Draft:Matla Ellamaraju: Difference between revisions

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Chief of the Matli Chiefs

Matla Ellamaraju was born into a Telugu family and belonged to the well known Matli chiefs. He was the son of Matla Konamaraju who was the leader of the Matli chiefs and also served as a military commander under Sriranga Deva Raya.

The Kondaraju brothers Dasariraju, Kondaraju, Venkataraju, and Timmaraju were ruling Siddavatam-sima as amaranayakas under the Sriranga Deva Raya. They attacked a neighbouring chief Sari Obana and seized his land which forced Obana to seek help from Velugoti Kasturi Ranga. Kasturi Ranga came with his army and camped at Koduru in the Kamalapuram taluk. In response the Kondaraju brothers gathered many local chiefs and family heads including Matli Tirumala to support them. In 1579 A.D. a fierce battle was fought at Koduru and despite being outnumbered Kasturi Ranga won a decisive victory. Many leaders were killed in the fighting including Matli Tirumala and his cousin Matli Varadaraju Timmaya while little is known from records about Ellamaraju the father of Tirumala except that he was his parent.

After the death of Sriranga Deva Raya his younger brother Venkata II became the king. Many nobles did not accept his rule and some like the Kondaraju brothers defied his authority. Matla Ellamaraju and his sons who held the nayamkaram of villages such as Pondaluru, Penagaluru, and Ponnapalli in the Pottapi and Siddavatam regions supported Venkata II who was then ruling from Chandragiri and Penukonda. This support created hostility between the Matli Chiefs and the Kondaraju brothers. In response the Kondarajus seized the amaram villages belonging to the Matlis. Tirupatiraju one of the Kondaraju brothers and ruler of Siddavatam-sima also strengthened his defenses by fortifying the village of Utukur and placing soldiers there to guard his frontier against attacks from Chandragiri.

Venkata II sent an army under Matli Ellamaraju and ordered him to destroy the fort at Utukur which had been built by Tirupatiraju. Ellamaraju was also asked to conquer Pottapi-nadu and place royal garrisons in important areas with the promise that Siddavatam and its surrounding lands would be granted to him as an amaram if he succeeded. When Ellamaraju reached Utukur Tirupatiraju came out with a strong force to oppose him but in the battle that followed Tirupatiraju was killed. Ellamaraju captured the fort, stationed soldiers there and chased the enemy troops who were fleeing through different routes killing many of them at Poli, Konduru, and Nandalur. Some of the defeated soldiers escaped towards the Niru Hills near Pottapi while Ellama advanced to Siddavatam and took it without much resistance.

At the same time, a force led by Tirumalaraju, Ellamaraju’s younger brother marched on Chennur, killed Kondaraju Venkatadriraju and captured the town.