a short reign of about three years. He invaded the Seuna kingdom and
perished in an attack on Devagiri while his son Ganapati was taken prisoner.
Ganapatideva Though Ganapati began his rule under unfavourable
circumstances, his reign was destined to become one of the most brilliant
epochs in the history of the Andhra country. During his long reign of 63 years
he swept over almost the whole land inhabited by the Telugu speaking
peoples.
    Ganapati invaded the coastal districts and cap- tured Vijayawada and the
island of Divi. After the death of Prithvisvara, the territory of the Velanati
chiefs passed into the hands of the Kakatiya monarch. The expansion of the
Kakatiya power in the south was the direct outcome of its alliance with the
Telugu Chodas of Nellore. Dissension in the family of Telugu Chodas
induced Ganapati to march against Nellore where he installed Tikka on the
throne of his ancestral kingdom. When Tikka died, the kingdom of Nellore
was plunged into anarchy riven by the contending claims of Tikka’s son
Manuma Siddhi II and Vijaya-Gandagopala. At the instance of the poet
Tikkana, Ganapati assisted Manuma Siddhi against his domestic enemies and
seated him firmly on the Nellore throne.
    Ganapati was the most powerful of the Kakatiya sovereigns who built up
an extensive empire stretching from the Godavari district up to Chingelput,
and from Yelgandal up to the sea. Ganapati was a good administrator and
took measures for improving trade and agriculture. Motupalli, now in the
Krishna district, was an important seaport in his kingdom, frequented by
foreign merchants. Ganapati completed the city of Warangal by building two
forts one inside the other, and shifted his capital to it. Ganapati had no son,
but two daughters, Rudramba and Ganapamba. Ganapati chose as the heir-
apparent Rudramba, who was married to Virabhadra, a prince of the Eastern
Chalukyan lineage.
Rudramadevi After her accession she had to crush the rebellion of the
recalcitrant nobles who could not reconcile to the rule of a woman. But it was
external danger that caused her serious trouble. The Yadava, Mahadeva
invaded the Kakatiya kingdom, but Rudramba defeated him and compelled
him to sue for peace. The worst trouble came from the Kakatiya feudatory
Ambadeva who re-established Manuma-Gandagopala at Nellore. But the
appearance of Kumara Rudradeva