Kingdom of Madurai

### Ruler

First: Emperor BairavarLast: Emperor Vikramaditya II (By the Great Epic of Nathan) or Emperor Nedunjizhiyan II/the Weak

### Faith

Officially Shivite Hinduism/Kochi ChristianitySmall groups of Vaishnava Hinduism and Buddhism

# Kingdom of Madurai

The Kingdom of Madurai is a South Asian nation, formerly in a union with the Bengal Federation.

Starting in 416 (the year of the plague), Madurai united the Tamils under one banner and joined the Palawan Trade Organisation.

Later, it defeated pirates in Ma-I and stretched from Mangalore to Malacca and helped to control the Silk Road.

It would grow to a regional power against the Thai, later attempting to attack Dravidia, Sri Lanka, and Arabia, but most plans falling flat on its face.

## History of Madurai

### **The Rise of King Bairavar**

King Bairavar rose to power as a warrior of the Irula tribe. He united the tip of India and led a campaign to take the lands of Madurai. He went to a small conflict with Dravidia, scoring small victories. He imposed small taxes to help the economy during the plague. Madurai joined the Bengali behemoth's Bongo trade, and joined the Palawan Trade Organization.

### **The fight against Ma-I pirates and the conflict with Iberia**

Attacks began as the king sent an expedition to Europe to help with trade.

With the help of the Allied Kingdoms of Nanhai they crossed the Pharaoh's canal and got to Europe but were stopped by border patrols.

News to them was the Visogothic Kingdom was being attacked for a massacre. Who did the killings, and what happened entirely, were all but unknown but they were forced to stay in the bay. Many merchants said to not help, yet the king and people disagreed and went to send armies to make sure there will be no attack. The boats would stay there for a long time, after staying neutral the king was assassinated by a team of Merchants who broke into the raja's palace and massacred many, killing the king.

Later, Madurai amassed a mass navy. Some of the merchants, allegedly with Hispanian help rigged the Ma-I election sand after the attempt failed they tried to stage a coup.

The Ma-I army joined forces to defeat the pirates who attempted to build bases on Madurai. Massacres ensued and after the pirates were weakened the navy took the opportunity and beat them but the pirates evaded diplomatic meetings and most of them were rounded up and executed.

As their last trick in the box, the pirates blinded all hostages and slaves taken from the wars and sent them home.

The war was important as it marked some of Madurai's 1st operation of its army and navy in a different nation and interaction with foreigners.

### **Expansion and Union**

Soldiers were sent to occupy territory in Mangalore and oversaw the beginning of the army expanding.

The country then unified with Bengal and with their help they expanded in Malacca and more Carnatic lands.

After Cyrus the Great's deathbed the turmoil that followed many factions came in. The combined Madurai-Bengali army first helped Darius but then defected to the Pro-Hispanian side in the Persian civil war, to help expand the Silk Road which Cyrus had earlier allowed. Thinking Darius was against such a massive trade route they sided with the Hispanian heir and began a bloody campaign with 60k soldiers. They seized Shiraz and fought hard until the siege. The Semaraja ordered 6k more to be sent yet 5k of the original army were already dead. Many were complimented for bravery but as the Hispanians failed to keep the supply lines, the Semaraja left them after 5k casualties and 200 captured.

The King then ordered the creation of fortresses on Malacca of gargantuan proportions and began more expansion.

