Mangammal

Rani Mangammal
Queen Regent of Madurai Nayak Kingdom Queen Mangammal of Madurai Nayak Dynasty
Reign	1689– 1704 C.E.
Predecessor	Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayak
Successor	Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha Nayak
Born	Madurai
Died	Circa 1705 Madurai, present dayTamil Nadu, India
Spouse	Chokkanatha Nayak
House	Madurai Nayaks
Father	Tupakula Lingama Nayaka

Kings and Queen Regents of Madurai Nayak Dynasty
Part of History of Tamil Nadu
Madurai Nayak rulers
Viswanatha Nayak	1529–1563
Kumara Krishnappa Nayak	1563–1573
Joint Rulers Group I	1573–1595
Joint Rulers Group II	1595–1602
Muttu Krishnappa Nayak	1602–1609
Muttu Virappa Nayak	1609–1623
Tirumalai Nayak	1623–1659
Muthu Alakadri Nayak	1659–1662
Chokkanatha Nayak	1662–1682
Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayak	1682–1689
Rani Mangammal‡	1689–1704
Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha Nayak	1704–1731
Queen Meenakshi‡	1731–1736
‡ Regent Queens
Capitals
Madurai	1529–1616
Tiruchirapalli	1616–1634
Madurai	1634–1665
Tiruchirapalli	1665–1736
Major forts
Madurai 72 Bastion Fort
Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort
Dindigul Fort
Thirunelvelli Fort
other Military forts
Namakkal Fort
Sankagiri Fort
Attur Fort
Palaces
Thirumalai Nayak Mahal, Madurai
Chokkanatha Nayak Palace a.k.a. Durbar Hall, Tiruchirapalli
Rani Mangammal Tamukkam palace Madurai

Queen Regent of Madurai Nayak Kingdom

Rani Mangammal (died 1705) was a queen regent on behalf of her grandson, in the Madurai Nayak kingdom in present-day Madurai, India, in 1689—1704. She was a popular administrator and is still widely remembered as a maker of roads and avenues, and a builder of temples, tanks and choultries with many of her public works still in use. She is also known for her diplomatic and political skills and successful military campaigns. The capital of Madurai Kingdom during her times was Tiruchy.

Mangammal was the daughter of Tupakula Lingama Nayaka, a general of Madurai ruler Chokkanatha Nayak (1659–1682). Although Chokkanatha married Mangammal early, she became the principal queen only later on after his efforts to wed the daughter of the Thanjavur ruler Vijayaraghava Nayaka had failed. Chokkanatha died in 1682, after that she took over the crown.

Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayak (1682—1689), Mangammal’s son succeeded Chokkanatha, aged fifteen. He tried to retrieve the diminished fortunes of the kingdom and made a name for himself by courageously ignoring Aurangzeb. But Rengakrishna died in 1689, when his queen was pregnant. After she gave birth to a son, Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha, she committed sati, despite strong remonstrance by her mother-in-law Mangammal. So Mangammal was forced to become regent on behalf of her infant grandson Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha, who was crowned when he was three months old in 1689 and ruled till 1705, with an able administrative council headed by Dalavoy (Governor General) Narasappiah.

Mangammal was less often at war than her predecessors had been, but she did not escape the usual conflicts with her neighbors. The Madurai kingdom had enemies all-around; the Marathas, Mysore army, Mughal army with the Deccan Sultans and frequent interludes by the Thanjavur kingdom. In the south, the Raja of Travancore stopped paying the tribute and the ruler of Ramnad, Kilavan Sethupathi had risen in revolt in a bid for independence. Mangammal had to face these state of affairs without any external help. With her political wisdom, diplomatic skill, administrative ability, and cool courage in the face of danger, she was able to maintain the prestige of Madurai and regain for it much of the position it had held during the days of Thirumalai Nayak.