List of Tamil monarchs


This is a list of ethnically Tamil and predominantly Tamil speaking monarchs, who ruled in Southern India and parts of Sri Lanka and South East Asia. The ancient Tamil monarchy was largely hereditary and supported by numerous chieftains.

Tamil royal titles

Tribhuvana Chakravarti/ChakravartiPerarasi/Mahadevi
  • Devar
  • Devi/kundhi Ko, Arasan, Mannan, Aliyan or Araiyan Arasi Ilavarasi or Piratti Ilam-Ko or Ilavarasan Kuru-nila Mannan or Chittrarasan
  • ''Chittrarasi''

Three Crowned Kings

The three crowned kings known as Muvendar were the traditional three Tamil dynasties that ruled the Tamilakam since the Sangam era.

Pandyan dynasty (c. 600 BCE – 1620 CE)

Early Pandyans (c. 6th century BCE – 3rd century CE)

Imperial Pandyans (590–920 CE)

Pandyans under Chola empire (920–1216 CE)

  • Sundara Pandyan I
  • Veera Pandyan I
  • Veera Pandyan II
  • Amarabhujanga Tivrakopa
  • Jatavarman Sundara Chola Pandyan
  • Maravarman Vikrama Chola Pandyan
  • Maravarman Parakrama Chola Pandyan
  • Jatavarman Chola Pandya
  • Seervallabha Manakulachala
  • Maaravaramban Seervallaban
  • Parakrama Pandyan I
  • Kulasekara Pandyan III
  • Vira Pandyan III
  • Jatavarman Srivallaban
  • Jatavarman Kulasekaran I

Later Pandyans (1212–1345 CE)

Tenkasi Pandyans (1422–1620 CE)

During the 15th century, the Pandyans lost their traditional capital city Madurai to Delhi Sultanate, and were forced to move their capital to Tirunelveli in southern Tamilakam and existed there as vassals.
  • Cataiyavarman Parakrama Pandyan
  • Cataiyavarman III Kulasekara Pandyan
  • Azhagan Perumal Parakrama Pandyan
  • Kulasekara Pandyan
  • Cataiyavarman Civallappa Pandyan
  • Parakrama Kulasekara Pandyan
  • Nelveli Maran
  • Cataiyavarman Adiveerama Pandyan
  • Varathunga Pandyan
  • Varakunarama Pandyan
  • Kollankondan
Mutharaiyar
Mutharaiyar dynasty is one of the royal dynasty in Tamil Nadu state of India. Mutharaiyars ruled Tanjore, Trichy and Pudukottai regions from 600 CE to 850 CE.
Admirable accounts of Mutharaiyar kings are found in the Tamil epics Nālaṭiyār and Muthollaayiram
Kuvavan Maaran alias Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar I
Maaran Parameswaran alias Ilangovadiaraiyan
Suvaran Maran alias Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II
Videlviduku Satan Maran
Peradiarayan alias Marbiduku
Kuvavan Satan alias Videlviduku Mutharaiyar
sandhan Pailiili

Chola dynasty (c. 300 BCE – 1280 CE)

Early Chola rulers (c. 300 BCE – 850 CE)

Imperial Chola Empire (850–1279 CE)

Chera dynasty (c. 300 BCE – 1528 CE)

Early Chera kingdom (c. 3rd century BCE – 4th century CE)

From inscriptions

  • Ko Athan Cheral Irumporai
  • Perum Kadungo Irumporai
  • Ilam Kadungo Irumporai
  • Kadummi Pudha Chera

From inscribed coins

  • Mak-kothai
  • Kuttuvan Kothai
  • Kollippurai/Kollippurai
  • Kol Irumporai
  • Sa Irumporai

Kongu Chera dynasty (c. 400–844 CE)

  • Ravi Kotha
  • Kantan Ravi
  • Vira Kotha
  • Vira Narayana
  • Vira Chola
  • Vira Kerala
  • Amara Bhujanga Deva
  • Kerala Kesari Adhirajaraja Deva

Chera Perumal dynasty of Makotai (c. 844–1124 CE)

Venadu Chera/Kulasekhara dynasty (c. 1124–1528 CE)

