Tuluva
was the third dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The
Tuluva were the third Hindu dynasty which ruled Vijayanagara empire. The
dynasty was founded by chieftain Bunts who originally ruled southern parts of
coastal Karnataka, also called Tulu Nadu[1]. Some people believe that the
dynasty might have gained the name "Tuluva" because they belonged to
the Tulu speaking region of Tulu Nadu and their mother tongue was the ancient
Tulu language. Narasa Nayaka, the father of Krishnadevaraya is the governor of
Chandragiri in Andhra and Krishnadevaraya wrote in his popular work
Amuktamalyada that he is Telugu (తెలుగు వల్లభుండ - telugu vallabhunda) and it is a Telugu
country (దేశంబు తెలుగు - desambu telugu).
They came to power after the Saluva Dynasty.
Genealogy or the Family chart of the Tuluva Dynasty
The
Tuluva dynasty were the most powerful dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire of
Southern India. They belonged to the Nagavanshi kshatriya order of lineage.
They are believed to be Nagavanshis who worshiped Nagaraja Vasuki (name for a
naga, one of the serpents of mythology) as their family deity. The Vijayanagar
empire attained it greatest glory during this period and their most famous
emperor Krishna Deva Raya. Their reign consisted of five emperors from 1491
till 1570. They ruled almost the entire South India with Vijayanagara as their capital.
The fall of the Tuluva dynasty led the beginning of the disintegration of the
empire.
This
period was known as a golden age of Telugu literature. Many Telugu, Sanskrit,
Kannada and Tamil poets enjoyed the patronage of the emperor.
Emperor
Krishna Deva Raya earned the titles Andhra Bhoja, Mooru Rayara Ganda (lit,
"King of three Kings") and Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana (lit, "Lord
of the Kannada empire").
Krishna
Deva Raya was formally initiated into the Vaishnava Sampradaya by Vyasatirtha.
He patronised poets and scholars in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit. Sri
Vyasatirtha was his Kula-Guru.
Emperor
Krishna Deva Raya was fluent in many languages. There remains a debate whether
he was a Telugu, Kannadiga or Tuluva by lineage.
