Kapilendradeva (1435-1467 CE)

The Suryavamsi Gajapatis’ political history began with Kapilendradeva’s ascension to the throne in 1435 A.D. According to the Madala panji, he was adopted by Matta Bhanudeva or Bhanudeva IV, the last childless Ganga king. On the other hand, Vasudeva Ratha’s Gangavamsanucharitarn describes Kapilendradeva usurping the Gangas throne while Bhanudeva IV was fighting in a distant location.

Numerous Simhachalam inscriptions attest to this fact, revealing that Bhanudeva IV was engaged in a protracted struggle against the Reddis of Rajahmundry in the far south at the time. If this were not the case, Kapilendradeva would have crowned himself in Cuttack, the citadel of Ganga power, rather than at Kritivasa kataka, i.e. Bhubaneswar. Perhaps out of fear of the feudatories, he rushed through the coronation ceremony in Bhubaneswar. Furthermore, had he been adopted as Bhanudeva IV’s son, he would have described himself as a Ganga king in his own records, as well as in the records of his successors. On the other hand, he, his sons, and grandsons have all been described as Suryavamsa members. The storey of Kasia-Kapila, Kapila as a cowboy, thief, etc., and his selection by Ganga king Matta Bhanudeva by the will of and Jagannath were all invented to legitimise his claim to the throne and are thus far from historical fact.

Issues confronting Kapilendradeva at the time of his accession

He discovered the throne of Odisha to be riddled with difficulties shortly after his accession in 1435 CE.

1. In the south, the Rajahmumdry Reddi rulers were extending their borders northward. The country was threatened from the north by the Sultan of Bengal.
2. The distant Malwa also attempted to leverage the revolution of local chiefs and feudatories in order to recognise Kapilendradeva’s suzerainty.

At that critical juncture, Kapliendradeva acted swiftly and subdued rebel chiefs such as the Matsyas of Oddadi, the Salivamsi chiefs of Nandapura, the Vishnuvardhana Chakravartins of Panchadharala, and the Gangas of Khimindi with the aid of his army. According to his Lingaraj temple inscription, “all kings of my kingdom of Odisha should work for the benefit of the supreme sovereign and should follow virtuous ways rather than remaining in bad ways.” They will be expelled from the kingdom and their property will be confiscated if they behave badly toward their sovereign.” This order unambiguously directed the defiant chiefs to recognise Kapilendradeva’s suzerainty.

Kapilabda’s Introduction

Kapilendradeva introduced ‘Kapilabda’ after his ascession. The Lingaraj temple inscription was penned during Kapilendradeva’s seventh year of rule. It states that by 1442-43 CE, the task of quelling Kapilendradeva’s internal rebellions had been completed. Following his subjugation of the unruly feudatory chiefs, Kapilendradeva pursued a policy of aggrandisement, earning him the reputation of a great hero of the Gajapati dynasty.

His conquests and wars

Defeat of Gauda

He desired to settle scores with the Bengal’s lllyas Shahis following his accession. Taking advantage of the Sarquis of Jaunpur’s internal strife, the Gangas extended Odisha’s frontier up to the river Bhagirathi (Ganges). Perhaps Kapilendra received news of the Bengali sultan Nasiruddin Abul Muzzafar Mahmud Shah’s attack while fighting the combined army of the Reddis of Rajahmundry and Vijayanagara Empire. He rushed forward and dealt him a crushing defeat, extending Kapilendradeva’s sway all the way to the Ganges. Kapilendradeva assumed the title ‘Goudesvara’ in a 1447 CE. inscription. Thus, by 1447 CE, Bengal (Gauda) was unquestionably under the sway of Kapilendradeva. However, no other corroborating evidence exists for Sultan Mahmud Sharqul of Jaunpur’s attack in 1457 CE. and his son’s attack in 1458 A.D., nor for Kapilendra’s negotiation with them as per Ferishta’s Tabaqat-i-Akbari. One thing is certain: Kapilendra defeated Bengal. If this were not the case, he would not have taken the title ‘Gaudesvara’.

Rajahmundry’s Occupation

In the south, Virabhadra I, the Reddi ruler of Rajahmundry, posed a significant obstacle to Kapilendradeva’s southward advance. A 1444 CE. inscription at Draksharam demonstrates unequivocally that Rajahmundry was under the control of the Vijayanagara Empire at the time. Prior to his engagement with Mahmud Shah of Jaunpur, Kapliendradeva suffered a setback at the hands of Mallappa Odeyar, who was sent by Bahamani’s most capable ruler, Devaraya II, during Kapliendradeva’s attack on Rajahmundry. After Devaraya II’s death in 1446 CE, the Vijayanagara Empire fell to his son and successor Mallikarjunaraya. Vijayanagara’s hold on Rajahmundry weakened. Kapilendradeva took advantage of this situation by dispatching a grand army led by his son Hamvira to occupy Rajahmundry. Hamvira easily defeated the Reddis, and Rajahmundry was annexed by Kapilendradeva’s empire. Raghudeva Narendra Mahapatra was appointed Rajahmundry’s Governor. Rajahmundry was subjugated prior to 1448 CE.

