History of Attingal
It is believed that Attingal town was built 800 years
ago. During ancient times Attingal was known to be "Chittattinkara" as it is encircled on three sides by the rivers "Vamana
puram river" and "Mamom river". Historically,
Attingal has been the residence of the women of the Venad
royal family. The Attingal Palace dates to 1305 C.E. Attingal
and the surrounding areas were a principality within the
Travancore kingdom, and were ruled by their queens. By
the colonial period, trade flourished with Portuguese
and Dutch traders. In 1735, Marthanda Varma, the king
of Travancore, took Attingal.
Feudal
status
The
mother of the Maharaja of Travancore and her sister received the
principality of Attingal in joint appanage. They were consequently
styled the Senior and Junior Rani (the female form of Raja or Rana) of
Attingal, respectively. Their husbands, known as Koil Tampurans, came
from one of four or five princely houses who were closely related to
the Royal House. Attingal was the seat of the sovereign of Venad during
this period and there were only queens, Ranis, in power. Apart from
Attingal proper the principalities of Elayidam or Kottarakkara, Perakam
or Nedumangad, Thiruvithamkode or Travancore, Kollam, Kaymkulam,
Karunagappalli and Karthikappalli were all under the Attingal Rani. Attingal Mutiny was the first ever rebellion againt the British in India. The grant of Anchuthengu to the English provoked the wrath of a section of the local population and in 1697 the English factory was subjected to a violent but futile attack. In 1721, the English factors felt the need to appease the Rani of Attingal (Queen) after alienating the local population by their "overbearing behaviour". They sent a set of presents to the Rani. The local agents of the "Pillamar" demanded that those presents should be given to them for transmission to the Rani. When it was denied, on the night of April 11, 1721 140 Englishmen were massacred on their way to the Rani, and the fort was laid under siege for nearly six months. The Nair Pada and the local Muslims took part in the operation and the British met with the biggest debacle in the region The fort was relieved only when reinforcements for the English arrived from Talassery. Similarly the grant of Talassery was resented by Kurangoth Nair who claimed the territory to be under his control. He in alliance with one of the dissident Kolathiri princes, raided the Company's warehouse and inflicted heavy damage to property in 1704-05.
