Zamorin

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Zamorin is the anglicised version of Samoothirippādu or Samoothiri, a title of the rulers of the erstwhile Hindu state of Kozhikode (previously known as Calicut)(Nediyirippu Swarūpam), located in the present day state of Kerala, India, between the 14th and 18th century AD.

Mānavikraman Raja, the Samoothiri of Kozhikode is famous for being the ruler that received the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama on May 18, 1498.

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[edit] Origins

The Samoothiri were previously known as the Eradis (rulers of Eranad).[1]. Eranad was a small state next to Polanad state, of which Kozhikode was the capital. It is said that during the 14th century, the Samoothiris killed Porlathiri the ruler of Polanad by treachery, and usurped that state. All of this may have been precipitated by the great flood of the Periyar river in about 1341AD. This flood resulted in the silting of the harbour of Kodungallur (anglicised as Cranganore), a town known to be frequented by Arab and Roman and Chinese traders (Refer Indian Ancient Maritime History). The silting led to the rise in prosperity of other ports like Kochi (also known as Cochin), and Kozhikode. The Zamorin assumed the title of Samudrāthiri (meaning "one who has the sea for his border")and continued to rule from Kozhikode. The title Samudrāthiri was shortened to Sāmoothiri over time in common usage.

[edit] Battles with neighbours

After acquiring the Polanad state, the Samoothiri turned his attention to other states (nādus) around him. He next annexed the state of Nedunganad. Between 1353-1361 AD, the Samoothiri Raja fought a series of small battles with smaller states called the Thirunavaya War. Samoothiri captured Vanneri from Perumpadappu. The Perumpadappu Rajas was forced to shift their capital to Thiruvanchikkulam under Samoothiri's attack.


· As Thirunavaya was captured, Samoothiri proclaimed himself as the Rakshāpurusha (protector) and took over sole right of conducting the Mamankam festival. The next Mamankam at Thirunavaya was conducted under the auspices of Samoothiri with great pomp and splendor.


· 'Chaver' - Now began the custom of sending Chaver soldiers or suicide squads to the festival to assassinate the Samoothiri. These Chavers were sworn soldiers who preferred death to defeat, and who sacrificed their lives to avenge the death of their princes in the Thirunavaya war. The death of the Vellaattiri princes also started a period of intense hatred and war between the two kingdoms which was to last for more than four centuries. Kudippaka or blood feud was prevalent in the society. If a person was killed, it was the duty of the relatives or even the subsequent generations of the deceased to avenge the death. During the Mamankam festival all other Rajas used to send flags as a symbol of regard to the Samoothiri at Thirunavaya. But Valluvakkonathiri who did not recognize the Samoothiri as the legitimate Rakshapurusha but considered him only a usurper used to send Chavers instead. If these men could kill the Samoothiri, who was protected by thousands of soldiers, the right of Rakshapurusha would have devolved on the Walluvanad Raja.


· There were four Nair families under Vellaattiri who used to send their heroes to fight and die in the Mamankam festival. These were 1. Chandratt Panicker 2. Putumanna Panicker 3. Kakot Panicker 4. Verkot Panicker. Most of these Chaver soldiers had lost their relatives or elders in previous wars with the Samoothiri, and were fuelled by 'kudippaka' against the Samoothiri. They came from various parts of Malabar, assembled at Thirumanthamkunnu under Vellaattiri, and were led by commanders from one of the four houses. Further details were provided by Logan and Hamilton about the Mamankam of 1683 and 1695 respectively.


· Vellaattiri after losing Thirunavaya and the right of the Rakshapurusha, began to conduct the pooram festival in the place of Mamankam, at Angadippuram (Walluvappally), his capital. Here in the temple of his tutelary deity Thirumanthamkunnu Bhagavathi, he stood on a raised granite platform from where in the olden days his predecessors started the procession to Thirunavaya for the Mamankam festival. It was from here that the Chavers were sent to the Mamankam festival afterwards when Samoothiri usurped it.


