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An
Andhra Kingdom was mentioned in the Sanskrit epics such as Aitareya
Brahmana and Mahabharata. Inscriptional evidence showed that there
was a kingdom in coastal Andhra ruled by Kuberaka with Pratipalapura
(Bhattiprolu) as his capital in 5th century BCE. This probably was
the oldest known kingdom in south India. Around the same time
Dhanyakatakam/Dhranikota (present day Amaravati) seemed to be a very
important place. According to Taranatha: "On the full moon of the
month Chaitra in the year following his enlightenment, at the great
stupa of Dhanyakataka, the Buddha emanated the mandala of "The
Glorious Lunar Mansions" (Kalachakra). The Mauryans extended
their rule over Andhra in 4th century BCE. With the fall of the
Mauryan Empire Andhra Satavahanas became independent in 3rd century
BCE. After the decline of the Satavahanas in 220 CE, Ikshvakus,
Pallavas, Vishnukundinas, Anandagotrikas and Cholas ruled the Telugu
land. Inscriptional evidence of Telugu was found during the rule of
Renati Cholas (Kadapa region) in 5th century CE[citation needed].
During this period the Telugu language, emerged as a popular medium
undermining the predominance of Prakrit and Sanskrit[citation
needed]. Telugu was made official language during Vishnukundina
Kings[citation needed] who ruled from Vinukonda as the capital.
Eastern Chalukyas ruled for a long period after the decline of
Vishnukundinas. Their capital was Vengi. As early as 1st century CE,
they were mentioned as being the vassals and chieftains under the
Satavahanas and later under Ikshvakus.
The battle of Palnadu resulted in the weakening of Chalukyan power
and emergence of the Kakatiya dynasty in the 12th and the 13th
centuries CE. The Kakatiyas were at first the feudatories of the
Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, ruling over a small territory near
Warangal. In 1323 CE, Delhi Sultan Ghiaz-ud-din Tughlaq sent a large
army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the Telugu country and capture
Warangal. King Prataprudra was taken prisoner. Musunuri Nayaks
recaptured Warangal from the Delhi Sultanate and ruled for fifty
years. The Vijayanagar empire, one of the greatest empires in the
history of Andhra Pradesh and India, was founded by Harihara and
Bukka, who served as as treasury officers of the Kakatiyas of
Warangal[4]. In 1347 CE, an independent Muslim state, the Bahmani
kingdom, was established in south India by Alla-ud-din Hasan Gangu
as a revolt against the Delhi Sultanate. The Qutb Shahi dynasty held
sway over the Andhra country for about two hundred years from the
early part of the 16th century to the end of the 17th century.
In Colonial India, Northern Circars became part of the British
Madras Presidency. Eventually this region emerged as the Coastal
Andhra region. Later the Nizam had ceded five territories to the
British which eventually emerged as Rayalaseema region. The Nizams
retained control of the interior provinces as the Princely state of
Hyderabad, acknowledging British rule in return for local autonomy.
India became independent from the United Kingdom in 1947. The Muslim
Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to retain his independence from India, but
the people of the region launched movement to join Indian Union. His
state of Hyderabad was forced to become part of the Republic of
India in 1948 as Hyderabad State.
In an effort to gain an independent state, and protect the interests
of the Telugu people of Madras State, Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu
fasted until death. Public outcry and civil unrest after his death
forced the government to announce the formation of a new state for
Telugu speakers. Andhra attained statehood in October 1953 with
Kurnool as its capital.
On 1 November 1 1956 Andhra State merged with the Telangana region
of Hyderabad State to form the state of Andhra Pradesh, which would
be mainly Telugu-speaking. Hyderabad, the former capital of the
Hyderabad State, was made the capital of the new state Andhra
Pradesh.
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