As the war ended Persia stopped the Silk Road trade for 4 years. The navy of 30 boats in the Mediterranean was stuck by the Fare Empire so a invasion with the help of the Persians, Ardonians and Bengalis who had recently ended the Union. The Dravidian Kingdom up north was given a ultimatum to give lands along the Cauvery and the Port of Vizag for gold. They accepted and now having strength the Bengalis ended the Union

### **Asian Cold War**

After years later they were now claiming land in Makassar and more of Karnataka. They secured deals with the pirates of Socotra. They also were faced with a deadly civil war. Many forces came and Admiral Theeran and Gernal Pooja fought as they quickly destroyed the rebeling General Theeran. They then had the King Pazhani come to power after Queen Laxmi died. He was quickly attacked for corruption as the Admiral of the Royal Navy led a coup with his wife General Pooja. They were able to take him as he was later executed. Then King Karungalan came to power. Nanhai was blamed of killing some sailors and led to many talks on them taking lots of Nanhai land bringing an alliance and forcing Madurai to make a Pact of Malacca with Nanhai. They won the first one with the Thai alliance that challenged Nanhai, the Thai Commonwealth, collapsing. Then Xi-Chian and Thailand formed the Imperial Pact forcing other conflicts and then the Thai Civil War were Madurai helped them and ended the Cold War of Asia or Great Asian War. Madurai is now on the verge of a bloody war with the former ally Bengal. This led to Admiral Pooja of Vizag, now Admiral as her husband died, to take power as queen as the King Karungalan died.

### **Post-Great Asian War Period**

The men of Madurai and the Imperial Pact sign a treaty that helps to reduce the Imperial Pacts increase to power and increase relations. The treaty became later very controversial and led them breaking it. This angered Madurai and worsened tensions. Nanhai, Ushmond Vouh Dijh, Madurai and Thailand to make sure of the land of Borneo not being incorrectly split. Madurai issued the edict of Kochi which said the Imperial Pact to not invade India, or Sri Yama. Siam was later invaded by the 2 beginning the short lived Thai Union.

### **The time of peace**

As Madurai had just ended most anger with Thailand most peace continued. As Sri Lanka had its rulers over thrown Madurai sought the time to finally expand its naval dominance. As they were forced to sign a quick treaty guaranteeing peace for land, Madurai had got its first foothold in Sri Lanka and it wouldn't be the last. The Malacca Pact was eventually made a weaker power as both sides did not want the bearing of the military restrictions that came with it. The "Conference of Nubia" a conference to partition the Fare Empire was beginning and they joined in to get ports.

Tensions with Arabia increased, and with the Palawan gaining too much land in Fare, Arabia conducted attacks and blockades on Palawan ships. Tensions decreased with treaties with the Arabian's parter Persia.

After the Disease of 663, caused by diseases in the Slave Trade, Makassar province broke off and joined the Sasak Principate. This led to the Great Nathan War against Nathan II, heir to Nathan I. The 3 way war was subject to a Great Epic which would be the height of literature under the empire. During the war, Vikramaditya II usurped the throne and married the heiress to the throne. He guarenteed Madurai would return to its glory days, and that the Tiger of the Indian Ocean was not slain.

## Provinces of the Kingdom of Madurai

#### Dividing Provinces

Provinces were divided so that there was a Thalaipathi, who was ruler of province, and there were colonies, which were groups of provinces. Each province had the ability to chose how it governed itself, with different variations from the governors being chosen by religious figures in Kochi to tribals in West Sulawesi.

### List of Provinces

List of provinces, their respective capitals and system of governing (Based off the Tanjore notes of 565)

Mainland Territories

* Kannadiga, Udupi, Thalapathi chosen by Emperor
* Kochi Nadu, Kochi, Thalapathi chosen by Kochi Church
* Madurai Nadu, Madurai, Thalapathi is Emperor
* Mangaluru Nadu, Mangaluru, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram, Thalapathi is Emperor's youngest child
* Then Kerala, Thiruvandapuram, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Then Vishakapatinam, Vishakapatinam, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Vada Kerala, Kozhikode, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Vada Vishakapatinam, No official capital, Thalapathi is chosen by local meeting

Illankai Territories

* Illankai Nadu, Thirucomalei, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Yappanam Nadu, Yappanam, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor

Maleka Nadu

* Malaya Nadu, Kedah, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Maleka Nadu, Maleka, Thalapathi is Grand Admiral of Madurai Navy/Emperor's eldest son
* Thai Nadu, Lumut, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor

