Empire of India: Rise of the Ruthless Prince

Patwardhan Family Home

Raj Patwardhan, the current patriarch of the Patwardhan family, found himself in an unpleasant predicament. The Patwardhan family had risen to power during the Second War, which pitted the Vijayanagara Empire against an alliance of the Hoysala Kingdom and the Bahmani Sultanate.

Raj sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling. "What should I do to get out of this mess?" he muttered, despair evident in his voice.

The former patriarch, Hari Patwardhan, had skillfully navigated the rifts among the nobles as the Second War dragged on with no end in sight. His strategic decisions allowed the Patwardhan family to establish themselves as members of the Imperial faction.

This allegiance not only saved them from the purge during the Civil War but also secured a ministerial seat on the council due to their contributions during the Second and Third Wars.

After Hari Patwardhan passed away, his only son, Raj Patwardhan, inherited his position and the ministerial seat. Unlike his father, who had been a staunch supporter of the Imperial faction, Raj had remained neutral.

The Emperor, during the civil war, had to purge the rebellious nobles. This internal conflict, severely depleted their troops. Amidst this civil war, the third war, which involved the alliance of Hoysala and Bahmani, happened. The Empire faced a significant lack of military resources, which forced the Emperor to strike a deal with the Kingdom of Cochin.

This kingdom was already in decline, having lost its king and heir to an illness.

To bolster the Empire's strength, the Emperor negotiated with the last surviving royal family member of the Kingdom of Kochi and its nobles for a merger. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Mahishapura (Mysuru), formally acknowledging the merger and integrating the kingdom of Kochi into the rising Vijayanagara Empire.

The Treaty ensured that the Emperor took in the last surviving member of the Kingdom of Cochin as his concubine, Thus leading to the Birth of the second prince.

This merger created different factions in the Empire after the War.

After the purge of the Nobles during the Civil War, The land held by the nobles was taken in by the Royal Family and some of the Land was sold to the Nobles in the Empire and the Kingdom of Cochin.

After the birth of the second prince, the Nobles from the Kingdom of Cochin pledged their support for the second prince for the throne. Meanwhile looking at this situation the Empress rallied support from the Imperial Faction for her son Chandra Deva Raya.

The Imperial Faction following this split into two factions one that supported the First in Line to the throne and the eldest son of Emperor Chandra Deva Raya and the Neutral Faction that didn't support any of the princes as it didn't align with their interests.

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'Father, Please Forgive this incompetent son of yours' sighed Raj Patwardhan as he thought of methods to salvage this situation and try to gain back some power he had lost.

Raj Patwardhan hadn't made any significant contributions as a minister as well which made him lose his position in the council.

The Patwardhan Family ruled a region in Maharashtra, the influence of the Patwardhan family has been on the decline for the past few years due to the external pressure of the nobles. The family was able to maintain power and influence just because of their highly competent former patriarch.

He was now regretting the decision to stay neutral rather than just move to the Imperial Faction when he had a chance it wouldn't have led to such a decline in wealth and influence of the family.

Raj Patwardhan's current position was under threat due to mounting pressure from both factions to join them.

"Haa... At least my son is more talented than I am. I have to persevere until he comes of age and can take over the family," Raj muttered to himself.

Raj's son, Akash, was a prodigy. Always a step ahead in his studies and displaying an extraordinary drive to work hard, he was preparing to inherit his father's position. In Raj's eyes, Akash's growth was remarkable, far surpassing his own at that age.

However, Raj knew the cruel world of politics and the complexities of the palace. He was determined to shield his son from these harsh realities until Akash was fully prepared. Raj resolved to bide his time, waiting for the moment when Akash could step into the fray and restore the Patwardhan family's former glory.

Raj began scribbling plans on some paper, thinking of different ways to preserve his noble title. After a while, he looked down in disappointment and sighed, "Ah... these plans are no good... What should I do?"

"Do I have to rejoin the Imperial Faction? That might help me retain my position for some time," Raj muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes in frustration at the situation he had put himself in.

