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Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
TRAVANCORE
Rulers of the principality in
southern India
The senior most male of the Royal
family, born in the female line, to a Rani of Attingal, becomes Maharajah
with the title of Sri Padmanabha Dasa Vanchi Pala (Personal Name)
Kulasekhara Perumal. Other titles include Shamsher Jang, Raja Rama Raja
Bahadur, Manney Sultan etc.
The senior most female of the Royal family is
the Maharani and holds the title of Attingal Mootha Thampuran and is known
as Sri Padmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani
(personal name).
The second princess is known as Attingal Elaya Thampuran,
third princess as Attingal Kochu Thampuran.
The heir apparent is known as
the Elaya Raja.
Consort of the Maharani is known as the Valiya Koil
Thampuran.
Consort of the Maharajah is known as the Ammachi and holds the
title of Panapillai Amma.
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1253-82 Rani Regnant Sri Uma Devi of Travancore |
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The Kulusekhara Dynasty of
Travancore (or Tiruvankur) is of very ancient lineage, tracing its
origins to the Royal House of Vanad and dating from 1100 AD. They
attained considerable power during the reign of Ravi Varma
Kulasekhara, during the early years of the fourteenth century. Marco
Polo claimed to have visited his capital at Quilon, a centre of
commerce and trade with China and the Levant. |
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1577-78 Reigning Sri Rani
Makayiram Thirunal of
Travancore |
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The
Kulusekhara Dynasty of Travancore (or Tiruvankur) is of very ancient
lineage, tracing its origins to the Royal House of Vanad and dating
from 1100 AD. They attained considerable power during the reign of
Ravi Varma Kulasekhara, during the early years of the fourteenth
century. Marco Polo claimed to have visited his capital at Quilon, a
centre of commerce and trade with China and the Levant. Europeans
were attracted to the region during the late fifteenth century,
primarily in pursuit of the then rare commodity, pepper. The
Portuguese were the first to arrive, followed by their later rivals,
the Dutch, during the seventeenth century. |
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1677-84 Regent Sri Rani
Aswathi Thriunal Umayamma
Rani of
Travancore |
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As
the senior Princess of the Royal House, she was already Rani of
Attingal, which was given to her as her personal appanage, when she
succeeded on the death of Raja Aditya Varma after defeating a rival
contender to the throne, Nedumangattu Kerala Varma in battle. Around
this time, the British first came to Kerala. In 1684, she facilitated
the construction of god owns for the British near Attingal. She
adopted Kottayam Kerala Varma, who became a famous personality.
Unfortunately, his popularity came at the cost of making powerful
enemies, who had him assassinated on his return from an audience with
the Queen. She was mother of six sons, five of them drowned at Manakad
while bathing. After the death of her last son, Raja Ravi Vama, Raja,
she adopted an entire family from the House of Kolatbunad, the Koil
Tampurans of Kilimanur - three men and three women.
Ummayamma Rani (d. 1684/90). |
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1684/90-85/91 Titular Senior Rani of Attingal in Travancore |
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The
family follows matrilineal inheritance, according to male
primogeniture. The two senior Princesses of the Royal House, the
mother of the Maharaja and her sister, received the principality of
Attingal in appanage, and were styled the Senior and Junior Rani of
Attingal. |
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Around 1684/90-after 1718 Titular Junior Rani
Kartika Tirunal
of Attingal in Travancore |
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Sister of the Senior Rani. |
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After 1718 Titular Rani of Attingal in Travancore |
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The
family follows matrilineal inheritance, according to male
primogeniture. The two senior Princesses of the Royal House, the
mother of the Maharaja and her sister, received the principality of
Attingal in appanage, and were styled the Senior and Junior Rani of
Attingal. |
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After 1749 Titular Senior Rani Uthradam Tirunal of Attingal in
Travancore |
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Adopted into the Royal House of Travancore in 1749, held the
Principality of Attingal as her dowry jointly with sister, and married a Kochi Koil Tampuran of Tattara Kovil. Mother of two sons. |
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1798-1815
Titular Senior Rani H.H. Sri Patmanabha Sevini Vanchipala Dyumani Raj
Rajeshwari Rani
Gouri Lakshmi Bai of Attingal in Travancore
(India)
1810-15 Regent of Travancore |
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At the time of the death of
her predecessor there were no eligible male members in the family,
however
Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bhai's
accession was not easy because a member of the Mavelikara Royal
family, a distant cousin, Prince Kerala Varma, staked a claim on the
throne. But the British Resident Colonel Munro sided with her and
she first reigned alone until the birth of her son, and then she was
regent for him until her own death.
