Kerala History: Travancore and Cochin Kingdoms

Travancore and Cochin were the two major princely states in Kerala that merged to form Travancore-Cochin state (1949), which later became part of Kerala (1956). This is a high-frequency topic in Kerala PSC exams with 3-5 questions per paper.

Travancore Kingdom — Overview

Fact	Detail
Founded	1729 CE by Marthanda Varma
Capital	Padmanabhapuram (later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram in 1795)
Royal Family	Matrilineal succession (Marumakkathayam)
Patron deity	Sri Padmanabha (Vishnu); rulers called “Padmanabha Dasa” (servant of Padmanabha)
Last ruler	Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma (1931-1949)
Merged with India	1 July 1949 (Travancore-Cochin Union)

Rulers of Travancore

Ruler	Reign	Key Contributions
Marthanda Varma	1729-1758	Founded modern Travancore; defeated Dutch at Battle of Colachel (1741); Tiruppadi Danam (dedicated kingdom to Padmanabha, 1750); abolished feudal Nair lords (Ettuveettil Pillamar); created Nair Brigade
Dharma Raja (Karthika Thirunal)	1758-1798	Golden age of Travancore; patronised arts and literature; Padmanabhaswamy Temple renovated; faced Tipu Sultan’s invasion (1789-90)
Bala Rama Varma (Avittam Thirunal)	1798-1810	Signed Subsidiary Alliance with British (1795); first Indian ruler to do so
Gowri Lakshmi Bayi	1810-1815	Only female ruler of Travancore; founded first English school in Travancore
Swathi Thirunal	1829-1847	Poet-king; composed Carnatic and Hindustani music; established first observatory in India (1837); patronised arts; founded English school at Thiruvananthapuram
Uthram Thirunal	1847-1860	Abolished slavery in Travancore (1855); first census (1854)
Ayilyam Thirunal	1860-1880	Progressive ruler; introduced postal system; promoted modern education; land reforms
Sri Mulam Thirunal	1885-1924	Longest reign in Travancore; Sri Mulam Popular Assembly (1904 — first elected legislature in any princely state); Devaswom fund; education expansion
Sethu Lakshmi Bayi	1924-1931	Regent Queen; abolished devadasi system; removed untouchability in many temples
Chithira Thirunal	1931-1949	Temple Entry Proclamation (1936); constitutional reforms; last ruler; acceded to India

Battle of Colachel (1741)

Fact	Detail
Date	10 August 1741
Between	Travancore (Marthanda Varma) vs Dutch East India Company (VOC)
Location	Colachel, southern Travancore (now Kanyakumari district)
Result	Decisive Travancore victory
Significance	First Asian victory over a European naval power; ended Dutch power in Malabar coast; Dutch commander Eustachius De Lannoy captured and later joined Travancore army
De Lannoy’s role	Trained Travancore army; built Udayagiri Fort; served until death (1777)

Temple Entry Proclamation (1936)

Fact	Detail
Date	12 November 1936
Issued by	Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma
Content	Opened all Hindu temples in Travancore to all Hindu castes irrespective of birth
Significance	First princely state to do so; Mahatma Gandhi called it “a miracle of modern times”
Background	Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25), Guruvayur Satyagraha (1931-32), and pressure from social reform movements

Important Diwans of Travancore

Diwan	Period	Key Contributions
Raja Kesavadas	1789-1798	Defended against Tipu Sultan’s invasion; modernised administration
Colonel Munro	1811-1819	British Resident and Diwan simultaneously; established Nair Brigade on modern lines; Munro Island named after him
T. Madhava Rao	1858-1872	Modernised Travancore; railways, education, roads; temple reform
V. Nagam Aiya	Historian	Wrote “The Travancore State Manual” (1906)
Sir CP Ramaswami Iyer	1936-1947	Most controversial; introduced Temple Entry Proclamation; resisted merger with India; American Model plan; attacked and fled (25 July 1947)

Sir CP Ramaswami Iyer — Key Facts

Fact	Detail
Full name	Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer
Served as	Diwan of Travancore (1936-1947)
American Model	Proposed independent Travancore modeled on USA; refused to join Indian Union
Attack	Stabbed by K.C.S. Mani (member of Kerala Socialist Party) on 25 July 1947 at Swathi Thirunal hall
Aftermath	Fled to Europe; Maharaja signed Instrument of Accession with India on 29 July 1947

