Alagiri
is the last king of the Thanjavur Nayaks kingdom.
The rule
of the Thanjavur Nayaks lasted until 1673 when Chokkanatha Nayak the ruler of
Madurai invaded Thanjavur and killed the ruler Vijayaraghava. The dispute was
due to the refusal of Vijaya Ragava to give his daughter in marriage to
Chokkanatha Nayak.
Vijaya
Raghava Nayak was defeated in battle by the Chokkanatha Nayak who captured and
beheaded him.
Chokkanatha
placed his foster-brother Alagiri in charge of the government of Tanjore, but
within a year the latter threw off his allegiance, and Chokkanatha was forced
to recognise the independence of Thanjavur.
Obv:
Shiva & Parvathi
Rev: sri
a/ la gar i in telugu legend
One of
the son of Vijaya Raghava induced the Bijapur Sultan to help him get back the
Thanjavur throne. In 1675, the Sultan of Bijapur sent a force commanded by the
Maratha general Venkoji (alias Ekoji) to recapture the kingdom from the new
invader. Venkoji defeated Alagiri, and occupied Thanjavur. He did not, however,
place his protege on the throne as instructed by the Bijapur Sultan, but seized
the kingdom and made himself king. Thus began the rule of the Marathas over
Thanjavur.
Source:
Internet & Numismatic Experts