Kondavidu’s Conquest

Kapilendradeva postponed his conquest in the south for a few years in order to focus on his northern frontier. Mallikarjuna’s inscription dated August 19, 1453 CE at Matamura in the Guntur district attests to the fact that the territory to the south of Krishna was administered by the Vijayanagara empire. Taking advantage of Mallikarjuna’s weakness, Kapilendra’s army crossed the Krishna river and took control of Kondavidu. Kapiiendradeva appointed one of his relatives, Ganadeva Routaraya, as the Pariksha of Kondavidu. On April 12, 1454 CE, an inscription at Chintapallipadu in the Guntur district records Ganadeva Routaraya’s gift to a temple. Thus, almost the entirety of the Guntur district fell into Kapilendradeva’s hands prior to April 1454 CE. He was now crowned king of the Reddi Kingdom of Rajahmundry and Kondavidu.

Defeat of Telingana

Kapilendra desired to extend his sway up to the Telingana coast, which lay between Rajahmundry and the Bahamani Kingdom. Telingana was home to a number of significant forts, including Rachakonda, Devarkonda, and Warangal. They were occupied by Telingana’s Bellama chiefs. Their support for Devaraya II, the king of Vijayanagar, in a war against the Bahamani enraged Alauddin ahmad Shah, who subdued the Bellamas through Sanjar Khan, as Burhan-i-Maasri describes. Humayun Saha, Alauddin Ahmed Shah II’s son, appointed Malik Shah as governor of Telingana. Sikandar Khan, Jalal Khan’s son, revolted against Humayun Shah’s decision. Jalal Khan took up arms against Humayun shah with the assistance of Linga, the Bellama chief at Devarkonda, and was assassinated by the latter. Humayun desired to chastise Linga. Linga pleaded with Kapilendradeva to serve him in the military. Kapilendradeva was quick to extend his assistance to Linga. In 1458 CE, the Bahamani forces were defeated completely by the combined army of Odisha and Devarkonda. Following this, Kapilendradeva made the Bellemas of Devarkonda, Rachakonda, and Warangal vassals against the Bahamani Kingdom. Kapilendradeva assumed the title ‘Kala vargesvara’ following his victory over Devarkonda.

Capture of Bahamani Kingdom

The death of Humayun Shah in 1461 facilitated Kapilendradeva’s invasion of the Bahamani kingdom. Kapilendra’s grand army, aided by the Bellama chiefs, marched now towards Bidar, the Bahamani kingdom’s capital. Sultan Nizam Shah was only eight years old when he was assassinated. While advancing towards the Bahamani kingdom’s capital, the Hindu army plundered and devastated the country. The Muslim Kingdom’s demise was unavoidable. However, Kapilendradeva was forced to retreat at that point.

According to Ferishta, the Hindu army sought refuge in a fort, and Kapilendradeva was forced to pay a large sum of money and flee. Take this description of Ferishta with a grain of salt. If a critical analysis is conducted, it becomes clear that Kapilendradeva had no chance of surrendering to a weak and feeble Bahamani minor ruler. On the other hand, it is possible that the Odishan army’s prolonged absence from the capital prompted the Muslim ruler of Bengal to attack Odisha, forcing Kapilendradeva to retreat in order to deal with Jaunpur’s sultan Hussain Sharqui. However, after settling his score with the Sultan of Bengal, Kapilendra marched with renewed vigour towards the Bahamani kingdom and captured Hahur, Bidar, and several other locations, earning him the title ‘Kalavargasvara’.

Vijayanagara Empire

The death of Devaraya II and the succession of his son in 1447 CE. presented Kapilendradeva with an opportunity to wage war against the Vijayanagara empire. Saluva Narasimha, the Vijayanagara empire’s subordinate ruler of Chandragiri, dreamed of erecting his own castle atop the Vijayanagara empire. Kapilendra attacked that country due to the empire’s internal mismanagement. To carry out his plan, Kapilendra desired to conquer Udayagiri fort, which commanded a strategic position in the coastal regions of the Vijayanagara empire. According to Kapilendra’s instructions, his lieutenant Tamma Bhupala conquered it in 1460 CE, as evidenced by an inscription on the top of Udayagiri hill from that year indicating the construction of a temple. Basava Bhupala, son of Tamma Bhupala, was appointed governor of Udayagiri following its conquest. With Udayagiri as his base, Hamvira, the gallant son of Kapilendradeva, marched along the Vijayanagara empire’s coastal line. Saluva Narasimha, the ruler of Chandragiri rajya, was now transferred to the central division of Mallikarjuna’s empire, with Vinukonda as its capital. This weakened Chandragiri rajya. Pasupati Tamma Bhupati, a lieutenant of Kapilendradeva, attacked and occupied the fort of Chandragiri prior to 1464 CE. Controversy surrounds the Odishan army’s occupation of the Vijayanagara empire. According to Prataprudradeva’s Anantavaram plates, Kapilendra sent his son Hamvira to conquer Hampi, Vijayanagara’s capital, which he did, forcing the emperor to pay tribute.

