History of Kochi
Rajas
The
rajas of Kochi(Cochin) who claim to have a long history extending over
a period of 12 centuries had their headquarters at
Cranganore(Kodungallor), which was known as Mahodayapuram. The
importance Cranganore as a natural port was suddenly on the decline,
as the serve and widespread flood of the year 1341 in the Periyar
river brought with it mountains of sand closing the river-mouth into
the sea at Cranganore, simultaneously opening a new river mouth at
Kochi. Kochi began to grow and develop as a natural harbour port
offering utmost protection to the ships, especially during the monsoon
season. It was indeed during this period that Kochi rose to powerfully
efficient and significant centre by virtue of its geographical and
political features. The Kochi Royal family was also known as
‘Perumpadappu Swaroopam’, since their capital was at
‘Perumpadappu’
(now in Ponnani taluk, Malappuram district). It seems that they
shifted their capital to the south, as a precautionary measure against
the aggressive threat of conquest of the Zamorin of Calicut.
Since
the beginning of the 15th century, Kalvathy—a place in
Fort Kochi—had been the royal abode of Perumpadappu Swaroopam and
later the capital was shifted to Mattancherry. In 1498, when Vasco da
Gama landed at Kappadu near Kozhikode, the rulers of Kochi extended a
whole-hearted welcome to him. They won the favour of the Portuguese
Commander Pedro Alvarez Cabral by providing him an exclusive right to
set up Portuguese factories in Kochi. In return, the Kochi rajas
sought Portuguese assistance in their fight against the Zamorin.
Though the repeated attacks of the Zamorin could be successfully
repulsed through the joined efforts, the Rajas of Kochi virtually
turned out to be mere vassals of the Portuguese. Subsequently, the
Dutch arrived and they captured the Portuguese forts at Quilon,
Cranganore, Purakkad and Cannanore. They took over Mattancherry in
1663 and installed a scion of the ‘Mootha Thavazhi’ clan of the
royal family as the ruler, making Kochi entirely dependent on the
Dutch.
Meanwhile,
the rise of the Travancore rulers into prominence deprived the Kochi
dynasty of Dutch support. Soon Kochi was overrun by the Travancore
forces and Raja Kerala Varma (1760-1775) of Kochi had to enter into a
treaty with the invaders. These two forces together could easily push
Zamorin’s army out of Kochi state. Now, the Zamorin sought peace in
the wake of the expanding Mysore kingdom under Haider
who invaded Malabar reducing the raja of Kochi to his
tributary. Later with the defeat of Tipu Sultan, the British who
reduced Kochi as one of their princely states. Soon after India’s
independence Kochi State was merged with the Indian Union.
