Which one of the following kingdoms was founded by Raja Odeyar ?

1. The Disintegration of the Vijayanagar Empire (basic)

To understand how the southern landscape of India was reshaped, we must look at the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire, which had stood as the dominant power for over two centuries. After the death of its greatest ruler, Krishnadevaraya, in 1529, the empire began to face internal instability and external threats from the Deccan Sultanates to the north Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.36. The critical turning point came in 1565 at the Battle of Talikota (also known as Rakshasi-Tangadi). In this battle, the combined forces of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, and Golconda routed the Vijayanagar army led by the chief minister, Rama Raya THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.173.

The aftermath of the battle was catastrophic. The magnificent capital city of Vijayanagar was systematically sacked and left in ruins, forcing the remnants of the ruling family to flee. While the empire technically continued under the Aravidu dynasty (the fourth and final dynasty) from new capitals like Penukonda and Chandragiri, it never recovered its former glory History Class XI (Tamilnadu), Bahmani and Vijayanagar Kingdoms, p.180. The central authority weakened significantly, allowing the Nayakas—who were originally military governors under the Vijayanagar kings—to assert their independence and carve out their own regional kingdoms, such as Madurai, Tanjore, and Jinji Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.36.

Another significant successor state that emerged during this period of disintegration was the Kingdom of Mysore. Originally serving as feudatories (vassals), the Wodeyar dynasty took advantage of the post-Talikota vacuum to assert sovereignty, eventually moving their capital to Srirangapatnam in 1610 and laying the foundation for a powerful regional state in the Deccan plateau.

Sources: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (NCERT), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.36; THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II (NCERT), An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.173; History Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Bahmani and Vijayanagar Kingdoms, p.180

2. The Nayankara System and Southern Polities (intermediate)

To understand the political landscape of Southern India after the 16th century, we must first look at the Nayankara System. Developed to its peak under Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529), this system involved the king granting territories (amaram) to military chiefs known as Nayakas. In return, these Nayakas maintained a specific number of troops for the king and paid a portion of their revenue to the central treasury History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.237. While this provided the Vijayanagar Empire with a massive standing army, it also created powerful local power centers that eventually sought independence as the central authority weakened after the Battle of Talikota in 1565.

Following this decline, three major Nayak kingdoms emerged as successor states in the Tamil region: Madurai, Thanjavur, and Senji (Jinji). In Madurai, the system evolved into the Palayakkarar (Poligari) system around the 1530s. Under Viswanatha Nayak and his minister Ariyanatha Mudaliyar, the kingdom was divided into 72 palayams (estates held on military tenure). Each Palayakkarar was responsible for the administration, tax collection, and maintainance of a bastion in the Madurai fort History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Early Resistance to British Rule, p.282. This system, believed to be modeled after the Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal, turned the local chieftains into the 'holders of camps' who wielded significant local influence.

Parallel to the Nayaks, the Wodeyar dynasty carved out its niche in the Mysore region. Originally established as feudatories of Vijayanagar in 1399 by Yaduraya Wodeyar, they asserted full independence in the late 16th century. Raja Wodeyar I (1578–1617) was the pivotal figure who expanded the kingdom’s borders and shifted the capital to the strategic island fortress of Srirangapatnam in 1610 Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.94. Unlike the Nayaks who stayed closer to the Vijayanagar administrative style, the Wodeyars built a distinct regional identity that would later become a major challenge to British expansion in the 18th century.

Feature	Nayankara System	Palayakkarar System
Primary Focus	Military service to the Central Empire.	Local administration and fort defense (bastions).
Key Region	Across the Vijayanagar Empire.	Primarily the Madurai/Tirunelveli region.
Structure	Land grants (Amaram) to Nayakas.	Division into 72 Palayams (estates).