One of her earliest acts was to dismiss the
existing Dewan or Prime Minister, the corrupt Ummini Thampi, who was
replaced by Munro.
She was the first to permit foreigners to
enter the fort of Padmanabhapuram and also broke tradition by
appearing personally to receive her foreign guests and Resident. She
also made a speech on being installed as Maharani. To end corruption
she reformed the administration and judidicy and also initiated
social reforms, abolished the purchase and sale of all slaves and
granted them independence excepting those attached to the soil for
agricultural purposes. She was daughter of Princess Attham, Senior
Rani of Attingal of the Travancore Royal Family, sister of Maharajah
Balarama Varma, who were adopted into the Travancore family from
their natal Palace at Mavelikara which then belonged to Kolathunadu.
With her husband,
M.R.Ry. Rajaraja Varma
Avargal, Koil Tampuran of Changanasser, she had
a daughter, Maharani Gowri Rukmini Bayi born in 1809, and 2 sons born
in 1813 and 1814. She died soon after giving birth to the second
son.
After her death, her sister Parvathi Bhai, ruled the country till Maharaja Swathi Thirunal
was old enough to take over. She lived
(1791-1815). |
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1810-53 Junior
Rani H.H. Sri Patmanabha Sevini Vanchi Dharma Dyumani Raja Rajeshwari
Rani Gouri Parvati Bai of Attingal in Travancore (India)
1815-29 Regent of Travancore |
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When her elder sister Regent Maharani Gowri
Lakshmi Bayi died after childbirth in 1815 she was only thirteen
years of age and being the only female left in the family, besides
her deceased sister's little daughter, she became Regent Maharani on
behalf of her nephew, the heir, Maharajah Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma.
She was on her accession actively counselled by her brother in law,
Raja Raja Varma of the Changanssery Royal family as well as her
husband, Raghava Varma, who belonged to the Royal family of
Kilimanoor. Her first act was to appoint a new Dewan, and she
continued the reforms of her older sister. Christians got more
freedom and some of the restrictions put on some of the lower castes
were removed, she also introduced health reforms. er mother, Princes
Atham of the Travancore, was the Senior Rani of Attingal. Her first
husband was Raghava Varma of the Kilimanoor Royal family and after
his death she married his brother After his death in 1824, she
married again, but did not have any children. She lived (1802-53). |
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1815-? Senior Rani
Gowri Rukmini Bayi
of Attingal in Travancore
(India) |
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succeeded to the title of
Senior Rani of Attingal after the death of her mother, the Queen
Regent,
Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bai.
Apart from her aunt, who was regent 1815-29, she
only female in the matriarchal Travancore Royal Family, she married
Rama Varma Koil Thampuran of Thiruvalla Royal Family in 1819 and had
seven children, five sons and two daughters. One of these daughters
died soon while the other married and had two sons, including Moolam
Thirunal Sir Rama Varma. In 1888 two princesses were adopted from
the Mavelikara Royal family into Travancore. (b. 1809-?). |
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Until 1837 Senior Rani
Gouri Rukmani Bai of Attingal in
Travancore (India)
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The
younger daughter of the Queen Regent Rani Gouri Lakshmi Bai (1810-15),
she succeeded her sister, Gouri Lakshmi Bai, as Senior Rani of
Attingal. Two of her sons became Maharajas, she was mother of a total
of eight children, and lived (1809-37). |
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1837-53 Senior Rani
Parvati Bai of Attingal in Travancore |
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Also known as Chathayam Tirunal, she succeeded Gouri Rukmani Bai as
joint administrator of the principality of Attingal, which were given
as appanage to the two senior Princesses of the Travancore royal
family, which follows matrilineal inheritance, according to male
primogeniture.
