Capital Dupatiseema Established 16th century | Government Monarchy Disestablished 1802 | |
The Sayapaneni Nayaks ruled a small region of Telugu country called Dupati Seema during the transition period between Aravidu dynasty of the Vijayanagar kingdom and the Golkonda Sultanate.
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Origin
The origins of power for the Sayapaneni Nayaks began with the grant by king Krishna Deva Raya to Shayappa Nayudu of an amaram tenure of Gudipadu village, near Srisailam. They belong to one of the 37 families of Kamma Nayakas under Vijayanagara kingdom.The principality of Dupatiseema, comprising 533 villages, was consolidated by his son and grandson, Vengala Nayudu and Venkatadri Nayudu. After the downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire, the clan went through many travails described in Dupaati Kaifiyat by a village Karanam.
Rulers
Gangayya Nayudu (1564) ruled during the time of Rama Raya. His son Venkatadri (1589) was the contemporary of Venkatapati Raya II. Venkatadri was also a poet. His work Sakalajanasajivanamu was a well-acclaimed ‘Prabandha’ in Telugu literature. Venkatadri’s wife Venkatamba was a sister of Pemmasani Thimma Nayudu, ruler of Gandikota. By the time Gangappa took over in 1626 the Golkonda Sultanate had consolidated its control over Rayalaseema. Sayapaneni Nayak rule survived with some difficulties until 1802 when Dupatiseema was taken over by the British East India Company from the Nawab of Golkonda.