Cochin Kingdom — Overview

Fact	Detail
Also known as	Perumpadappu Swaroopam
Capital	Kochi (Cochin); earlier at Perumpadappu, then Thrissur area
Origin	Branch of the Chera Perumal dynasty (after last Perumal’s departure c. 12th century)
Royal succession	Matrilineal (Marumakkathayam)
Relation with Portuguese	First Indian kingdom to have friendly relations with Portuguese (Vasco da Gama, 1498-1502)
Last ruler	Kerala Varma (Parikshith Thampuran), 1946-1949
Merged	1 July 1949 with Travancore to form Travancore-Cochin state

Important Cochin Rulers

Ruler	Key Facts
Unni Goda Varma	Welcomed Vasco da Gama (1502); allowed Portuguese to build Fort Kochi (Fort Manuel, 1503)
Veera Kerala Varma	Allied with Dutch against Portuguese (17th century)
Rama Varma (Sakthan Thampuran)	1790-1805; “Akbar of Cochin”; modernised administration; shifted capital to Thrissur; reformed taxation; strong ruler
Kerala Varma (Parikshith Thampuran)	Last ruler; literary figure; translated Shakespearean plays into Malayalam

Sakthan Thampuran — Key Facts

Fact	Detail
Title	”Akbar of Cochin”
Reforms	Centralised administration; curbed Nair feudal lords; reformed land revenue; organised army
Capital shift	Moved capital to Thrissur
Thrissur Pooram	Traditionally attributed to his period (reorganised temple festivals)

Formation of Kerala State

Event	Date
Travancore-Cochin Union	1 July 1949
Travancore-Cochin as Part B State	26 January 1950
States Reorganisation Act	1956
Kerala State formed	1 November 1956
Composition	Travancore-Cochin (minus 4 southern taluks to Tamil Nadu) + Malabar district (from Madras) + Kasaragod (from South Canara)
First Chief Minister	E.M.S. Namboodiripad (Communist)
First Governor	Burgula Ramakrishna Rao

Malabar (Under British Madras Presidency)

Fact	Detail
Under	Madras Presidency (British India) from 1792
Major events	Pazhassi Raja revolt (1793-1805); Mappila rebellions (1836-1921); Malabar rebellion (1921)
Pazhassi Raja	Kerala Varma of Kottayam royal family; “Lion of Kerala”; fought British guerrilla war; died 1805
1921 Malabar Rebellion	Mappila uprising; Variyankunnathu Kunjahammed Haji led the revolt; Wagon Tragedy at Tirur

Important Social Movements in Princely Kerala

Movement	Year	Details
Channar Revolt (Upper Cloth Revolt)	1813-1859	Nadar/Ezhava women fought for right to wear upper cloth in Travancore; granted 1859
Vaikom Satyagraha	1924-1925	Fight for temple road access for lower castes; led by T.K. Madhavan; Gandhi supported; first temple entry agitation
Guruvayur Satyagraha	1931-1932	Temple entry movement; K. Kelappan led; Volunteer Captain A.K. Gopalan
Abstention Movement	1932-33	Joint political action demanding responsible government in Travancore
Punnapra-Vayalar uprising	1946	Communist-led workers’ uprising against Diwan CP; suppressed violently
American Model agitation	1947	Against CP’s plan for independent Travancore

Quick Recall — PSC Favourites

Question	Answer
Who founded modern Travancore?	Marthanda Varma (1729)
Battle of Colachel year?	1741
Who defeated the Dutch in India?	Marthanda Varma
Temple Entry Proclamation year?	12 November 1936
Temple Entry Proclamation by?	Chithira Thirunal
Who called it “a miracle of modern times”?	Mahatma Gandhi
Diwan CP’s American Model meant?	Independent Travancore (not join India)
Who attacked Diwan CP?	K.C.S. Mani
Akbar of Cochin?	Sakthan Thampuran
Kerala State formation date?	1 November 1956
First CM of Kerala?	E.M.S. Namboodiripad
Who abolished slavery in Travancore?	Uthram Thirunal (1855)
Vaikom Satyagraha year?	1924-1925
Punnapra-Vayalar year?	1946
Lion of Kerala?	Pazhassi Raja
Swathi Thirunal was known for?	Music composition (Carnatic and Hindustani)