· The war of Thirunavaya was not the end of Samoothiri's aggression on Walluvanad. He continued his attacks on Vellaattiri. But he encountered stiff resistance and the fights went on in a protracted and sporadic fashion for a long time. [Kunnathattil Madambil Nair (Mannarghat Nair) was the desavazhi who looked after the affairs of the eastern boundary and hilly areas of Vellattiri. Chondathil Mannadiar (Puthumana Panicker) and Kavada Nair were other chiefs under him. Other dignitaries consisted of 14 swaroopies, two Nairs, two Namboothiris, two persons of the royal house, four Panickers, Elampulakkad Achan, Kulathur warrier, Uppamkalathil Pisharody, Pathiramana Vellodi, Parakkatt Kakkoott, Mannarmala Nair and Cherukara Pisharody. This council of great men was a huge challenge to Samoothiri even during times when mutual rivalries weakened the Vellaattiri Swaroopam.]


· Samoothiri followed a policy of appeasing the feudatories of Vellaattiri and conferring upon them the areas they originally held under Vellaattiri. He was able to win over Dharmoth Panicker, Pulappatta Nair and Kavalappara Nair to his side one by one. Thus Samoothiri gradually became the master of Malappuram, Nilambur, Vallappanattukara and Manjeri, which were under these feudal lords. Eralpad (Samoothiri prince) now began to rule these areas as supreme commander over them, with Karimpuzha as his base.


· But Samoothiri faced defeat in the next attack on Perumpadappu. The Perumpadappu Rajas appealed to their ally Vellaattiri for assistance. Their combined army resisted Samoothiri's forces and a bloody war ensued for three days, at the end of which Samoothiri's army was on the retreat.


· After a period of uneasy calm Samoothiri's armies invaded Nedunganad, a small princely state between Walluvanad and Palakkad. It was annexed by Samoothiri soon afterwards - Nedungattiri, the Raja of this place, was given certain rights of supervision over the temple of Cherplassery, and a subsistence allowance.


· 1405 A.D. - Samoothiri continued his aggression on Perumpadappu Rajas. The Perumpadappu Rajas, or Rajas of Kochi as they came to be known later, were forced to shift their capital from Thiruvanchikkulam to Kochi.


· Pantalur and Kottakkal came under Samoothiri only after a protracted struggle. These areas were under Karuvayoor Moosad, the Brahmin chief minister of Vellaattiri. Neither machinations of Mangattachan nor threat of war made his submission possible. Instead he even indulged in provocative treachery by inviting Thinayencheri Ilayathu, a minister of Samoothiri, to his home to negotiate a marriage proposal, and killing him. A furious Samoothiri decided to avenge the death of his minister and sent a huge army under Munalpad (third prince). After a bloody war which lasted for about 12 years, in which all types of treachery imaginable was performed by both sides, Samoothiri's army trapped the Moosad at Padapparamba, captured him and put him to death. The loss of this brave and fiercely loyal chief minister was the greatest blow to Vellaattiri after the Thirunavaya war. These captured areas were given to Varakkal Paranambi, a minister of Samoothiri.


· Unable to withstand Samoothiri's attacks, Kochi Raja finally accepted Samoothiri's rule and became his feudatory. Family feud between the elder and younger branches of the royal family of Kochi was well exploited by the Samoothiri to make Kochi Raja's submission possible.


· The severe and frequent wars on Walluvanad by the Samoothiri continued. But even after the loss of his ally Kochi Raja, Vellaattiri did not submit to Samoothiri.


· Most of the Nayar houses and 'kalaries' in the captured areas had lost their members in the wars against Samoothiri, and they were fuelled by kudippaka against the ruler. More deaths meant more kudippaka, and more Chavers. These houses would accept only Vellaattiri as their legitimate king. They were also helped by Vellaattiri's forces.

