474 With the help of these Documents and Books, an attempt has been made here to write in Tamil on the "Administration and Social Life under the Maratha Rulers of Thanjavur.” 1. Introductory Chockanatha Naick of Madurai invaded Thanjavur and upon the death of Vijaya Raghava Naick of Thanjavur in the battle, made his brother Alagiri the Ruler of Thanjavur. Sengamaladas the son of Vijaya Raghava, who was secretly brought up at Nagapattinam,” solicited the help of the Sultan of Bijapur to regain his throne. Ekoji who was sent by the Sultan to Thanjavur with a powerful army dethroned Alagiri, made Sengamaladas the king and waited at Tirumalapadi to collect the expenses for the invasion. As there was confusion at Thanjavur, Ekoji himself was invited to take over the throne. A few notable features of the Maratha rulers up to 1855, as gathered from the translated Modi Records are also given in this chapter. 2. The Country and the Administrative Divisions The Thanjavur Maratha Principality has always been a fertile delta watered by the Kaveri. The Kollidam (Coleroon ) is the natural boundary in the North, the Bay of Bengal in the East, the Tiruchi and Pudukkottai Regions in the West, and Ramanathapuram estate in the South. Rice is principally cultivated besides sugarcane end cotton. Shrubs and gardens abound throughout the country. There are salt pans along the sea shore. The Principality was divided into five subhas (districts) and when the East India Company took charge of the Collection of Revenue from Serfoji II in 1798, the land was divided into nine taluks under the control of the Principal Collector of the District. 3. The Ruler and the mode of Succession The eldest son, as a rule, succeeded to the throne and at times the sons of the ruling king ruled over some parts of the Prinoipality under the latter's control. The king who had no issue was succeeded by his younger brother or by an adopted prince from the collateral family to succeed him. The wife of the deceased king also took up the reign of the Government when exigency arose. -
