List of rulers of Odisha
The land of Odisha or former Kalinga has undergone several changes in terms of its boundaries since ancient ages. It was also known by different names like Odra Desha, Kalinga, Hirakhanda, Mahakantara or Utkala in different eras. Unlike other Ancient Kingdoms in India, Odisha for most part of the History remained a stable and major power till medieval era due to wide spread martial culture and prosperity brought by successive native ruling dynasties. The year 1568 is considered a turning point in the history of Odisha. In 1568, Kalapahad invaded the state. This, aided by  internal conflicts, led to a steady downfall of the state from which it did not recover. Kalinga Empire. Origin. One of the sons of Vaivasvata Manu known as Saudyumna could change genders according to changing cycles of a day. As a female and known as Ila she gave birth to the founder of the Lunar or Aila dynasty by the name Pururavas after her union with Budha. As a male, he fathered three other sons Utkala, Gaya and Vinasva, each of who later established kingdoms by their own name in the eastern parts of India including some parts of Kuru  kingdom. Section::::"First" Kalinga dynasty (c. 1700 – 700 BCE). According to Mahabharata and some Puranas, the prince Kalinga founded the kingdom of Kalinga, in the current day region of coastal Odisha, including the North Sircars. The Mahabharata also mentions one Srutayudha as the king of the Kalinga kingdom, who joined the Kaurava camp. In the Buddhist text, Mahagovinda Suttanta, Kalinga and its ruler, Sattabhu, have been mentioned. Section::::"Second" Kalinga dynasty (c. 700 – 550 BCE). This dynasty is mentioned in "Chullakalinga Jataka and Kalingabodhi Jataka". The first king Kalinga I is said to have broken away from the Danda kingdom along with  the kings of Asmaka and Vidarbha as its feudal states. Solar dynasty of Kalinga (c. 410 – 380 BCE). "His son, Prince Soorudasaruna-Adeettiya was exiled and as per Maldivian history, established the first kingdom Dheeva Maari and laid the foundation of the Adeetta dynasty." Ancient Period. Nanda dynasty (380–321 BCE). Kalinga was believed to be briefly annexed by Mahapadma Nanda. When Chandragupta Maurya rebelled against the Nandas, Kalingas broke away from the empire of Magadha. Maurya Empire (261–224 BCE). Ashoka invaded Kalinga in 261 BCE. Kalinga broke away from the Mauryan empire during the rule of Dasharatha. Mahameghavahana dynasty (225  BCE–300 CE). Mahamegha Vahana was the founder of the Kalingan Chedi or Cheti Dynasty. The names of Sobhanaraja, Chandraja, Ksemaraja also appear in context. But, Kharavela is the most well known among them. The exact relation between Mahamegha Vahana and Kharavela is not known. It is not known that, if Vakadeva was a successor or predecessor of Kharavela. From the inscriptions and coins discovered at Guntupalli and Velpuru, Andhra Pradesh, we know of a series of rulers with the suffix "Sada" who were possibly distant successors of Kharavela. Satavahana dynasty (78–199 CE). Gautamiputra Satakarni is known to have invaded Kalinga  during his reign. The history of the region is obscure for a while after the reign. Pre-Classical Period. Naga dynasty of Vindhyatabi (225–360). An inscription dating from 3rd to 4th century found in Asanpat village in Keonjhar revealed the existence of this dynasty. Parvatadvarka dynasty (360–400). During the same period as the Nalas, the region around modern-day Kalahandi was ruled by them. Not much is known about them. Gupta Empire (335–550). Samudragupta invaded Kalinga during his reign in c.350. By c.571, most of Kalinga had broken away from the Gupta empire. Nala dynasty (400–740). For some time in  4th century, the southern Odisha region around modern-day Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and undivided Bastar, was ruled by the Nalas. Rajarsitulyakula (4th–6th century CE). The later half of the 4th century, this dynasty was established in the South Kosala region. Sharabhapuriya dynasty (475–590). Not much is known about this dynasty. Everything known about them, comes from the inscriptions on copper plates and coins. They may or may not have also been known as the Amararyakula dynasty. This dynasty is supposed to have started by one Sarabha, who may have been a feudal chief under the Guptas. They ruled over the  modern-day region of Raipur, Bilaspur and Kalahandi. Mathara dynasty (4th–5th century CE). The Mathara dynasty ruled during the 4th and the 5th centuries. The Mathara rulers include: Vishnukundina Empire (420–555). Anantasaktivarman lost southern part of his kingdom to Madhava Varma II and the Matharas never recovered it. Indra Bhattaraka Varma possibly lost his Kalinga holdings to one Adiraja Indra, who possibly was Indravarma I of East Ganga Dynasty. Vigraha dynasty (575–630). They ruled the region called South Tosali, around modern-day Puri and Ganjam, during second half of 6th century. Mudgalas dynasty (580–620). They ruled the region of North  Toshali, the river Mahanadi served as the border between North and South Toshali. In 603 CE, they captured South Toshali from the Vigrahas. Durjaya dynasty (620–680). In mid-6th century CE, a chief, Ranadurjaya, established himself in South Kalinga. Prithivimaharaja probably defeated the Mudgalas