He noticed a paper his assistant had left, detailing recent events at the palace.

"The youngest prince, Harsha, has done some things?" Raj mused aloud, his mind drifting back to his first meeting with the prince three years ago.

The youngest prince had been a pitiable figure then, gloomy and with bloodshot eyes as if trapped in a perpetual nightmare. Raj remembered feeling a deep sense of pity for the boy who had lost his mother at a young age and was abandoned by both sides of his family.

During that encounter, Harsha had been wandering aimlessly in the palace gardens, without a servant, searching for something, yet appearing utterly purposeless. Raj, along with the other bystanders, had ignored the child, treating him as if he didn't exist.

He felt a pang of guilt for his inaction, but his own life had been filled with turbulence at the time. Sometimes, he wished he had taken the prince under his wing, to save him from the isolation of palace life, as a father might.

"What use is feeling guilty now? But let's see what he has achieved," Raj muttered to himself.

He picked up the documents his assistant had gathered, expecting to find minor accomplishments. As he read through the information, he was taken aback. The documents detailed significant deals signed with the Dutch and Portuguese, as well as the youngest prince's ambitious road development projects and their overseers.

"These achievements are massive and in such a short time?" Raj exclaimed, astonished.

"Even invited by the Patriarch of the Nayakas," Raj mused. "That's a big achievement in itself, considering none of the other princes have ever been invited by that stubborn old man."

The current Patriarch of the Nayakas was a formidable figure in the Empire. Though officially neutral, his influence was significant. The old man was strong, with military prowess second only to the Emperor, making him a major force in the Empire.

"Why would he invite Harsha?" Raj wondered aloud. "There must be more to this young prince than meets the eye."

"Anyway, I should seek the help of the elders to get myself some help on this issue of preserving our noble family," Raj sighs again

Contents of the Treaty

[Treaty of Mahishapura]

Preamble:

In recognition of the historical ties and mutual interests between the Kingdom of Cochin and the Vijayanagar Empire, and desiring to strengthen unity and cooperation for the betterment of our lands and people, the undersigned parties hereby enter into this Treaty of Merger.

Article I: Parties Involved

1. The Kingdom of Cochin, represented by Rani Jyothi Lakshmi Varma

2. The Vijayanagar Empire, represented by Emperor Krishna Deva Raya

Article II: Purpose and Objectives

1. The purpose of this treaty is to formally merge the Kingdom of Cochin into the Vijayanagar Empire.

2. The objectives of this merger include:

- Consolidating territorial boundaries and administrative control.

- Promoting economic, cultural, and political integration.

- Ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity for the inhabitants of the merged territories.

Article III: Terms and Conditions

1. The Kingdom of Cochin agrees to cede sovereignty over its territory to the Vijayanagar Empire.

2. In consideration of the merger, Emperor Krishna Deva Raya shall marry Rani Jyothi Lakshmi Varma, the last surviving royal member of the Kingdom of Cochin.

3. Two permanent council positions from the ceded territories shall be allocated within the administrative structure of the Vijayanagar Empire.

4. Both parties shall cooperate in matters of defense, trade, and infrastructure development for the benefit of the merged territories.

5. The Kingdom of Cochin shall retain cultural autonomy and freedom of religious practice under the umbrella of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Article IV: Implementation and Enforcement

1. The merger shall be implemented through a gradual transition process overseen by joint committees from both parties.

2. Monitoring of compliance and enforcement of this treaty shall be the responsibility of designated officials appointed by the Vijayanagar Empire.

Article V: Final Provisions

1. This treaty is signed in duplicate, each copy being equally authentic.

2. Done at Mahishapura, on [5 Ashadha 1602][13 June 1545], in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu, by the representatives of the Kingdom of Cochin and the Vijayanagar Empire.

[Signatures]

Krishna Deva Raya, Emperor of Vijayanagar

Jyothi Lakshmi Varma, Princess of the Kingdom of Cochin