  • Vira Kerala Varma I
  • Kodai Kerala Varma
  • Vira Ravi Varma
  • Vira Kerala Varma II
  • Vira Aditya Varma
  • Vira Udaya Martanda Varma
  • Devadaram Vira Kerala Varma III
  • Vira Manikantha Rama Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Rama Kerala Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Ravi Kerala Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Padmanabha Martanda Varma Tiruvadi
  • Ravi Varma
  • Vira Udaya Martanda Varma
  • Aditya Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Rama Udaya Martanda Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Kerala Varma Tiruvadi
  • Vira Martanda Varma III
  • Vira Rama Martanda Varma
  • Vira Ravi Varma
  • Vira Ravi Ravi Varma
  • Vira Kerala Martanda Varma
  • Chera Udaya Martanda Varma
  • Vira Ravi Varma
  • Sankhara Sri Vira Rama Martanda Varma
  • Vira Kodai Sri Aditya Varma
  • Vira Ravi Ravi Varma
  • Martanda Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal
  • Vira Ravi Kerala Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal

Pallava Feudatories (c. 275–897 CE)

Early Pallavas

  • Virakurcha, founder of dynasty
  • Simha Varman I, Provincial governor of Palnadu region of Andhra
  • Siva Skanda Varman I
  • Buddhavarman
  • Vishnugopavarman

Middle Pallavas

  • Kumaravisnu I
  • Skanda Varman II
  • Vira Varman
  • Skanda Varman III
  • Simha Varman I
  • Yuvamaharaja Vishnugopa, Brother of Simhavarman I, Provincial governor of Andhra
  • Skanda Varman IV
  • Nandi Varman I
  • Kumaravisnu II
  • Buddha Varman
  • Kumaravisnu III

Later Pallavas

Ay chieftains

Ay chieftains (early historic)

Medieval Ay kings

Mushika Rulers

Early rulers

  • Ezhimala Nannan

Medieval rulers

  • Validhara Vikkirama Rama
  • Kantan Karivarman alias Iramakuta Muvar
  • Mushikesvara Chemani/Jayamani
  • Utaiya-varma alias Ramakuta Muvar

Kadava Chieftains (c.1216-1279 CE)

Jaffna Chieftains (c. 1277–1619 CE)

Rajahs of Ramnad (c. 1601–1949 CE)

'List of Sethupathi rulers'''''

Chieftains With the Madurai Nayaks (c. 1601–1677)

  • Udaiyan Sethupathi
  • Koottan Sethupathi
  • Dalavai Raghunatha Sethupathi
  • Thirumalai Raghunatha Sethupathi
  • Raja Suriya Sethupathi
  • Aathana Raghunatha Sethupathi

Imperial rulers (c. 1678–1795 CE)

Rulers of princely state under British Raj (c. 1795–1949 CE)

As King

  • Mangaleswari Nachiyar

As Zamindars

Rajahs of Pudukkottai (c. 1686–1948 CE)

Rajahs of Sivaganga (CE 1725–1947 CE)

Velir Rulers

Later chieftains

Vijaya Nagar Nayaka paalayakars

Nayaks, Nayakas or Nayakars were a Telugu-origin dynasty that established themselves after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire as sovereign rulers of Tamil territories and replaced the indigenous Tamil dynasties like Cholas and Pandyans.

Gingee palyam (1509–1649 CE)

  • Krishnappa Nayaka, first ruler
  • Chennappa Nayaka
  • Gangama Nayaka
  • Venkata Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Venkata Rama Bhupaala Nayaka
  • Thriyambamka Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Varadappa Nayaka
  • Ramalinga Nayani vaaru
  • Venkata Perumal Naidu
  • Periya Ramabhadra Naidu
  • Ramakrishnappa Naidu, last ruler

Madurai palayam (1529–1736 CE)

  • Nagama Nayaka, first ruler
  • Viswanatha Nayaka
  • Vitthala Raja Nayaka
  • Kumara Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Muttu Krishnappa Nayaka
  • Muttu Virappa Nayaka
  • Tirumalai Nayaka
  • Muttu Alakadri Nayaka
  • Chokkanatha Nayaka
  • Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayaka
  • Mangammal
  • Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha Nayaka
  • Queen Meenakshi, and the End of the Nayakas, last ruler

Thanjavur palayam (1532–1673 CE)

Rajahs of Kandy (1739–1815 CE)

Tamil Raiyars