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Sriranga II (a.k.a.Sriranga Chika Raya) (1614-1614 CE) was nominated in 1614 by King Venkata II to succeed him as king of the Vijayanagara Empire in Southern India. Sriranga was supported by a faction headed by Yachama Nayudu, one of Venkata II's loyal viceroys and commanders, but was not favored by a set of nobles headed by Gobburi Jagga Raya, brother (or father) of Venkata II’s queen.

The presence of a putative heir of former King Venkata II further worsened matters. Jagga Raya, with two of his lieutenants seized Sriranga II and his family and threw them into prison at Vellore Fort, and crowned the namesake son of the former emperor.

Yachama Nayudu opposed the plans of Jagga Raya and, with the help of a washer man, smuggled Sriranga’s 12-year-old second son, Rama, from the fort. However, a subsequent attempt by Yachama Nayudu to bring Sriranga II and his family through an underground escape tunnel was discovered, making Sriranga II’s confinement more severe.

Finally, Yachama Nayudu arranged with the captain of the Vellore Fort to murder the guards and release Sriranga II and his family. The guards were eventually killed, but the news reached Jagga Raya first, and he rushed in before Yachama Nayudu could succeed, killing the captive king, Sriranga II, and his entire family.

The murder of the Royal family created shock and horror through out the kingdom, fomenting hatred of Jagga Raya and his group. As a result, many nobles and chieftains deserted the Jagga Raya faction and joined Yachama Nayadu’s camp, which backed a legal royal claimant.

Thus Sriranga II was killed within four months of his accession, but one of his sons, Rama Deva, escaped from the massacre to become the next King of Vijayanagara, after winning a gruesome imperial war of succession (Battle of Toppur) in 1617.

• http://www.thiruvarangam.com/history.html

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