by his time. Post-Classical Period. Gauda Kingdom. Shashanka invaded and possibly occupied northern parts of Kalinga during his reign around c. 615. Shailodbhava dynasty. They ruled from the region ranging from coastal Orissa to Mahanadi and to Mahendragiri in Paralakhemundi. This region was called the Kangoda mandala. Sailobhava, the founder of dynasty, is said to have  born of a rock, hence the name Shailodbhava. Sailobhava was the adopted son of one Pulindasena, who was possibly a chieftain. They were possibly the subordinates of Shashanka during Madhavaraja II, then they later rebelled. Harsha. Harsha invaded Kalinga and Kangoda, soon after the death Pulakesi II in 642 CE. Madhavaraja II was the vassal of Harsha until the death of later in 647 CE. Bhaumakara dynasty. The Bhauma or Bhauma-Kara Dynasty lasted from c. 736 CE to c. 940 CE. They mostly controlled the coastal areas of Kalinga. But by c.850 CE, they controlled most of modern Orissa . The later part of their reign was disturbed by rebellions from the Bhanja dynasty of the Sonepur and Boudh region. The mandala states. Between the 8th and 11th centuries, Orissa was divided into "mandalas" which were feudal states ruled by chieftains. These chieftains swore allegiance to the Bhaumakaras. This period saw the rise of the Bhanj dynasty. Sulkis of Kodalaka Mandala. Kodalaka refers to the modern-day district of Dhenkanal. Later, the "mandala" was divided into two parts, Yamagartta Mandala and Airavatta Mandala. The Bhaumas allowed the Tunga and the Nandodbhava families to rule over Yamagartta Mandala and Airavatta Mandala  respectively. Tungas of Yamagartta Mandala. The Mandala refers to the northern part of modern Dhenkanal district. Jayasimha was ruler of the mandala before the Tungas, he was not a member of the Tunga dynasty. It is not clearly known if Apsara Deva belonged to the Tunga family or not. Nandodbhavas of Airavatta Mandala. This region extended over the territory comprising southern part of Dhenkanal district, some western portion of Cuttack district and almost the entire Nayagarh district. Mayuras of Banei Mandala. This region roughly comprised the modern-day Banei sub-division and parts of Panposh subdivision of Sundergarh district. Gangas  of Svetaka Mandala. The capital of Svetaka known as Svetakapura has been identified with modern Chikiti. Somvanshi (Keshari) dynasty. The Soma or Kesari Dynasty originates in South Kosala, but by the reign of Yayati I, they controlled most of modern Orissa. Janmejaya, the predecessor of Karnadeva and the son of Janmejaya II, was not considered a ruler by his successors, as he captured the throne in a violent coup and soon-after lost it. Chindaka Naga dynasty. The Chindaka Nagas are believed by certain historians to have arrived in the Chakrakota Mandala region (Bastar and Koraput) with the expedition of  Rajendra Chola. The Telugu Chodas who invaded the region later, settled as their feudal rulers. This dynasty continued to rule the region till the thirteenth century with not many details known about their rulers excepting a few. Eastern Ganga dynasty. Indravarman I is earliest known independent king of the dynasty. He is known from the Jirjingi copper plate grant. Gudari Kataka Eastern Ganga rulers. According to Gangavansucharitam written in sixteenth or seventeenth century, Bhanu Deva IV also known as Kajjala Bhanu founded a new small princedom in southern Odisha at Gudari in modern Rayagada district after he was toppled from  power by his general Kapilendra Deva. Parlakhemundi Ganga rulers. Parlakhemundi state rulers were the direct descendants of the Eastern Ganga dynasty rulers of Odisha. Chikiti Ganga rulers. Historians conclude that the rulers of Chikiti were from the line of Ganga ruler Hastivarman. Early Chauhan rulers. This Rajput dynasty had arrived from Mainpuri or Garh Sambhor amidst a conflict with the Muslim rulers of Delhi around 13th or 14th century. The founder Ramai Deva was still in the womb of his mother when his father was murdered by the Yavanas and she fled to the hilly and forest terrains of western  Odisha to seek refuge. The early 17th-century works by the Poet Gangadhar Mishra (a descendant of the famous Sanskrit poet Sambhukara from Puri) known as Kosalananda and early 18th-century work by the Chauhan king Vaijala Deva known as Probodha Chandrika and Jayachandrika give detailed descriptions about their origins and foundation of the state first at Patna and then Sambalpur. Ramai Deva was first adopted by a local priest or Brahmin chief known as Chakradhara Panigrahi who provided shelter and refuge to his fleeing mother during her pregnancy. Ramai Deva later won over other local chiefs and established the  Patna state. He married the daughter of the Eastern Ganga King Bhanudeva III Medieval Period. Gajapati Empire (Suryavamsa dynasty). Govinda Vidyadhara, the general of Prataparudra, killed Prataparudra's remaining sons in c. 1541 and began the Bhoi dynasty. Early Bhoi dynasty. Bhoi dynasty was short-lived but during their reign, Orissa came into conflicts with the invaders from Golconda. After being deposed by Mukunda Deva, the dynasty shifts its power centre to Khurda where they continue as Rajas of Khurda. Chalukya dynasty (Kalinga). Mukunda Deva come to throne but his