Makassar Nadu (Includes Borneo)

* Andavar Penal Nadu, Andavar, No Thalapathi
* Borneo Nadu, Banjarmasin, Thalapathi is chosen by local meeting
* Kizhaku Sulawesi, Palopo, Thalapathi is chosen by tribals
* Makassar Nadu, Makassar, Thalapathi is chosen by Emperor
* Merku Sulawesi, Kolaka, Thalapathi is chosen by tribals
* Nadu Sulawesi, Wotu, Thalapathi is chosen by tribals

## Economy

In its beginning stages the economy was very poor and heavily dependent on local trade with Bengal and Persia and was agrarian. Later on however, Madurai saw lots of economic growth after it joined the Palawan, becoming a major power in trade. It began competing with the Jade Empire between Nanhai and Socotra and the Achaemenid Empire between Arabia and Persia.

The currency of Madurai is the Taka and Rupai. The Taka comes in a coin form in gold and the Rupai is in paper. 100 Takas are on Rupai.

## Demographics

### Ethnicities

The main ethnicity of the Empire is Tamil, which is also the Ethnicity of the rulers. Kannadiga and Telugu people have also played a major role in the Empire. Malayalis have also played a role in the religion of the empire due to the Kochi Church in its namesake Kochi.

Malays have mostly come into the politics of Eastern Madurai similar to the other smaller ethnicities in those territories. Thai people have been heavily persecuted due to the Great Asian Cold War.

The language divide of the empire was solved mainly by forcing all non-Tamil speaking provinces to have their Tamil speaking elite have the role of Thalapathi and other major positions, and making sure that the locals could not take up arms and revolt, forcing them against eachother with local rivalries.

### Religion

Most people in the Empire were Shivite Hindus. Other minority religions included Christianity, mostly from the Kochi Church, located in its namesake. In the East there were many Buddhists. There were also some Vaishnava Hindus and small amounts of minor local religions.

## Literature of the Empire

The Empire had lots of documents, noting its past. Most notably the Tanjore and Pegu Notes, which are made by many scholars whom have been appointed by the Emperor.

The Empire saw many notably pieces of literature. Some about the Madurai's White Revolt and the reign of Emperor Nedunjizhiyan I. The most famous piece of literature is the Great Epic of Nathan depicting the Great Nathan War. The novel is mainly credited to one of the authors of the Tanjore notes Izhanjizhiyan Varman.

The Tanjore Notes depicts multiple tales about the Emperors of the Empire of Madurai, however it dramatizes certain events about the creation of the empire. The notes depicts tales about the creation of the empire, and Bairavar's ascension to power, the journey across the Pharaohs' Canal, the empire under Empress Pooja of Vishakapatinam and the Great Epic of Nathan. The Great Epic of Nathan, Nathan's Epic, the Great Epic of the Great Nathan War, or the Great Epic of Nathan's War depicts the invasions of Nathan I and II, and numerous tales about the Sasak Principate. The Great Epic of Nathan is noted to have numerous dramatized and fantasized details, leading to many historians being skeptical towards the use of the Tanjore Notes as a primary source. The Tanjore Notes is believed to be unfinished, as the ending of it is believed to have been burnt down by raiders from Dravidia.

The Pegu Notes explain relations between the Empire of Madurai and Nanhai, and explains the history of Madurai's occupation and assimilation of the Southeast Asian peoples. The Pegu Notes includes census reports, and more accurate tales about the conquests throughout the Southeast Asian lands. However, the Pegu Notes lacks information on the Great Nathan War, leading some to believe it had never occured.

The 5 Stories of the Monk were Buddhist Stories about the journeys of a Buddhist Traveller and are claimed to be some of the peak literature of the Sangam Era and Golden Age of Madurai. They explain Buddhist relations with the Emperors and massacres of Buddhists throughout Sri Lanka.