It was a fall from eternal glory to deep abyss for Madurai when the Tamil Kingdoms disintegrated, and its wealth was plundered by the ravaging armies of Delhi's Muslim Rulers. In 1311, it was raided by Malik Kafur, the general of Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. In 1371, the Muslim rule of Madurai was put to an end by the Vijayanagar Rulers who annexed the city to their Kingdom. The Vijayanagar Rulers had the practice of appointing Governors to administer their distant territories. The Governors appointed to rule Madurai were called Nayaks (or Naiks), and it was during their rule that the city regained some of its past glory. When the Vijayanagar empire collapsed in 1565, the Nayaks proclaimed themselves rulers of the territories they governed. Tamil may refer to: Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in the South ASIA Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language Tamil people The phrase Tamil country is used sometimes to refer to the regions with a significant population of Tamil-speaking people. ... Malik Kafur ( - 1318 C.E.) was a eunuch general who conquered Tamil Nadu around 1310 C.E. Malik Kafur was a slave, who was purchased by Nusrat Khan. ... Alauddin Khilji also Ala-Ud-Din Khilji; Ala-ud-Din Muhammad Khilji Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316 AD) (nephew of Jalaluddin Khilji) came to power after killing his uncle and the then Sultan of Khilji Dynasty Sultan Jalaluddin Khilji in 1296 AD. 1297 AD : Alauddin Khilji set off to conquer Gujarat. ... Known in India as the Lotus Temple, the Baháí House of Worship is one of the most famous landmarks in Delhi. ... Vijayanagara (often written Vijayanagar), in northern Karnataka, is the name of the now ruined capital city of the historic Vijayanagar empire in the Southern part of India. ... Vijayanagara (often written Vijayanagar), in northern Karnataka, is the name of the now ruined capital city of the historic Vijayanagar empire in the Southern part of India. ... Madurai (மதுரை in Tamil) is situated on the banks of Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. ...

Begginings

The Nayak Rulers, Thirumalai Nayak, in particular, gave a good boost to the architectural legacy of the city by creating new structures and expanding the existing landmarks in and around the city. The Raja Gopuram (The Main Tower) of the Meenakshi Temple, Puthu Mandapam (The New Mansion) and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace are living examples of his unparalleled contribution to the city's architecture. A Nayak (also Nayaka, Nayaker/Naicker (Tamil) or Nayadu/Naidu (Telegu) or Nair (Malayalam) Nayake/Naike (Sinhala) or Naik (Marathi) ) is the title of a government official, equivalent to a provincial governor or viceroy, in the Telugu kingdoms of southern India, including the Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal (11th-14th centuries... Thirumalai nayakar is a king who ruled the south india ... Meenakshi temple A different view of the Meenakshi temple The Meenakshi temple is a Hindu temple in the Tamil Nadu city of Madurai. ...

On Thirumalai Nayak's death in 1659, the kingdom began to break up. His successors were weak rulers and invasions of Madurai recommenced. Shivaji Bhonsle, the great Maratha Ruler, invaded the south; and so did Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore and other Muslim Rulers, resulting in chaos and instability all around. The one redeeming feature of this period of confusion and anarchy was the regency of Rani Mangammal, who stood up against these invasions. Though her rule lasted no more than two decades, she will forever be cherished by the people of Madurai for the prudence, determination and courage she exhibited during a particularly troublesome period, with very little support from outside.The last Nayak queen was Queen Meenakshi. Thirumalai nayakar is a king who ruled the south india ... The history of the temple city of Madurai( now in Tamilnadu, India) will not be complete without mentioning the name of Rani Mangammal, a woman of great skill and sagacity. ... Madurai (மதுரை in Tamil) is situated on the banks of Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. ...

Madurai soon started slipping into the hands of the British East India Company. By 1801, the whole of Madurai district, which then was made up of Dindigul, Palani, Kodaikkanal, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga was brought under the control of British East India Company. The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... Madurai (மதுரை in Tamil) is situated on the banks of Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. ... Dindigul is a city in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Ramanathapuram, also known as Ramnad is a town in Tamil Nadu state of southern India. ... Sivaganga is a town in Tamil Nadu state of southern India. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ...