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.[1]
Prum Pidugu Mutharaiyar (Emperor)
Perun-Ko, Perarasan (Emperor)
Perarasi (Empress)
Devar (King)
Devi (Queen)
Ko, Arasan, Mannan, Aliyan or Araiyan (King)
Arasi (Queen)
Ilavarasi or Piratti (Princess)
Ilam-Ko or Ilavarasan (Prince)
Kuru-nila Mannan or Chittrarasan (Regional King)
Chittrarasi (Regional Queen)
Andavan (Ruler)
Tamilakam in the 'Sangam Period .
The three crowned kings known as Muvendar were the traditional three Tamil dynasties that ruled the Tamilakam since the Sangam era.
Pandyan Empire at greatest extent
Early Pandyans (c. 6th century BCE – 3rd century CE)
Imperial Pandyans (590–920 CE)
Pandyans under Chola empire (920–1216 CE)
Sundara Pandyan I (920 CE)
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 (1101–1124)
Maaravaramban Seervallaban (1132–1161)
Parakrama Pandyan I (1161–1162 CE)
Kulasekara Pandyan III
Vira Pandyan III
Jatavarman Srivallaban (1175–1180 CE)
Jatavarman Kulasekaran I (1190–1216 CE)
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 (1422–1463 CE)
Cataiyavarman III Kulasekara Pandyan (1429–1473 CE)
Azhagan Perumal Parakrama Pandyan (1473–1506 CE)
Kulasekara Pandyan (1479–1499 CE)
Cataiyavarman Civallappa Pandyan (1534–1543 CE)
Parakrama Kulasekara Pandyan (1543–1552 CE)
Nelveli Maran (1552–1564 CE)
Cataiyavarman Adiveerama Pandyan (1564–1604 CE)
Varathunga Pandyan (1588–1612 CE)
Varakunarama Pandyan (1613–1618 CE)
Kollankondan ( Approx 1620 CE)
Mutharaiyar dynasty (600 and 850 CE)
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 (650-680 CE)
Maaran Parameswaran alias Ilangovadiaraiyan (680 -705 CE)
Suvaran Maran alias Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (705-745 CE)
Videlviduku Satan Maran(745 -770 CE)
Peradiarayan alias Marbiduku(770-791 CE)
Kuvavan Satan alias Videlviduku Mutharaiyar(791 -826 CE)
sandhan Pailiili(826 -851 CE)
Chola Empire at greatest extent
Early Chola rulers (c. 300 BCE – 850 CE)
A bronze statue of Karikalan .
South India & location of Cheras in west
Early Chera kingdom (c. 3rd century BCE – 4th century CE)
A Chera coin with legend "Makkotai"
A Chera coin with legend "Kuttuvan Kotai"
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)
Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara (844–870 CE)
Rama Rajasekhara (870–883 CE)
Vijayaraga (883–895 CE)
Kotha Kotha Kerala Kesari (895–905 CE)
Kotha Ravi (905–943 CE)
Indu Kotha (943–962 CE)
Bhaskara Ravi Manukuladithya (962–1021 CE)
Ravi Kotha Rajasimha (1021–1036 CE)
Raja Raja (1036–1089 CE)
Ravi Rama Rajadithya (1036–1089 CE)
Adithyan Kotha Ranadithya (1036–1089 CE)
Rama Kulasekhara (1089–1122 CE)
Kotha Varma Marthandam (1122–1124 CE)
Venadu Chera/Kulasekhara dynasty (c. 1124–1528 CE)
Vira Kerala Varma I (1124–1145 CE)
Kodai Kerala Varma (1145–1150 CE)
Vira Ravi Varma (1145–1150 CE)
Vira Kerala Varma II (1164–1167 CE)
Vira Aditya Varma (1167–1173 CE)
Vira Udaya Martanda Varma (1173–1192 CE)
Devadaram Vira Kerala Varma III (1192–1195 CE)
Vira Manikantha Rama Varma Tiruvadi (1195– ?)
Vira Rama Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1209–1214 CE)
Vira Ravi Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1214–1240 CE)
Vira Padmanabha Martanda Varma Tiruvadi (1240–1252 CE)
Ravi Varma (1299–1313 CE)
Vira Udaya Martanda Varma (1313–1333 CE)
Aditya Varma Tiruvadi (1333–1335 CE)
Vira Rama Udaya Martanda Varma Tiruvadi (1335–1342 CE)
Vira Kerala Varma Tiruvadi (1342–1363 CE)
Vira Martanda Varma III (1363–1366 CE)
Vira Rama Martanda Varma (1366–1382 CE)
Vira Ravi Varma (1383–1416 CE)
Vira Ravi Ravi Varma (1416–1417 CE)
Vira Kerala Martanda Varma (1383 CE)
Chera Udaya Martanda Varma (1383–1444 CE)
Vira Ravi Varma (1444–1458 CE)
Sankhara Sri Vira Rama Martanda Varma (1458–1468 CE)
Vira Kodai Sri Aditya Varma (1468–1484 CE)
Vira Ravi Ravi Varma (1484–1503 CE)
Martanda Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1503–1504 CE)
Vira Ravi Kerala Varma, Kulasekhara Perumal (1504–1528 CE)
A Pallava coin with lion insigne of Narasimhavarman I .
