Manikya dynasty explained

Surname:House of Manikya
Coat Of Arms:Coat of Arms of Tripura Princely State.gif
Country:
Parent House:Lunar dynasty (legendary)
Titles:
Founder:Maha Manikya
Final Ruler:Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya
Current Head:Kirit Pradyot Manikya (titular)
Founded: 1400
Deposition:1949

The Manikya dynasty was the ruling house of the Twipra Kingdom and later the princely Tripura State, what is now the Indian state of Tripura. Ruling since the early 15th century, the dynasty at its height controlled a large swathe of the north-east of the Indian subcontinent. After coming under British influence, in 1761 they transitioned from feudal monarchs into rulers of a princely state, though the Manikyas maintain control of the region until 1949, when it ascended in union with India.

History

Tracing a descent from the mythological Lunar dynasty, the Rajmala royal chronicle records an unbroken line of 144 (likely legendary) monarchs of Tripura up to the ascension of one Ratna Fa, who is stated to have become the first Manikya after being granted the cognomen by the Sultan of Bengal. However, it is now believed that the Rajmala had been mistaken in the genealogy and chronology of the initial Manikya rulers. Numismatic evidence suggests that the first historical Manikya was in fact Maha Manikya, a Tripuri chief who founded the kingdom after establishing dominance over neighbouring tribes in the early 1400s. This monarch then took the title "Manikya" in honour of a historic victory over Bengal, with the name being inherited by his descendants.

Maha Manikya's early successors achieved considerable military success, conquering territory in Bengal, Assam and Burma. Tripura reached its zenith in the 16th century under such prominent kings as Dhanya Manikya and Vijaya Manikya II, with its lands stretching from the Garo Hills in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. As monarchs of a Hindu kingdom, the Manikyas developed a rivalry with the successive Muslim rulers of Bengal, coming into conflict with Sultans, governors and Nawabs before being brought under Mughal suzerainty in the early 17th century. As Mughal power waned, the antagonism with Bengal re-erupted, which drove the Manikyas to first approach the British for aid. In 1761, Tripura succumbed to British influence, becoming a princely protectorate, though control of the region remained under the Manikya dynasty.

In 1870, Bir Chandra Manikya ascended the throne and began a series of political reforms to his kingdom, modelling his government on the British system. A lover of the culture of Bengal, Bengali was adopted by the court under his rule and he developed a friendship with the celebrated poet, Rabindranath Tagore. After Tripura was briefly incorporated into the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam at the beginning of the 20th century, the last Manikya monarch, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore, chose to come under the jurisdiction of the predominantly Hindu Dominion of India in 1947. The final ascension of Tripura into the modern Indian nation was signed by his widow, Kanchan Prava Devi, in place of the minor Kirit Bikram Kishore, bringing to an end five centuries of Manikya rule.

List of rulers

Rulers of the Manikya dynasty (1400 – 1949)
NameReign startReign endClaimNotes
Maha Manikya14001431
Dharma Manikya I14311462Son of Maha Manikya
Ratna Manikya I14621487Son of Dharma Manikya I
Pratap Manikya14871487Son of Ratna Manikya I
Vijaya Manikya I14881488Possibly son of Pratap Manikya
Mukut Manikya14891489Son of Ratna Manikya I
Dhanya Manikya14901515Son of Ratna Manikya I
Dhwaja Manikya15151520Son of Dhanya Manikya
Deva Manikya15201530Son of Dhanya Manikya
Indra Manikya I15301532Son of Deva Manikya
Vijaya Manikya II15321563Son of Deva Manikya
Ananta Manikya15631567Son of Vijaya Manikya II
Udai Manikya I15671573Father-in-law of Ananta ManikyaClaimed the throne following the death of his predecessor, briefly supplanting the ruling dynasty with his own line.
Joy Manikya I15731577Son of Udai Manikya
Amar Manikya15771586Son of Deva ManikyaRestored the Manikya dynasty after killing his predecessor.
Rajdhar Manikya I15861600Son of Amar Manikya
Ishwar Manikya16001600Possibly son of Amar Manikya or Rajdhar Manikya I
Yashodhar Manikya16001618Son of Rajdhar Manikya IMonarchy temporarily overthrown by the Mughal Empire.
Kalyan Manikya16261660Descendant of Maha ManikyaFrom a cadet branch of the dynasty. Elected as monarch after Mughal interregnum.
Govinda Manikya16601661Son of Kalyan ManikyaFirst reign
Chhatra Manikya16611667Son of Kalyan Manikya
Govinda Manikya16671676Son of Kalyan ManikyaSecond reign
Rama Manikya16761685Son of Govinda Manikya
Ratna Manikya II16851693Son of Rama ManikyaFirst reign
Narendra Manikya16931695Grandson of Govinda Manikya
Ratna Manikya II16951712Son of Rama ManikyaSecond reign
Mahendra Manikya17121714Son of Rama Manikya
Dharma Manikya II17141725Son of Rama ManikyaFirst reign
Jagat Manikya17251729Great-grandson of Chhatra Manikya
Dharma Manikya II17291729Son of Rama ManikyaSecond reign
Mukunda Manikya17291739Son of Rama Manikya
Joy Manikya II17391744Great-great-grandson of Kalyan ManikyaFirst reign
Indra Manikya II17441746Son of Mukunda Manikya
Udai Manikya IISon of Dharma Manikya IIBriefly laid claim to the throne during a power struggle between his relatives.
Joy Manikya II17461746Great-great-grandson of Kalyan ManikyaSecond reign
Vijaya Manikya III17461748Brother of Joy Manikya II, great-great-grandson of Kalyan Manikya
Lakshman Manikya??Grandson of Dharma Manikya IIRuled as a puppet-monarch under Shamsher Gazi for three years before the latter took the throne for himself.
Krishna Manikya17601783Son of Mukunda Manikya
Rajdhar Manikya II17851806Grandson of Mukunda Manikya
Rama Ganga Manikya18061809Son of Rajdhar Manikya IIFirst reign
Durga Manikya18091813Son of Lakshman Manikya
Rama Ganga Manikya18131826Son of Rajdhar Manikya IISecond reign
Kashi Chandra Manikya18261829Son of Rajdhar Manikya II
Krishna Kishore Manikya18291849Son of Rama Ganga Manikya
Ishan Chandra Manikya18491862Son of Krishna Kishore Manikya
Bir Chandra Manikya18621896Son of Krishna Kishore Manikya
Radha Kishore Manikya18961909Son of Bir Chandra Manikya
Birendra Kishore Manikya19091923Son of Radha Kishore Manikya
Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya19231947Son of Birendra Kishore Manikya
Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya19471949Son of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya
Titular (1949 – 1971)
Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya19491971 (title abolished)Son of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya

Family tree

Bibliography:

Bibliography

. Asoke Kumar Bhattacharyya. District Census Handbook: North Tripura. 1977. Director of Census Operations.

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