kingdom · South Asia

Keladi Nayaka kingdom

1499 CE – 1763 CE (approx.) · capital Ikkeri

A Kannada kingdom of the western Ghats ruled from Ikkeri and Bednore, famous for its pepper trade and for Queen Chennamma's defiance of Aurangzeb.

Origins

The Keladi Nayakas began as local chiefs at Keladi in the Malnad hills, serving the Vijayanagara Empire as governors from around 1499. After Vijayanagara's defeat at Talikota in 1565 they became effectively independent, moving their capital to Ikkeri and later, around 1639, to Bidanur (Bednore).

Rule and society

Shivappa Nayaka, the greatest ruler, introduced a celebrated land revenue system, the shist, and expanded the kingdom to the coast of Kanara, driving the Portuguese from several ports. The kingdom profited from pepper and rice exports. Keladi Chennamma, who ruled from 1671, sheltered Shivaji's son Rajaram from the Mughal Empire. The Aghoreshwara temple at Ikkeri shows the dynasty's patronage.

Decline and legacy

Hyder Ali of the Kingdom of Mysore conquered Bednore in 1763, seizing its treasury, and renamed it Haidarnagar. The territory remained part of Mysore and later British India.

Connections (2)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Keladi Nayaka kingdom. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/keladi-nayaka-kingdom
MLA
“Keladi Nayaka kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/keladi-nayaka-kingdom. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Keladi Nayaka kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/keladi-nayaka-kingdom.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Keladi Nayaka kingdom’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/keladi-nayaka-kingdom (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