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), The Marathas, p.237; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Early Resistance to British Rule, p.282; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.94

3. Rise of Regional Successor States (18th Century) (basic)

To understand the 18th-century political landscape of South India, we must look at the Kingdom of Mysore. Unlike states like Bengal or Awadh, which were former Mughal provinces, Mysore is often classified as an Independent Kingdom that emerged from the ruins of the once-mighty Vijayanagar Empire Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 5, p. 70. The kingdom was founded by the Wodeyar (or Wadiyar) dynasty, tracing its origins back to 1399 when Yaduraya Wodeyar established a small principality. For nearly two centuries, the Wodeyars served as loyal feudatories to the Vijayanagar rulers, providing military support and tribute.

The true turning point for Mysore came in 1565 following the Battle of Talikota (also known as Rakshashi-Tangadi). This catastrophic defeat led to the disintegration of the Vijayanagar Empire, creating a power vacuum in the Deccan History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 15, p. 237. Sensing an opportunity, the Wodeyars began to assert their sovereignty. Raja Wodeyar I, who ascended the throne in 1578, was the architect of this expansion. He captured the strategic fortress of Srirangapatnam in 1610 and made it his capital, effectively transforming Mysore from a minor chieftaincy into a dominant regional power Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 5, p. 94.

It is important to distinguish Mysore from other southern powers of the time. While places like Tanjore, Jinji, and Madura also emerged as prominent states (often called Nayankaras), they were distinct entities with their own ruling lineages. By the 18th century, Mysore had become a prize contested by the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and eventually the British. This period also saw the internal shift in power where the Wodeyar kings became figureheads, leading to the rise of the military commander Haider Ali, who would further modernize the state before the British eventually restored the Wodeyar dynasty in 1799 after the fall of Tipu Sultan History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 18, p. 279.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.70, 94; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 15: The Marathas, p.237; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.279

4. Anglo-French Rivalry and the Carnatic Wars (intermediate)

To understand the Anglo-French Rivalry, we must first look at the map of 18th-century South India. The Europeans used the term 'Carnatic' to describe the Coromandel coast and its hinterland, a region situated between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 5, p.44. While the British and French initially came as traders, the crumbling authority of the Mughal Empire and the internal friction among regional successor states provided a vacuum that these two powers were eager to fill. Their struggle for supremacy took the form of three Carnatic Wars between 1746 and 1763.

The rivalry was rarely just about India; it was often an extension of conflicts happening in Europe and North America. For instance, the First Carnatic War (1746-48) was a direct echo of the Austrian War of Succession. It is famous for the Battle of St. Thome, where a small, disciplined French force defeated the much larger army of the Nawab of Carnatic, proving that European military discipline could overpower traditional Indian provincial armies History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.). Chapter 18, p.255. This realization changed the nature of European intervention in Indian politics forever.

While the first war ended in a stalemate with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the Second Carnatic War (1749-54) saw the Europeans acting as 'kingmakers.' They took sides in the succession disputes of Hyderabad and the Carnatic. The French, led by the brilliant Dupleix, initially gained the upper hand, but the tide turned with Robert Clive’s daring siege of Arcot. Finally, the Third Carnatic War (1758-63), triggered by the global Seven Years' War, ended French ambitions in India. The decisive Battle of Wandiwash (1760) left the British as the undisputed European power in the subcontinent History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.). Chapter 18, p.257.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.44; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.255; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.257

5. The Subsidiary Alliance System (exam-level)

The Subsidiary Alliance System was the masterstroke of Lord Wellesley (Governor-General from 1798–1805), designed to establish British supremacy in India without the constant need for direct war. While the practice of providing troops for money existed earlier, Wellesley turned it into a formal, cold-blooded system of 'forward policy'. Under this system, an Indian ruler effectively traded their independence for 'protection' Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.120. Unlike outright conquest, this was a psychological and financial trap: the British would defend the ruler from internal and external threats, but the cost of that defense would eventually bankrupt the state, leading to its total collapse into British hands History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Effects of British Rule, p.267.

The system functioned through a set of rigid conditions that a 'protected' prince had to accept:

• Military Control: The ruler had to dissolve their own standing army and instead maintain a permanent British armed contingent within their territory THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), REBELS AND THE RAJ, p.266.
• The Resident: A British official, known as the Resident, was stationed at the ruler's court. While theoretically a diplomat, the Resident often became the real power behind the throne.
• Financial Burden: The ruler had to pay for the maintenance of the British troops. If the payment failed, a portion of their territory was ceded to the Company in lieu of cash History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Effects of British Rule, p.267.
• Foreign Policy: The ruler could not employ any other Europeans (especially the French) or negotiate with any other Indian power without the Governor-General’s permission Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.120.