The two larger states were Walluvanad and Perumpadappu (also known as Perumpadapu Swaroopam). Walluvanad was the prime producer of rice and agricultural products in Malabar region. As a result of the feud, the Perumpadappu Rajas were forced to move their capital from Thirunavaya to Thiruvanchikkulam, when the Samoothiri captured Thirunavaya. After Thirunavaya was captured, the Samoothiri proclaimed himself as the Rakshapurusha (Malayalam for chief protector) and announced that from then on, he had the sole right of conducting the Mamankam festival - a major Hindu festival of the Bhagvati deity held at Thirunavaya.

The Raja then turned to the prospering port state of Kochi. The Perumpadappu Rajas, or rulers of Kochi were forced again to shift their capital from Thiruvanchikkulam to Kochi during 1405 A.D.

The Samoothiri Raja's army then landed via the sea at Ponnani where they built a fort during 1498. Samoothiri continued to battle the Walluvanad Raja without much success. The Kochi Rajas eventually succumbed to the Samoothiri around 1500, and becames his vassals. During December, 1500 the Samoothiri expelled the Portuguese from Kozhikode due to their demand for a monopoly, and they moved to a trading post at the city of Kochi.

[edit] Mamankam Festival

The land of ancient Mamankom, Thirunavaya is 7 km south of Tirur. Situated on the banks of Bharathapuzha, it is a place of historical importance. In olden days, Mamankam was a grand assembly of the rulers. Held once in 12 years, in which one among them was selected as the emperor of Kerala. It was an enormous trade fair also. The Mamankam festival was celebrated for 28 days with great pomp and pageantry where traders from outside came in ships and barges to Thirunavaya through Ponnani port. Thus the economic importance of Mamankam was high and hence the right to conduct and control it was important.

At the end of the rule of Perumals, the right of Mamankam was with Vellattiri, the ruler of Valluvanad. Later the Zamorin of Kozhikode, took this right by force and this resulted in dispute and bloodshed between these two Rajas.The Zamorin declared himself as MahaRakshaPurusha of the temple there.Valluvanad Raja used to send Chaver warriors to flight until death, to recapture the right from the Zamorin, who would stand poised at Nilapadu thara in Thriunavaya, surrounded by a large contingent of soldiers, in every 12th year. The last of such Mamankam, was believed to be held in 1755, when Zamorin had a hair-breath escape from a chaver aged 16.

The Mamankam is conducted on the banks of Bharathapuzha the second-longest river in Kerala, close to a holy town called Thirunavaya.

Manankam later was celebrated in 1999. It was organised under the advise of Dr. NM Nampoodiri a historian in Kerala and designed and produced by his friend Mr. Gireesan K. for Malabar Pepperfest an event managed by him.

A major attraction of the cultural events is the enactment of Mamankam festival held during the rule of the erstwhile rulers of Malabar -- Zamorins -- once in 12 years. A display of pomp and power, the last Mamankam festival was held in 1755 AD.

The full-scale re-enactment would feature over 200 trained exponents of the age- old traditional martial art form -- Kalaripayattu -- performing at the original location of the Mamankam -- on the banks of the historical river Nila.

The first edition of the festival held in January 1999 was lauded by many as one of the most eco-tourism ventures that provides opportunity to do business with leisure. “A festival of this kind will certainly promote sustainable eco-tourism with underlying benefits to basic economic sectors like agriculture," said Phil Frampton, a travel writer who attended the festival. Pat Chapman, president of the International Curry Club observed that the festival underlined the intricate relationship between food and tourism.

[edit] Portuguese connection

Although the Samoothiri received the Portuguese warmly, relations between the two soured soon. This may have begun because the Portuguese at the outset demanded a trade monopoly to be granted to them, and the Arabs (who had centuries of dealings) to be expelled from Kozhikode.

