Vizianagaram Revolt against British Authority

The Revolt of the Raja of Vizianagaram in 1794 was an early civil uprising against East India Company rule in coastal Andhra Pradesh. It broke out in the Northern Circars region, which the British had acquired from the Nizam of Hyderabad. The rebellion pitted the native Gajapati ruler of Vizianagaram, Vizayaramaraju (Chinna Viziaram), against the administrative and financial control of the Madras Presidency.

Origins and Causes of the Conflict

• Acquisition of Northern Circars: The East India Company obtained the Northern Circars through a firman from Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1765 and a treaty with Nizam Ali Khan of Hyderabad in 1766.
• Exorbitant Tribute Demands: The Company demanded an annual tribute of three lakh rupees from the Zamindar of Vizianagaram. When the state fell into financial difficulty, the Madras Presidency arbitrarily raised the tribute demand to four lakh rupees.
• Disbandment of Troops: The British government directed the Raja to disband his native military forces and hand over the administration of his estate to British collectors until all revenue arrears were cleared.
• Seizure of Estate: When Vizayaramaraju refused to comply with these terms, the British administration sequestered his entire zamindari and ordered him to leave the territory with a small pension.

Course of the Revolt and Battle of Padmanabham

Raja Vizayaramaraju refused the exile orders and moved his camp to Padmanabham, a town located between Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram. Local hill chiefs, armed retainers, and peasants rallied to support his cause.

• Mobilization: The Raja assembled a force of nearly 4,000 armed men at Padmanabham to defy British revenue collectors.
• Battle of Padmanabham (1794): On July 10, 1794, British troops under Colonel Prendergast attacked the rebel camp at Padmanabham. Despite fierce resistance from the native forces, the superior firepower and discipline of the East India Company troops won the day.
• Martyrdom of the Raja: Raja Vizayaramaraju died fighting on the battlefield alongside many of his loyal commanders.

Profile of Key Figures and Events

Reconciliatory Policy and Aftermath

The death of the Raja caused widespread anger across the Northern Circars. Fearing a prolonged guerrilla war by hill chieftains, the British administration adopted a conciliatory policy.

• Restoration of Estate: The Madras Presidency offered the estate of Vizianagaram to Narayana Raju, the minor son of the deceased Raja.
• Reduction of Tribute: The British reduced the annual tribute demand to a manageable level and dropped the order to surrender total administrative control.
• Control over Chieftains: The British garrisoned troops in Visakhapatnam and surrounding forts to maintain strict control over the eastern ghat hill agency tracts.

Essential Historical Facts

The Northern Circars comprised five coastal districts: Chicacole (Srikakulam), Rajahmundry, Ellore (Eluru), Kondapalli, and Guntur. Raja Vizayaramaraju’s ancestors helped the British defeat the French at the Battle of Condore (Chandurthi) in 1758 under Ananda Gajapathi Raju. The Battle of Padmanabham took place on July 10, 1794, resulting in the death of Raja Vizayaramaraju and the victory of Colonel Prendergast. Following the revolt, the British introduced the Permanent Settlement in the Northern Circars in 1802 to fix land revenue demands permanently.