This system didn't appear overnight; it evolved through distinct stages of British intervention, moving from simple military aid to total political dominance. It was a 'security' deal that effectively turned sovereign Indian states into British protectorates. They lost their external sovereignty immediately, and because the British Resident interfered in daily governance, they eventually lost their internal sovereignty as well.

Sources: THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), REBELS AND THE RAJ, p.266; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.120; History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Effects of British Rule, p.267; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.122

6. The Wodeyar Dynasty of Mysore (exam-level)

The Kingdom of Mysore, which would eventually become one of the most formidable challengers to British hegemony in South India, began as a small, local principality. Founded traditionally in 1399 by Yaduraya Wodeyar (also known as Adi Yaduraya), the dynasty originally served as a feudatory or vassal state under the sovereign umbrella of the Vijayanagar Empire. For nearly two centuries, the Wodeyars governed their small territory while paying tribute to the great emperors of the south.

The turning point for the Wodeyars came with the Battle of Talikota in 1565. This catastrophic defeat of the Vijayanagar Empire by the Deccan Sultanates led to the empire's gradual disintegration. In the power vacuum that followed, the Wodeyars began asserting their independence. Raja Wodeyar I (r. 1578–1617) was the pivotal figure who expanded the kingdom’s borders and, in 1610, moved the capital from Mysore to the strategic island fortress of Srirangapatnam History, Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p. 279. This move signaled Mysore's transition from a mere provincial outpost to a sovereign regional power.

By the 18th century, however, the character of Wodeyar rule shifted. While Chikka Krishnaraja Wodeyar II occupied the throne, the actual administration fell into the hands of powerful ministers known as Dalawais. It was in this environment of weak central monarchy that Haider Ali, a soldier of exceptional merit, rose through the ranks. By 1761, Haider Ali had sidelined the Dalawais and the king, becoming the de facto ruler of Mysore Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p. 94. Although the Wodeyar kings remained the titular heads, the real authority rested with Haider and later his son, Tipu Sultan.

The Wodeyar story did not end with the rise of Haider Ali. Following Tipu Sultan's defeat in 1799 during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the British sought to maintain regional stability by restoring the ancient Hindu dynasty. They placed the minor ruler Krishnaraja Wodeyar III on the throne Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p. 100. This restoration came with heavy strings attached, as Mysore became a princely state bound by a Subsidiary Alliance, effectively ending its era as a fully independent successor state.

Sources: History, Class XI (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024 ed.), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.279; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India, p.94, 100

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

This question synthesizes your knowledge of the post-Vijayanagar political landscape and the transition of regional feudatories into sovereign states. As you learned in the module on Deccan history, the Battle of Talikota (1565) acted as a catalyst, creating a power vacuum that allowed local chieftains to assert their independence. While the Wodeyar (or Odeyar) dynasty traces its roots back to the 14th century as vassals, Raja Odeyar I (r. 1578–1617) is the pivotal figure who consolidated these territories. He transformed a small fiefdom into the powerful Kingdom of Mysore, famously seizing the strategic capital of Srirangapatnam in 1610, as detailed in History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.).

To arrive at the correct answer, you must distinguish between the different types of successor states that emerged in South India. A common UPSC trap is to group all southern powers together; however, the options Tanjore, Jinji, and Madura represent the Nayaka kingdoms. These were founded by former governors (Nayakas) of the Vijayanagar Empire in the Tamil region. In contrast, the Odeyar/Wadiyar lineage is specifically associated with the Kannada-speaking heartland. By recognizing the Odeyar name as the dynastic hallmark of Mysore, you can logically eliminate the Tamil Nayak polities and focus on the evolution of the Mysore state prior to the rise of Haider Ali, a progression covered in A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (SPECTRUM).