The Gangadasa-Vilasa Charitam confirms this fact, stating that while Kapilendradeva and the Hayapati (Bahamani Sultan) attempted to humiliate the young emperor of the Vijayanagara empire, the latter emerged from his den like a lion cub and defeated the combined army of the Gajapati and Hayapati. R. Subramanyam resolves this conundrum by stating that while Hamvira defeated the Vijayanagara army, the entire Vijayanagara Kingdom remained independent of the Gajapati ruler of Odisha. Hamvira travelled all the way to Trichinapolli, as evidenced by an inscription in Sriranga temple recording a gift of cows made in 1464 CE. by “Dakshina Kapilesvara Kumara Mohapatra.” Hamvira halted his aggressive march following the conquest of the Tanjor and Tnchinapolli regions. In 1464 CE, Kumara Kapilesvara Mohapatra, Kapilendra’s grandson, was appointed Viceroy of the conquered tsrntores. Kapilendradeva’s extensive conquests extended the Odishan empire from the river Ganges in the north to the river Kaveri in the south.

Kapilendradeva’s final years

Kapilendradeva’s final years were filled with sorrows and difficulties. He discovered that several of his trusted servants and soldiers had deserted and betrayed him. Although he diplomatically nominated Purustottamadeva, his younger son, as his successor by God Jagannath’s will. However, Hamvira did not readily accept it. When a fratricidal war between the two brothers loomed, Kapilendradeva learned of the loss of territories. Ruknuddin Barbak captured the Mandaran fort in the north. Saluva Narasimha occupied his previous kingdom in the south, driving the Odia army out of that territory. Kapilendra became weak as a result of the internal conflict between Hamvira and Purusottama and the loss of territory, and he died most likely in 1466-67 A.D.

Kapilendradeva’s estimation

Kapilendrdeva’s reign was a glorious era in Odisha’s history. He was a military genius of the first order. He established the Suryavamsi dynasty in Odisha. The spirit with which he subdued the recalcitrant chiefs and solidified the Suryavamsi regime is unquestionably admirable. He wore titles that sounded grandiose in comparison to his station. By bringing an end to the Ganga rule in Odisha, he was dubbed ‘Gajapati’. After conquering a portion of Bengal, he established the legitimacy of his title Gaudesvara. Due to his conquest of a portion of the Bahamani kingdom and expedition to Bidar, he was given the title ‘Kala varges vara’. Following his conquest of a portion of the Vijayanagar empire, he dubbed himself ‘Navakoti Karnata’. ‘Navakoti’ may have referred to the ‘nine crores’ of people who lived in the Bahamani kingdom and the Vijayanagara empire. Thus, Kapilendradeva’s pompous title was ‘Gajapati Gaudesvara Navakoti Karnata Kalavargesvara’. After centuries of military inactivity, Kapilendradeva reintroduced Odisha to the Indian political chessboard, thereby ending her isolation. He defeated rulers such as Mahmud Shah, Humayun Shah, Mallikarjuna, and Saluva Narasimha during his lifetime. As a result, he established a vast empire that stretched from the Ganges to the Kaveri river banks.

Kapilendradeva was an ardent supporter of the arts. He was an accomplished Sanskrit scholar himself. His play Parasurama Vijaya demonstrates that he was an accomplished dramatist. According to the Madala Panji, this drama was performed in front of God Jagannath during a Mahotsava. During his reign, Nrusingha Vajapayee, a renowned Advaitadin, wrote a commentary on Sankaracharya’s Samshepa Saririka titled Samkshepa Saririka Vartika. The first renaissance in Odia literature began during the reign of Kapnendradeva. Sarala Dasa’s Odia Mahabharata encapsulated Odishan culture in its entirety. Other notable works include his Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana. Not only was Kapilendradeva a patron of poets and men of letters, but he was also an accomplished builder. He built the outer wall of Puri’s Jagannath temple. He also established the Shasanas of Kapilesvarpura and Damodarapura. Perhaps he built the Kapilesvara temple near Bhubaneswar. Additionally, the Gokarnesvara Siva temple in Midnapur and the Mallkarjuna Siva temple in Mallkarjuna contained Kapilendradeva’s inscriptions. Kapilendradeva was a devout follower of the Hindu deity Jagannath. He always referred to himself as the God’s Sevaka (servant). He established a variety of facilities for God worship in the Puri Jagannath temple. Thus, he used the name of the God as a magic stick to accomplish his political objective.

Kapilendradeva desired to keep the empire in peace and tranquillity. Though he was constantly engaged in combat, he desired that his people live in peace. It goes without saying that his reign left a number of indelible marks in the annals of Odishan history.

Sources and References

1. History of Odisha Vol-I by Dr Manas Kumar Das
2. History of Odisha Vol-II by Dr Manas Kumar Das
3. History of Odisha Vol-III by Dr Manas Kumar Das
4. History of Odisha Sahu, Sahu, Mishra
5. History of Odisha Vol-I by Y.K. Sahu
6. History of Odisha Vol-II by Y.K. Sahu
7. History of Odisha by RD Banerjee
8. Odishara Itihasa by Satyanarayan Rajguru