Chola dynasty
With the demise of the Chola dynasty in 1279, Thanjavur was ruled by a branch of Chola dynasty, until the Vijayanagara Empire conquered all of South India by the late 14th century. The Vijayanagar rulers installed viceroys to rule over various parts of the empire. In 1532 CE, Achyuta Deva Raya, the brother and successor of Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagar granted Sevappa Nayak, the governor of Thanjavur, permission to establish a feudatory kingdom following his Southern Campaigns against the last Chola ruler.