# Timmarusu

Vijayanagara Empire :
Ruling dynasties :
Sangama dynastyHarihara I1336–1356Bukka Raya I1356–1377Harihara Raya II1377–1404Virupaksha Raya1404–1405Bukka Raya II1405–1406Deva Raya I1406–1422Ramachandra Raya1422Vira Vijaya Bukka Raya1422–1424Deva Raya II1424–1446Mallikarjuna Raya1446–1465Virupaksha Raya II1465–1485Praudha Raya1485 :
Saluva dynastySaluva Narasimha Deva Raya1485–1491Thimma Bhupala1491Narasimha Raya II1491–1505 :
Tuluva dynastyTuluva Narasa Nayaka1491–1503Vira Narasimha Raya1503–1509Krishna Deva Raya1509–1529Achyuta Deva Raya1529–1542Venkata I1542Sadasiva Raya1542–1570 :
Aravidu dynastyRama Raya1542–1565Tirumala Deva Raya1565–1572Sriranga I1572–1586Venkata II1586–1614Sriranga II1614Rama Deva Raya1617–1632Venkata III1632–1642Sriranga III1642–1646 :
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Saluva Timmarusu (also known as Saluva Nayaka or Timmarasu; 31 December 1461 – 1534) was the prime minister (mahapradhana) and military commander of Krishnadevaraya. He is also known as "Appaji". He had also served as the prime minister under Viranarasimha Raya and Tuluva Narasa Nayaka.

## Name

Inscriptions mention him as Saluva Timma, Timma Rajah, Timayya and Timmarasa. Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes calls Timmarasa as "Temersea" who was Saluva Timma, Krishna Deva’s minister. The termination -rsea probably represents Arasa, the Kannada form for Rajah. Temersea = Timmarasa = Timma Rajah.

## Early life

Burton Stein in The New Cambridge History of India states Timmarusu as belonging to a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Brahmin family. Another source mentions him as belonging to Kannada-speaking family. He was born on 31 December 1461 in Machilipatnam.

## Early career

Timmarusu was responsible for the coronation of Krishnadevaraya. Records of Portuguese traveller Fernao Nuniz suggest that Vira Narasimha, while on his death bed, ordered Timmarasu to blind his half brother Krishnadevaraya to ensure that his own minor son of eight years would become king of the empire. Timmarasu instead presented the king with a pair of she-goat eyes in order to satisfy the wish of the dying king. This way Timmarasu ensured that Krishnadevaraya became the successor. However, K. A. N. Sastri believes that there is nothing to suggest anything but a friendly relationship between the two half-brothers. Timmarasu had very close relations with Tenali Ramakrishna and was a supporter of him.

## Military career
### Campaign against Gajapatis

Saluva Timmarasu captured the forts of Addanki, Vinukonda, Bellamkonda, Nagarjunakonda, Tangeda and Ketavaram on his way to Kondavidu for Krishnadevaraya.

### Battle of Raichur

When Krishnadevaraya engaged in his campaign against Orissa, Ismail Adil Khan, sultan of Bijapur captured Raichur. Krishnadevaraya led the expedition against him with a huge army, where Saluva Timmarasu assisted him as deputy commander-in-chief in this campaign . The Muslim camp was sacked and a large booty fell into the hands of Krishnadevaraya. Raichur was recaptured.

### War With Golkonda

Saluva Timmarasu appointed as the Governor of Kondavidu by Krishnadevaraya, Qutb Shahi forces enter the region but Timmarasu took the command of the army and defeated Quli Qutb, captured Madar-ul-Mulk, the commander of the Qutb Shahi army with many of his officers and sent them all as prisoners to Vijayanagara. Saluva also made necessary arrangements to deal with future threats.

## Later years

In 1524, Krishnadevaraya crowned his minor son Yuvaraja. A few months later the prince took ill and died of poisoning. Accusing Timmarasu for this crime, Krishnadevaraya had minister and his son prisoned and blinded. It is said the king later released Timmarasu, unknowing that the conspiracy to kill his own son was hatched by Gajapatis of Odisha.
The Gajapatis did not want their princess Jaganmohini to wed Krishnadevaraya, as they believed he was not pure. The Gajapatis belonged to Suryavansha (Solar dynasty) clan of Odisha. But had to agree to this marriage, owing to Krishnadevaraya's victory over Gajapatis. Krishanadevaraya's parents, Narasa Nayaka a chieftain from Dakshina Kannada and Nagaladevi a chieftain's daughter from Andhra, were not from the royal family of Vijayanagara (Sangama dynasty).
The king deplored and repented with Timmarasu, later on. On being released, Timmarasu spent the rest of his life in Tirupati. He refused to take any support from his former king. He died in poverty. His Samadhi is in Penukonda in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

## Legacy

* Mahamantri Timmarusu is a 1962 Telugu-language historical drama directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. Gummadi played the key role of Prime Minister Timmarusu. The film won a silver medal at the National Film Awards in 1962.
* In 1970 B. R. Panthulu directed and produced the Kannada film Sri Krishnadevaraya. Panthulu also enacted the role of Timmarusu and won the 1969-70 Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.
* He was portrayed by Aanjjan Srivastav in Doordarshan TV series Bharat Ek Khoj.
* He was portrayed by Jiten Mukhi in first season of Tenali Rama. In the second season, Amit Pachori got the role of Timmarusu.