CHAPTER II.
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Early History—Asoka's conquest, 260 B.C.—The Andhras, down to 200 A.D.—The Pallavas, about 200-615 A.D.—The Chalukyas—Their conquest of Vengi, about 615-Separation of the Eastern and Western Chalukyas, about 630 — Hiuen Tsiang's description of the former—Eastern Chalukya rule, 63o-999-Chola conquest, 999—Kulóttunga Chóla I—He obtains the Chóla and Vengi thrones, 1070—His viceroys in Vengi—His death in 1119 and the decline of the Chólas—The Vélanándu chieftains, twelfth century—The Kóna chiefs of the delta—Local chiefs of Ellore, Nadendla, etc.—The Kákatiyas of Warangal conquer Kistna about 1200—And Gódávari about 1300—Pratápa Rudra's viceroys—Temporary Musalman conquest of the district, 1323—The Kórukonda Reddis, 1325-95—The Reddis of Kondavíd, 1344-1422—The Rajahmundry Reddis, 1422-50—The Gajapatis of Orissa take the district, 1450—But cede part of it to the Muhammadans, 1470 —The latter ousted, 1489—Conquest by Vijayanagar, 1515—Musalman conquest of Kistna, 1540—And of Gódávari, 1571. Muhammadan Period—Weakness of their rule—Aurangzeb establishes his authority, 1687—The Subadar of the Deccan becomes independent, 1724—The Northern Circars ceded to the French, 1753—Their difificulties there—Bussy at length obtains possession, 1757—Forde's expedition against the French, 1758—His victory at Condore—The country cleared of the French—Cession of the Northern Circars to the English, 1765. English Period-Early administration—Disturbances of the peace —In 1785-90—In 1790-1800—Quieter times thereafter-Subba Reddi's rebellion, 1858—Outbreaks in Kampa.
The earliest historical mention of the Gódávari district occurs in the inscriptions of Asóka, the Buddhist ruler of the great Mauryan empire, the capital of which was at Pátaliputra, the modern Patna, In 260 B.C.1[1] this monarch conquered the kingdom of Kalinga (a tract of varying extent which may be taken to have comprised the country between the Mahánadi river on the north and the Gódávari on the south) and he claims also to have subdued the Andhras, a dynasty whose sway apparently extended as far north as the Gódávari river. Asóka was the great apostle of the Buddhist religion, which he extended far and wide in India, and the magnificent Buddhist remains at Amarávati on the Kistna river are proof that the faith he espoused obtained a strong hold in country even further south than the Gódávari. They contain an inscription in the Mauryan character.
- ↑ 1 Indian Antiquary, xx, 247.