reign was cut short by the armies of Sulaiman Khan  Karrani which were led by Kalapahad. Post Medieval Period. Karranis of Bengal. Instigated by Mukunda Deva's alliance with Akbar, Sulaiman's army led by Kalapahad invaded Orissa in 1568. The Karranis of Bengal had control over much of Northern Odisha coast above Cuttack, while the Bhoi dynasty established the Khurda Kingdom and the Garhjat Kings had conrol over much of the interior regions of Odisha. In the Battle of Tukaroi, which took place in modern-day Balasore, Daud was defeated and retreated deep into Orissa. The battle led to the Treaty of Katak in which Daud ceded the whole  of Bengal and Bihar, retaining only Odisha. The treaty eventually failed after the death of Munim Khan (governor of Bengal and Bihar) who died at the age of 80. Sultan Daud Khan took the opportunity and invaded Bengal. This would lead to the Battle of Raj Mahal in 1576. Mughal Empire. Man Singh I attacked Nasir Khan when the later broke a treaty by attacking the temple town of Puri. Orissa was annexed into the Bengal "subah" (province).The Mughal rule was weak in the region, this allowed local chieftains to somewhat enjoy a semi-independence. Nawab of Bengal. By 1717 , with the weakening of Mughal Empire following Mughal–Maratha Wars in which the Marathas became the dominant power in the subcontinent, the Bhoi dynasty of Khurda kingdom and the semi-autonomous Garhjat kings of Odisha became independent of the Mughal sovereign authority, while the Nawabs of Bengal retained control over the Northern coast of Odisha from Cuttack to Subarnarekha river until the region was finally conquered by the Maratha Empire in 1741. The Nawabs of Bengal controlled the controlled the Northern Odisha coast from Cuttack to Subarnarekha river which was conquered by the Marathas in 1741 and eventually ceded following  the peace treaty. Maratha Empire. The Maratha Empire general, Raghoji I Bhonsle of the Nagpur kingdom led the Maratha expeditions in Bengal in 1741 which extended Maratha control over Odisha and signed a treaty with Alivardi Khan in 1751, ceding the perpetuity of Cuttack up to the river Suvarnarekha to the Marathas. Later Bhanj dynasty states. Baudh. The Baudh princely state had gradually become a small state after it had ceded away large sways of territories in the west and south to the Chauhans of Sambalpur and Daspalla region in Nayagarh which became a separate Bhanja princely state later. Daspalla . The Daspalla Bhanja state was established by Sal Bhanja from the territories gifted to his father Narayan Bhanja Deo by his brother, the ruler of Baudh. Nandapur-Jeyore rulers. Silavamshi rulers of Nandapur. Silavamshi rulers are said to be the descendants of the Saila Vanshi rulers from Nadivardhana region near today's Nagpur. Jeypore Estate. The founder of Jeypore Suryavanshi dynasty married the daughter of the last Silavanshi ruler of Nandapur Pratap Ganga Raj and became an heir to the throne. With the decline of the Gajapati monarchs, the kingdom came under the influence of Golconda rulers and by 18th  century due to conflicts, the region suffered major backlash on the northern and eastern parts as they came under the reign of Marathas and the independence of Vizianagaram rulers on the coast who became the founder of the Vizianagaram estate and the region eventually came under British rule. Later Chauhan rulers. Sonepur. The territory of Sonepur was procured by the Chauhans of Sambalpur from the Bhanja kings of Baudh. Khariar. The third branch of Chauhan rulers descended in the line of Patna's Ramai Deva started their separate rule from Khariar in the seventeenth century. Later Bhoi dynasty. Khurda. After  1576, with the advent of Mughal rule, the centre of power of Bhoi dynasty had shifted from Cuttack to Khurda. They continue to remain as vassal of the Mughal empire until 1717 and later under the Maratha empire from 1741 until they were eventually ceded to the British empire under the control of the British East India Company in 1803 following the Second Anglo-Maratha War with the signing of the Treaty of Deogaon. The Rajas of Khurda continued to rule the region well into the early 1800s but by then their power had diminished. Then the Raja of Khurda  along with other local chieftain led a series of rebellions against the British which was suppressed and the Raja of Khurda was later exiled to Puri. British colonial period. Mukundeva Deva II was discontent under Maratha rule, so he agreed to help British troops to march through his territory without resistance. In 1803, Maratha ceded Orissa to the British empire. The Rajas and other local chieftains lead a series of rebellions against the British. Notable among the rebellions is that of Surendra Sai. Odia speaking people at this time were placed in different provinces. Around 1870, a movement was started  to unify the Oriya-speaking within a state. In 1936, the new state of Orissa was formed. About 25 princely states, remained independent but they were later integrated by 1947, except Saraikela, Kharsawan, Bastar, Parlakhemundi Zamindari (rest of today's Vijayanagaram). "See: List of Governors of Bihar and Orissa" "See: Prime Minister of Orissa" Post Independence. "See: List of Governors of Odisha" "See: List of Chief Ministers of Odisha"