. 1108-1116), son of Beta II
* [[Prola II]] (r. c. 1116-1157), son of Beta II, married Muppama
** His children included Rudra, Mahadeva, Harihara, Ganapati and Repolla Durga

=== Sovereign rulers ===

* [[Rudradeva|Rudra]] (r. c. 1158-1195), son of Prola II, became a sovereign Tughlaq'sin 1163
* [[Mahadeva (Kakatiya dynasty)|Mahadeva]] (r. c. 1196-1199), son of Prola II, married Bayyama
** Had three children, including Ganapati-deva, Mailamba, and Kundamba
* [[Ganapati (Kakatiya dynasty)|Ganapati-deva]] (r. c. 1199-1262), married Somala-devi
** Had two children, including Ganapamba (married Kota Beta) and Rudrama-devi
* [[Rudrama Devi|Rudrama-devi]] (r. c. 1262-1289), married Chalukya Virabhadra
** Had three children, including Mummadamba (married Kakati Mahadeva), Rudrama (married Yadava prince Ellana-deva), and Ruyyama (married Induluri Annaya-mantri)
* [[Prataparudra|Prataparudra-deva]] (r. c. 1289-1323), son of Mummadamba, tributary to the Delhi Sultanate at times

== Legacy ==
[[File:Kakatiya Kala Thoranam (Warangal Gate) and Ruins.jpg|thumb|Ruins of the [[Kakatiya Kala Thoranam]] (Warangal Gate).]]

Tughlaq control of the area lasted only for around a decade.{{sfn|Asher|Talbot|2006|p=43}} The fall of the Kakatiya dynasty resulted in both political and cultural disarray because of both disparate resistance to the sultanate and dissension within it.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=176}} The structure of the Kakatiya polity disintegrated and their lands soon fell under the control of numerous families from communities such as the [[Reddy|Reddies]] and [[Velama (caste)|Velama]]s.{{sfn|Rao|Shulman|2012|p=16}} As early as 1330,{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=177}} [[Musunuri Nayaks]] who served as army chiefs for Kakatiya kingdom united the various Telugu clans and recovered [[Warangal]] from the [[Delhi Sultanate]] and ruled for half a century.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|pp=177-182}} Surrounded by more significant states,{{sfn|Rao|Shulman|2012|p=16}} by the 15th century these new entities had ceded to the [[Bahamani Sultanate]] and the [[Sangama dynasty]], the latter of which evolved to become the [[Vijayanagara empire]].{{sfn|Eaton|2005|p=22}}

A brother of Prataparudra II, Annamaraja, has been associated with ruling what eventually became the [[princely state]] of [[Bastar state|Bastar]] during the [[British Raj]] period. This appears likely to be historical revisionism, dating from a genealogy published by the ruling family in 1703, because it records only eight generations spanning almost four centuries of rule. Such revisionism and tenuous claims of connection to the Kakatiyas was not uncommon because it was perceived as legitimising the right to rule and a warrior status. Talbot notes that there is a record of a brother called Annamadeva and that:
{{quote|He is said to have left [Orugallu] for the northeast after anointing Prataparudra's son as king. Thus, the founder of the family fortunes in Bastar may very well have been a Telugu warrior from Telangana who was familiar with the prevalent legends about the Kakatiyas.{{sfn|Talbot|2001|pp=192–193}}}}

According to Talbot and Eaton, a revisionist interpretation of Prataparudra II himself appeared much sooner, within a few years of his death, and for broadly similar reasons. A stone inscription dated 1330 mentions a Prolaya Nayaka, who was said to have restored order, as in Prataparudra days. He presented himself as a legitimate successor to Prataparudra, by portraying both of them as righteous monarchs, meanwhile reconstructing Prataparudra's life and career favourably.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=26-27}}{{efn|{{harvtxt|Chattopadhyaya|1998|pp=57–58}} quotes from the Vilasa grant of Prolaya Nayaka: "[<span class="ltr">W</span>]hen Prataparudra of the Kakati family ruled, even such celebrated rulers of the past as
''Yayati'', ''Nabhaga'' and ''Bhagiratha'' were completely forgotten."... "[<span class="ltr">W</span>]hen the Sun, ''viz''., Prataparudra set, the world was enveloped in the ''Turuska'' darkness. The evil (''adharma''), which he had up to that time kept under check, flourished under them, as the conditions were very favourable for its growth."}} By 1420, Muslim rulers had become accommodated to the Deccan society, and strong dichotomies between Hindus and Muslims were no longer useful. Muslim rulers were no longer conceived as diametrically opposed to the figure of Prataparudra, but rather as rulers of equal status.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=27-28}}

This type of revisionism, which Talbot describes as "social memories" and which persist to the present day,{{sfn|Talbot|2001|p=175}} reappeared in the 16th century with the ''Prataparudra Caritramu'' hagiography, which claimed him to be the founder of the ''Padmanayaka'' class of Telugu warriors and provided the elite of the Vijayanagara empire with what Talbot has described as a "charter of legitimacy". This work claimed, contrary to all reasonable evidence, that he did not die after being taken prisoner but instead met with the sultan, was recognised as being an [[avatar]] of [[Shiva]], and was allowed to return to Orugallu. Once back home, the ''Prataparudra Caritamu'' says, he released the ''Padmanayakas'' from their allegiance to him and told them to become independent kings. The work also claims Vijayanagara to be an ally of Prataparudra, which is clearly anachronistic but served the purpose of elevating the role of the ''Paadmanayakas'', whom it claimed to be ultimately subordinate to Vijayanagara during his time.{{sfn|Eaton|2005|pp=28-29}}

== See also ==
*[[Ramappa Temple]]
*[[Kakatiya Kala Thoranam]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
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== Further reading ==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite journal |title=Temples, Donors, and Gifts: Patterns of Patronage in Thirteenth-Century South India |first=Cynthia |last=Talbot |journal=The Journal of Asian Studies |volume=50 |issue=2 |date=May 1991 |pages=308–340 |jstor=2057210 |doi=10.2307/2057210|s2cid=161557646 |doi-access=free }}
*{{EI3|last=Talbot|first=Cynthia|title=Kākatīya dynasty|year=2018|url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-3/*-COM_32934}}

{{Middle kingdoms of India}}

{{Telangana}}
{{Andhra Pradesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kakatiya Dynasty}}
[[Category:States and territories established in 1163]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1323]]
[[Category:Kakatiya dynasty| ]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:History of Telangana]]
[[Category:Empires and kingdoms of India]]
[[Category:12th-century establishments in India]]