Vasco da Gama, who was a swordsman by trade had been sent by King Manuel I of Portugal with a fleet of four ships to find the fabled land of India. However, Vasco's fleet was equipped by Captain Bartolomeu Dias, who had previously sailed to the tip of South Africa in 1488, but had to turn back from going onwards to India due to a mutiny on his ship. Diaz, who was used to dealing with African tribes that inhabited the West coast of Africa at that time, equipped the fleet with goods like glass beads, copper bowls, tin bells, tin rings, striped cotton cloth, olive oil, and sugar that had proved useful to him in trade with the tribes. Vasco was not equipped to deal with a sophisticated culture like India at that time, which was used to providing luxury material like cotton calico cloth, spices, pepper to the West.

Hence, Vasco could not offer the Samoothiri any substantial gift (which was customary for new traders to offer the ruler), and not having anything worthwhile to trade, he could not purchase the fabulous spices and other luxury goods that were offered to him. This may have led to his frustration with the Samoothiri, which was also reciprocated.

However soon afterwards, the Portuguese turned against the Samoothiri. The Samoothiri joined a coalition led by the Muslim Sultan of Gujarat, Mahmud Begara in the Battle of Diu in 1509 to try and defeat the Portuguese. A struggle by the Raja's navy led by his famous admiral, Kunjali Marakkar ensued and lasted several years. Finally the Raja had to allow the first European post in his realm to be established at Chaliyam during 1530.

The subsequent Rajas collaborated with the Dutch East India Company to defeat the Portuguese/Kochi coalition during 1661, ensuring the rise of the Dutch in Kerala. The Rajas finally succumbed to the rising power of the state of Mysore, led by Hyder Ali in 1766.