She
was unmarried and (d. 1853). |
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1853-57 Junior Rani
Lakshmi Bai of Attingal in Travancore |
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Also known as Pooradam Tirunal, she was joint administrator of the
principality of Attingal, which were given as appanage to the two
senior Princesses of the Travancore royal family. Married to M.R.Ry.
Raja Raja Varma Avargal, Koil Tampuran. Mother of two sons, and lived
(1829-57). |
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1853-1901 Senior Rani H.H. Sri Patmanabha Sevini
Vanchipala Dharma Vardhini Raja Rajeshwari Maharani
Setu Lakshmi Bai Attingal,
The Senior Maharani
of Travancore (India) |
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Also known as Bharani Tirunal, she was adopted into the Royal House of
Travancore in 1749. Married M.R.Ry. Kerala Varma Avargal, Valia Koil
Tampuran of Changanasseri. She adopted her two nieces in 1900, and
lived (1848-1901). |
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1901-85 Senior Rani H.H. Sri Patmanabha Sevini,
Vanchi Dharma Vardhini, Raja Rajeshwari, Rani Setu Lakshmi Bai
Maharaja of Attingal, The Senior Maharani of Travancore
1924-31 Regent of Travancore |
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Adopted
into the Royal House of Travancore by her maternal grandaunt in 1900.
In 1924, she became Regent for her infant nephew and was granted the
style of Highness and title of
Maharani.
She abolished animal
sacrifice, replaced the matrilineal system of inheritance with the
patrilineal one, and was known for making Travancore a progressive
state. Married
to M.R.Ry. Rama Varma Avargal, Valia Koil Tampuran, and was
mother of 2 daughters.
She lived (1895-1985). |
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1901-83 Junior Rani H.H. Maharani
Setu Parvati Bal of Attingal, The Junior Maharani of Travancore |
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Sister of Rani Setu Lakshmi Bai and granted the personal title of
Maharani in 1924 with the style of Her Highness, from 1933. She
was Pro-Chancellor of. Travancore University and married to M.R.Ry.
Ravi Varma Avargal, Kochu Koil Tampuran. Mother of 4 sons and 1
daughter, and lived (1896-1983). |
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?-1991-2008 Heiress Apparent
Maharani
Karthika Thirunal Gowri
Lakshmi Bai
Thampuratti of Travancore |
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Karthika was daughter of
Rani Sethu Parvathibai and
Ravivarma Koithamburan, and
sister of the last Princely Ruler, Mharaja Sree Chithira Tirunal
Balarama Varma and the present Head of the Family, Maharaja
Sri Marthanda Varma, who
will be succeeded by her oldest son,
Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma
by Colonel Goda Varma Raja. Her oldest daugther is Princess Pooyam
Thirunal Gowri Parvathi Bai,
who inherited the position as the senior female member of the family,
the second, Princes Aswathi Tirunal Gouri
Lakshmi Bayi,
is an author. She
was the first member of the royal family to visit a foreign country
breaking age-old ban on crossing the sea, and among others visited the
Vatica. She
lived (1923-2008) |
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2008-
Heiress Apparent Maharani
Pooyam Thirunal
Gowri Parvathi Bai of Travancore |
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Took over the position as
the senior female member of the family after the death of her mother,
Maharani Kartika. |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travancore_Royal_Family
Last update 11.12.11
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