Battle of Kannanur

Battle of Kannanur
Date 1342/1343 Location Kannanur, Tamil Nadu Result Madurai Sultanate victory, Veera Ballala III killed, entire Hoysala treasury given to Ghiyas-ud-din by Virupaksha Ballala
Belligerents
Hoysala Empire	Madurai Sultanate
Commanders and leaders
Veera Ballala III † Virupaksha Ballala Ballappa Dandanayaka	Ghiyas-ud-din of Madurai Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Damghan Shah
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
Best soldiers killed	unknown

The Battle of Kannanur was fought in 1342 or 1343 at Kannanur, India. The battle was fought between the forces of the great Hoysala monarch Veera Ballala III and the Sultan of Madurai, Ghiyas-ud-Din. The brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, the founders of the famous Vijayanagara Empire served the Hoysala king Veera Ballala III as governors of the Northern Hoysala territories. They were too busy fighting battles in the north, and couldn't support the Hoysala army in the South.

Result

The victory seemed clear- the Hoysalas were winning, when Veera Ballala III was captured, and according to historians Chopra et al., was "strangled and flayed"., slain. His son and successor, Veera Ballala IV gave away his entire treasure to Ghiyas-ud-din of Madurai in the vain hope of releasing his father. Even his general and cousin Ballappa Dandanayaka, who had served him and his father Veera Ballala III loyally now deserted him. Veera Ballala IV also faced the same fate in 1346. This ended the rule of the great Hoysalas.

References

• The Hoysalas, J. Duncan M. Derret, Oxford University Press, 1957
• Sastri, K.A. Nilakanta (2002) [1955]. A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar. New Delhi: Indian Branch, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-560686-8.
• Kamath, Suryanath U. (2001) [1980]. A concise history of Karnataka: from pre-historic times to the present. Bangalore: Jupiter books. LCCN 80905179. OCLC 7796041.