[edit] Key dates

  • 1498 - Samoothiri builds a fort at Ponnani during his conquest of the nadus
  • 1498 May 27 - Vasco Da Gama along with three ships and 170 men, lands at Kappakadavu, a beach town situated about 16km from Kozhikode, and is welcomed by the then Samoothiri, Manivikraman Raja.
  • 1500 December - Samoothiri expels Portuguese from Kozhikode after an anti-Portuguese riot by Muslim residents of Kozhikode
  • 1500 December 24 - Portuguese (led by Pedro Alvares Cabral) take refuge at port of Kochi, where the Kochi Raja offers them spices for trade
  • 1501 January - Portuguese conclude a treaty with Tirumulpad, the King of Kochi, allowing them to open a factory there
  • 1502 - Vasco Da Gama returns to India to try and control the Samoothiri. He bombards Kozhikode and burns a ship of Muslim pilgrims from Mecca.
  • 1503 - Portuguese crown the new Raja of Kochi, effectively making him a vassal of the King of Portugal. Vasco returns to Portugal.
  • 1503 March - Samoothiri attacks Kingdom of Kochi to foil the growing Portuguese influence, destroys the city
  • 1503 - First Portuguese Viceroy Dom Francisco de Almeida arrives in Kochi to find it destroyed, manages to obtain permission to build a fort. Thus the first European fort is built in India by 1505 called Fort Manuel (after King Manuel I of Portugal) or Manuel Kotta.
  • 1504 September 1 - Portuguese bombard and destroy the town of Kodungallur in retaliation
  • 1505 March - Portuguese destroy several boats belonging to the Samoothiri, with severe loss of life [2]
  • 1505 November - murder of the Portuguese factor Antonio de Sa, the other Portuguese men and the destruction of the church of St. Thomas in Kollam.
  • 1506 - Samoothiri approached Raja of Kolathiri. The Portuguese had behaved contemptuously to the Muslims at Kannur, and so Raja of Kolathiri also intended to teach them a lesson. The Samoothiri laid siege the St.Angelos fort at Kannur. But the Portuguese won this battle, and the Raja of Kolathiri was forced to plea for peace.
  • 1506 - Samoothiri's naval forces join the Turkish and Arab navys to attack the Portuguese navy led by Dom Lourenço Almeida, son of the Portuguese Viceroy. However, Portuguese repel attack
  • 1507 November 14 - Portuguese under Almeida attacked Ponnani
  • 1508 March - Sultan of Cairo's navy along with Sultan of Gujarat's forces defeat Portuguese at Battle of Chaul, killing Dom Lourenço Almeida
  • 1509 February - Portuguese counter-attack and defeat the Samoothiri's forces and the Egyptian/Turkish Navy at the famous Battle of Diu. Turks and Egyptians withdraw temporarily from India, leaving the seas to the Portuguese until 1538.
  • 1513 - Samoothiri and Portuguese sign a treaty giving Portuguese right to build a fort at Kozhikode, in return for their assistance in the Samoothiri's fight with the Kingdoms of Kochi and Kolathiri.
  • 1520? - Assassination attempt on Samoothiri
  • 1524 - King of Portugal re-sends Vasco Da Gama back to India to subdue the Samoothiri
  • 1525 February 26 - Portuguese navy led by new Viceroy Menezes raids Ponnani, but the Samoothiri defeats them with assistance from Tinayancheri, and Kurumliyapatri.
  • 1530 - Formation of Chalium (also known as Challe, now Chaliyam) fort by Portuguese - the Raja of Vettathunad enabled the Portuguese to erect a fort at Chalium at the mouth of the Beypore river. Chalium was a strategic site, for it was only 10 km south of Kozhikkode. Raja of Chaliyam also helped the Portuguese.
  • 1540 - Samoothiri enters into an agreement with the Portuguese and stopped the war. Treaty allows the Portuguese a trade monopoly at Kozhikode port.
  • 1550 - Portuguese attacked, pillaged and plundered Ponnani. They set fire to several houses and four mosques, including the Valia Palli.
  • 1569-1570 - War between the Portuguese and Samoothiri's forces at Chaliyam fort.
  • 1571 September 15 - Portuguese lose the war and surrender Chaliyam fort. Samoothiri destroys the fort.
  • 1573 - Pattu Marakkar (Kunjali III) obtained permission from Samoothiri to build a fortress and dockyard at Puthupattanam. This fort later came to be called the Marakkar Kotta (Marakkar Castle).
  • 1584 - Samoothiri needed free navigation without the passes of the Portuguese, to the ports of Gujarat, Persia and Arabia, to continue his trade. So an agreement with the Portuguese was made. The sanction to the Portuguese to build a factory at Ponnani was given. By now the Samoothiri had clearly shifted his policy towards the Portuguese.
  • 1591 - Samoothiri allowed the Portuguese to build a factory at Kozhikode. He even laid the foundation of their church granting them necessary ground and building materials. His Muslim commanders like Kunjali III who were sworn enemies of the Portuguese felt ignored. Kunjali III began to distance himself from Samoothiri.
  • 1598 - Samoothiri joined with the Portuguese and fought his own Naval Commander, Kunjali Marakkar III. Kunjali surrendered to Samoothiri, and Samoothiri handed him over to the Portuguese, who killed him after taking him to Goa in 1600.
  • 1604 - Dutch East India Company concludes a treaty with the Samoothiri to permit trade at Kozhikode and Ponnani
  • 1661 - Samoothiri joins a coalition led by the Dutch to defeat the Portuguese and the Raja of Kochi
  • 1743 - Samoothiri continues war with Walluvanad
  • 1757 - Samoothiri finally manages to defeat the Walluvanad state and annexes it
  • 1760 - Hyder Ali, ruler of the state of Mysore intervenes to help the Walluvanad Raja and defeats the Samoothiri, who signs a treaty with Hyder Ali.
  • 1766 - Last Samoothiri conducts the last Mamankam festival. Hyder Ali marches upon Kozhikode, and annexes it. Samoothiri commits suicide in his palace.

[edit] References

  • Hamilton, Alex. A new Account of the East Indies, Pinkerton's Voyages and Travels, viii. 374
  • Hart, Henry H. The Sea Road to the Indies. New York:MacMillan Company, 1950.
  • Danvers, Frederick Charles. The Portuguese in India. New York:Octagon Books, 1966.
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