Arakkal Kingdom
The Arakkal Kingdom (Malayalam: [ɐrɐjkːɐl]) was a Muslim sultanate that ruled from Kannur (Cannanore) on the Malabar Coast of present-day Kerala, South India. It is historically significant as the only Muslim-ruled kingdom in Kerala and was headed alternately by male rulers called Ali Rajas and female rulers known as Arakkal Beevis. The kingdom was both a territorial polity on land and a thalassocracy (maritime state) exerting authority over trade routes in the Arabian Sea, with influence stretching across the Lakshadweep Islands and, at times, the Maldives.
Origins and Early History
The origins of the Arakkal dynasty are closely tied to Kerala’s early Islamic history:
- Tradition associates the family with the conversion of Cheraman Perumal, the last ruler of the Chera dynasty, to Islam at the hands of Malik ibn Dinar, a missionary who settled in Kerala around the 7th century CE.
- Local legend states that Perumal’s nephew, Mabeli (Muhammad Ali), converted to Islam and later became the first Arakkal Ali Raja. He belonged to the Nair Arayankulangara family, which explains the dynasty’s adherence to the marumakkathayam (matrilineal) system of succession.
- The family originally served as ministers and naval chiefs under the Kolathiri rulers, but later rose to independence.
By the 16th century, the Arakkal rulers had gained recognition as sovereigns in their own right.
Political System and Succession
- The Arakkal royal house was unique in South India in practising matrilineal succession: power passed not from father to son, but to the eldest male or female member of the family through the female line.
- Male rulers held the title Ali Raja, while female rulers held the title Arakkal Beevi.
- Both men and women could rule in their own right, an exceptional feature among Indian royal families.
Territorial Extent
At its height, the kingdom’s influence included:
- Kannur town and adjoining areas, including the palace at Ayikkara near Mappila Bay.
- The Lakshadweep Islands—Agatti, Kavaratti, Androth, Kalpeni and Minicoy—leased originally from the Kolathiri kings.
- Short-lived control or tribute arrangements with parts of the Maldives during the medieval period.
The Arakkal naval fleet gave the dynasty power to project authority across the Arabian Sea, earning rulers epithets such as Azhi Raja (“Lord of the Seas”).
Foreign Relations and Conflicts
- The Arakkal rulers were central actors in the Indian Ocean spice trade, dealing with Arab merchants and European colonial powers.
- They alternately allied with or resisted the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British in struggles over Malabar’s trade routes and ports.
- The dynasty maintained contact with the Ottoman Empire; in 1777, Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II wrote to the Ottomans requesting military aid against the British.
Relations with Mysore
- During the 18th century, the Arakkal rulers allied with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore.
- Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II became Mysore’s naval chief and in 1770s–1780s participated in campaigns against the Maldives and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War.
- The Arakkal rulers used Mysore’s expansion to challenge their rivals in Chirakkal and the Kolathiri kingdom.
British Era and Decline
- Following Tipu Sultan’s defeat and the Treaty of Srirangapatam (1792), the Arakkal Beevi lost sovereignty but retained possession of Kannur and Lakshadweep under British suzerainty.
- In 1796, a formal treaty further limited their authority but allowed continued local control.
- The British assumed direct administration of Lakshadweep between 1854–1861 and permanently in 1875, citing mismanagement.
- In 1905, the Ali Raja formally ceded all rights over the islands to the British in exchange for a pension and the recognition of the title “Sultan.”
By the early 20th century, the Arakkal rulers had lost both territorial control and political sovereignty, retaining only ceremonial titles.
List of Prominent Rulers
- Adi Raja Ali (1545–1591) – the first recognised ruler.
- Muhammad Ali I (1610–1647) – consolidated Arakkal authority.
- Ali Raja Kunhi Amsa II (1745–1777) – allied with Mysore, expanded naval influence.
- Arakkal Beevi Junumabe II (1777–1819) – a powerful female ruler during Anglo-Mysore conflicts.
- Abdu Rahiman Ali Raja (1881–1946) – one of the last prominent rulers before independence.
- Arakkal Beevi Mariumma Thangal – last reigning ruler before the family lost political authority.
- Hameed Hussain Koyamma Ali Raja – current symbolic head of the family since 2 December 2021.
Cultural and Religious Legacy
- The Arakkal dynasty played a central role in the history of the Mappila Muslim community of Kerala.
- They maintained mosques and patronised Islamic learning, while also adopting local Kerala customs such as matriliny.
- Their palace, purchased from the Dutch in 1663, is today known as the Arakkal Palace, part of which houses the Arakkal Museum (opened in 2005) preserving royal artefacts and documents.
Naval and Maritime Power
- The Arakkal navy was crucial in protecting trade routes and asserting dominance in the Arabian Sea.
- In 1183–1184 CE, Ali Moossa, a ruler in the dynasty’s early traditions, is said to have conquered parts of the Maldives.
- The dynasty profited from the import of Arabian horses and acted as middlemen in the spice trade, enhancing their regional influence.
Decline under British Rule
- By 1909, the Arakkal rulers had lost control of Kannur and the Cannanore cantonment.
- By 1911, they were stripped of ceremonial regalia such as the sceptre (chenkol) and sword (udaval).
- Despite decline, as late as 1864, the Arakkal Beevi was accorded the honour of a seven-gun salute among Indian rulers.
Legacy
Today, the Arakkal dynasty is remembered as:
- Kerala’s only Muslim royal family.
- A dynasty that embodied both maritime power and cultural syncretism.
- A symbol of Kerala’s role in the wider Indian Ocean trade network.
The Arakkal Palace and Museum in Kannur stand as reminders of this unique dynasty that once bridged Kerala with Arabia, the Maldives, and beyond.
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