Recherla Rudra (regent)

Who he is

Name

Recherla Rudra (Rudrireddi, Rudra-senani)

Title

Senapati (commander) and regent: 'bearer of the burden of the Kakatiya kingdom' (Kakatiya-rajya-bhara-dhaureya)

Since

during Ganapati's captivity (1198-99); not pinned

Born

12th century (no year given)

Family

Recherla family of Pillalamarri (service chiefs since Beta I); parents Katreddi (Kataya) and Bejjama; line Brahma-senapati, Kataya, Kama, Kataya II

Confidence

high

Wikipedia's Recherla Rudra article (read): ran the kingdom in Ganapati's name, suppressed rebellions, repulsed the obscure king Nagati (who fled to Kolavenu), beheaded an unnamed haughty feudatory, possibly repulsed a Chola invasion (Sarma for, Sastry against). Dated records of his are of 1213 and 1218: later.

What it holds

• Pillalamarri and the family's service lands
• The regency of Orugallu: the army and treasury
• Authority over nayakas and chiefs of the upland during the minority

How it was acquired

By his family's service and by the crisis of 1198-99.

Allies and rivals

Ganapati's guardian; rivals: Nagati of Mudigonda (repulsed), unnamed rebel feudatories (one beheaded), possibly the Chola king Kulottunga III.

How things stand that morning

The government.

Military

Commander of the Kakatiya levy and the Recherla retinue; no numbers.

Threats

• Rival nayakas and the Natavadi chief
• The Yadavas, who hold his king's release as a favour

What the year holds

What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.

1. 1200 and afterPuts down rebels and repulses Nagati; later builds the Ramappa temple (1213).Depends on: Ganapati's accession securing his place. Stopped by: Ganapati taking power into his own hands.

Places of note

• Pillalamarri: Recherla home ground.
• Palampet: Future temple site of 1213: not yet built.

Where the sources disagree

• Board 'pillalamarri' makes the Recherlas 'running the government while Ganapati is a prisoner': Wikipedia agrees.
• Board 'palampet-ramappa-ground' says the temple is of 1213: matches (Recherla Rudra's 31 March 1213 grants and the Palampet inscription).

Evidence: Wikipedia's Recherla Rudra and Rudradeva articles (read).

Primary sources for Kakatiya kingdom (Orugallu)

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

• Corpus of Inscriptions in the Telingana Districts, Various (Kakatiya chancery and temple scribes), edited by P. Sreenivasachar (inscriptions of the 10th to 15th centuries; edited 1940 to 1942). The Kakatiyas of Orugallu (Warangal) are known for 1200 almost entirely from inscriptions, and this Hyderabad Archaeological Series corpus is the main printed collection. Read online
• Sanskrit and Old Canarese Inscriptions relating to the Yadava Kings of Devagiri, Various (Yadava chancery), edited by J. F. Fleet (inscriptions of the 12th and 13th centuries; edited 1876). The first collected edition of the Yadava (Seuna) records, with texts and translations, from the Indian Antiquary. Read online
• South Indian Inscriptions (Archaeological Survey of India), Various (Chola, Pandya and other chanceries and temple scribes), edited by E. Hultzsch, V. Venkayya, H. Krishna Sastri and successors (inscriptions of the 7th to 17th centuries; the series ran from 1890). The temple inscriptions printed here are the primary record of the Tamil country in 1200. Read online