God’s Own Empire tells the story of 18th century ruler, Marthanda Varma, who ended Dutch rule, and built a powerful princely state on the Malabar Coast. We dissect five qualities of the statesman
Marthanda Varma’s portrait. PICS COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; Raghu Palat
The birth of Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma in 1706 marked a momentous occasion — it was the first royal birth in the lineage after a long hiatus. His elders acknowledged that he represented the future of Travancore. Marthanda leadership would soon prove them right, as depicted in God’s Own Empire (Penguin India) by Raghu and Pushpa Palat.
1 Clarity of vision: As a boy, he was troubled by the disintegration of his kingdom, and the erosion of royal authority. He was upset with the idea of a powerless king reduced to a figurehead. As a 14-year-old, unable to remain silent, he approached the king, and pleaded for the chance to use his abilities to restore the dignity and strength of the Crown. Travancore was dominated by priests and nobles, and the king was subservient to their dictates. With a clear vision for restoring a strong monarchy Marthanda devised a two-pronged strategy — one that he would follow unwaveringly throughout his reign. First, he astutely recognised the Ettuveetil Pillamar (the nobles) and the priests as the principal opponents to royal authority. Determined to curb their influence, he deliberately dismantled their hold on power. Secondly, he believed that only a well-organised, formidable military could prevent internal chaos, and defend the kingdom from external threats.
The pillar at Colachel (Colachal) mentions the victory of the Travancore Army over the Dutch in 1741
2 Fearless goal-seeker: The Pillamars, aware that Marthanda posed a grave threat to their dominance, were determined to see him killed. Marthanda, unmindful of the constant danger to his life, would travel throughout the kingdom, often in disguise, interacting with the people to ascertain their true feelings for the Crown and understand their needs. The Pillamars, averse to any royal family member engaging with the common man for fear that it would erode their own influence, intensified their efforts to eliminate Marthanda. Yet, fearless Marthanda roamed among his subjects, living as a fugitive in his kingdom. He slept on treetops, took shelter in the humble huts of poor peasants and even hid in the jungles, narrowly escaping death several times.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
3 Exceptional leader: One of his greatest strengths was his keen and accurate judgment of character. Ramayyan, was a servant in the household of one of Marthanda’s friends. He first came to the prince’s notice during a dinner. When asked to trim a lamp wick, Ramayyan, finding no trimmer, and unwilling to commit the sacrilege of using his fingers, slipped off his ring and deftly used it for the task. Impressed by his resourcefulness and quick thinking, Marthanda offered him employment. Thereafter, recognising Ramayyan’s potential, he steadily entrusted him with greater responsibilities, culminating in Ramayyan becoming his Dalawa (prime minister). In another instance, after the defeat of the Dutch at the Battle of Colachel, Marthanda assessing the skills of Eustachius Benedictus de Lannoy and Doncaud, two Dutch Army officers, who were his prisoners, enlisted them in his forces to train his men in Western warfare. In time, de Lannoy was elevated to Commander-in-Chief. For Marthanda, merit was essential — as was unwavering loyalty.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
4 Courageous and kind: Marthanda Varma sized up his adversaries with care, tailoring his words and actions to leave them in no doubt of his power and authority. When Baron Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff, Governor of Ceylon, arrived in Travancore in all his finery — splendid robes, riding a magnificent horse, and accompanied by an entourage that included a translator — his intent was to awe the Raja. Their meeting was set for 8 pm but began only when Varma arrived three and a half hours later.
Pushpa and Raghu Palat
Van Imhoff launched into a long sermon about Dutch power and their displeasure with the Raja’s continued territorial expansion — an attempt to assert Dutch dominance. Varma listened patiently before replying that he too was displeased, with the Dutch because they sided with rival rajas who opposed him. Never having been spoken to in this manner, an enraged van Imhoff threatened that the Dutch would invade Travancore and depose him. Varma scornfully replied that if the Dutch dared invade Travancore, he would send his boats and fishermen to Europe, to depose the Dutch king. Yet, the same raja at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple reconstruction site, cleared sacks of rubble along with the labourers to ensure that the temple was ready for an upcoming festival.
5 Able administrator: Marthanda Varma introduced order where there was chaos. Recognising that good governance was imperative for a robust country, he established a well-structured administration, appointing handpicked, competent officers and giving them authority and autonomy.
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