Early Pallavas
Virakurcha (275–300), founder of dynasty
Simha Varman I, Provincial governor of Palnadu region of Andhra
Siva Skanda Varman I (300–325)
Buddhavarman (325–340)
Vishnugopavarman (340–350)
Middle Pallavas
Kumaravisnu I (c. 345–360)
Skanda Varman II (c. 360–380)
Vira Varman (c. 380–400)
Skanda Varman III (c. 400–436)
Simha Varman I (c. 436–477)
Yuvamaharaja Vishnugopa, Brother of Simhavarman I, Provincial governor of Andhra
Skanda Varman IV (c. 477–490)
Nandi Varman I (c. 490–500)
Kumaravisnu II (c. 500–510)
Buddha Varman (c. 510–525)
Kumaravisnu III (c. 525–545)
Ay chieftains (early historic)
Ay Andiran
Ay Titiyan (the Podiyil Chelvan)
Ay Atiyan
Medieval rulers
Validhara Vikkirama Rama (c. 929 CE)
Kantan Karivarman alias Iramakuta Muvar (c. 1020 CE)
Mushikesvara Chemani/Jayamani (c. 1020 CE)
Utaiya-varma alias Ramakuta Muvar (early 12th century CE)
Image of Singai Parasasekaran , his sons Pandaram, Paranirupsingan and Cankili I
List of Sethupathi rulers
Chieftains With the Madurai Nayaks (c. 1601–1677)
Udaiyan Sethupathi (Sadaikkan ) (1601–1623)
Koottan Sethupathi (1623–1635)
Dalavai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1635–1645)
Thirumalai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1646–1676)
Raja Suriya Sethupathi (1676)
Aathana Raghunatha Sethupathi (1677)
Imperial rulers (c. 1678–1795 CE)
Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi (1678–1710)
Muthu Vairavanatha Sethupathi I (1710–1712)
Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1713–1725)
Sundaresvara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1725)
Bavani Sangara Sethupathi (1725–1727)
Kumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1728–1735)
Sivakumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1735–1747)
Rakka Thevar Sethupathi (1748)
Sella Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1749–1762)
Muthuramalinga Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi I (1762–1772 or 1781–1795)
Rulers of princely state under British Raj (c. 1795–1949 CE)
As King
Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1795–1803)
Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman (1686–1730), first ruler
Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I (1730–1769)
Raya Raghunatha Tondaiman (1769–December 1789)
Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman (December 1789–February 1, 1807)
Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman II (February 1, 1807–June 1825)
Raghunatha Tondaiman (June 1825–July 13, 1839)
Ramachandra Tondaiman (July 13, 1839 – April 15, 1886)
Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman (April 15, 1886 – May 28, 1928)
Rajagopala Tondaiman (October 28, 1928 – August 15, 1947), last ruler
Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1725–1750), first ruler
Muthu Vaduganatha Periyavudaya Thevar (1750–1780)
Velu Nachiyar (1780–1790)
Vellacci (1790–1793)[3]
Vangam Periya Udaya Thevar (1793–1801), last ruler
Zamindar under British rule (1803–1947)
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.
Nayaks Kingdom of Gingee (1509–1649 CE)
Krishnappa Nayaka (1509–1521), 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 (d. 1649), last ruler
Madurai Nayak Kingdom (1529–1736 CE)
Nagama Nayaka, first ruler
Viswanatha Nayaka
Vitthala Raja Nayaka (1546–1558)
Kumara Krishnappa Nayaka (1563–1573)
Muttu Krishnappa Nayaka (1602–1609)
Muttu Virappa Nayaka (1609–1623)
Tirumalai Nayaka (1623–1659)
Muttu Alakadri Nayaka (1659–1662)
Chokkanatha Nayaka (1662–1682)
Rangakrishna Muthu Virappa Nayaka (1682–1689)
Mangammal (1689–1704)
Vijaya Ranga Chokkanatha Nayaka (1704–1731)
Queen Meenakshi, and the End of the Nayakas (1731–1736), last ruler
Thanjavur Nayak kingdom (1532–1673 CE)
Kingdom of Kandy (1739–1815 CE)
Splendours of Tamil Nadu. p.146
K. R. Venkatarama Ayyar, Sri Brihadamba State Press, 1938, A Manual of the Pudukkóttai State , p.720