On 24 July 2025, President Droupadi Murmu released a commemorative postage stamp on Rani Chennabhairadevi at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

 Who is Rani Chennabhairadevi?

Rani Chennabhairadevi — The Queen of Pepper and Sovereign of the Western Coast (1552–1606)

In the heart of the Western Ghats, nestled by the serene banks of the Sharavathi River, rose one of the greatest unsung heroines of Indian history — Rani Chennabhairadevi of Gerusoppa, the iron-willed queen who reigned for a staggering 54 years, the longest reign by any queen in Indian history. Rani Chennabhairadevi belonged to the Saluva dynasty, a prominent branch of rulers in the Vijayanagara Empire, who administered the Nagire province (modern-day Uttara Kannada) under the imperial system of Mahamandaleshwaras — semi-autonomous feudal governors.

In the decentralised Vijayanagara polity, she rose to power in 1552 CE, inheriting a complex, coastal frontier kingdom rich in trade, culture, and strategic significance. Her realm stretched from South Goa through Uttara and Dakshina Kannada, down to parts of the Malabar Coast, encompassing key ports like Bhatkala, Honnavara, Mirjan, Ankola, Byndur, and Karwar. At a time when European colonial powers were clawing for dominance over the Indian Ocean trade, Rani Chennabhairadevi stood her ground. Her coastal kingdom was famed for its abundant pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sandalwood — commodities that drew Arab, Persian, and European traders in droves.

Instead of surrendering control of these vital resources, she astutely negotiated trade terms that safeguarded regional sovereignty while enhancing commercial ties. Rani Chennabhairadevi fought two major wars against the Portuguese — in 1559 and again in 1570 — when they attempted to seize ports like Honnavar and monopolise the spice trade. In 1570, when the Portuguese burned Honnavar to the ground, she rallied her forces and crushed them with superior strategy, terrain knowledge, and guerrilla warfare tactics. Portuguese chronicles record their humiliating defeat at her hands.

The Portuguese, stunned by her resistance and pepper monopoly, dubbed her with awe and grudging respect — “Rainha de Pimenta” — "The Pepper Queen."

A Jain Queen in a Pluralistic Kingdom

Though a devout Jain, Rani Chennabhairadevi was a protector of all faiths. She patronized the construction of the Chaturmukha Basadi at Gerusoppa — a stunning four-faced Jain temple that still echoes her spiritual legacy. She also supported Shaiva and Vaishnava temples, granted refuge to Saraswat Brahmins and Konkani craftsmen fleeing Portuguese persecution, and gave royal patronage to Jain scholars like Akalanka and Bhattakalaka. Legend has it that the Queen resided in the majestic Mirjan Fort, which she is credited with building or expanding. The fort, with its moats, secret passages, and commanding view of the coastline, was a symbol of her military preparedness and architectural foresight.

Rani Chennabhairadevi: A Defender of Faith and Freedom

Rani Chennabhairadevi is remembered not just as a brave queen who ruled for over 50 years, but also as a protector of local religion and culture during a time of great threat. In the 1500s, the Portuguese came to coastal India — Goa, Mangalore, and nearby areas — with three main goals:

• Take control of the spice trade, especially black pepper
• Build forts and dominate the sea with powerful warships
• Convert locals to Christianity, often by force, using Jesuit missionaries

In many places like Goa, they destroyed temples, banned native customs, and forced people to convert through pressure and fear.

How did Rani Chennabhairadevi resist them?

She banned the entry of the missionaries. She did not allow Christian missionaries to enter her kingdom, preach, or build churches. Even though the Portuguese tried to pressure her, she never gave them permission. Dr. Hannachapelle Wohiciehowski, a historian, said that Chennabhairadevi protected her kingdom’s religious freedom when many other areas had lost it. In Goa, for example, churches replaced temples, and native languages and customs were suppressed. But in her kingdom, people of all faiths lived safely — Jains, Shaivites, Vaishnavas, even Buddhists. Temples weren’t just religious places — they were the heart of the community and culture. By protecting them, she kept her people united. She gave royal help to the Sringeri Sharada Peetha. She maintained Jain basadis in Bhatkal, Honnavar, and Mirjan.

"She was the queen who stopped the cross from replacing the trident."

The Portuguese, with their cannons and crosses, called her “Rainha de Pimenta” — the Pepper Queen, not with affection, but out of sheer frustration for, they couldn’t bribe her, they couldn’t conquer her ports….And they couldn’t convert her people. Her resistance was not rooted in hatred, but in conviction. She said “no” — not to a faith, but to force, coercion, and colonisation. This clarity of dharma, this unshakeable sense of justice, is the highest form of leadership — Rajadharma.

Rani Chennabhairadevi stood strong — not only as a queen who ruled a kingdom, but as a bold woman who protected faith, culture, and freedom during a time of great danger. She showed that true leadership is about standing up for what is right, even when the world is against you.

Queen of Coast was compared to Queen of England 

Chennabhairadevi was a contemporary of Queen Elizabeth of England and in many respects equal to her. Chennabhairadevi boldly handled the many contradictions she faced through shrewd alliances and managed to rule her kingdom efficiently for more than fifty years without relinquishing her political, cultural and economic supremacy. Chennabhairadevi governed the coastal region of Karnataka roughly between 1552 and 1606—overlapping with Elizabeth I’s reign (1558–1603). She ruled for more than 50 years, which is among the longest reigns for a queen in Indian history. Like Elizabeth, Chennabhairadevi navigated complex political landscapes and resisted powerful external forces. Elizabeth defended England against threats like the Spanish Armada, while Chennabhairadevi successfully repelled Portuguese colonial ambitions and managed internal factions through diplomacy and fortitude. So, the comparison by Wohiciehowski underscores Chennabhairadevi’s stature on par with one of Europe’s most iconic monarchs — not in global scale, but in effectiveness, resilience, and longevity under external pressure.

The Seeds of Treachery: A Kingdom Lost

Sadly, while she fended off foreign invaders with remarkable courage, her own downfall came from internal fragmentation. By the late 1500s, the Vijayanagara Empire was crumbling. The power vacuum meant Keladi Nayakas saw a golden chance to expand toward the coast. But Queen Chennabhairadevi was in their way — with her massive fort at Mirjan and fierce control over the lucrative pepper trade.

So the Keladi rulers, specifically Keladi Chennappa Nayaka or his predecessor, formed a secret pact with the Bilgi chieftain—who had previously sworn fealty to the Queen.

Their plan was not open war, but political sabotage by disrupting the supply lines to Mirjan

 and by spreading false rumors of rebellion to isolate her diplomatically. They also invited the Portuguese to support them by promising trade access post-victory. Finally they accused the Queen of sedition against Vijayanagara, justifying internal takeover.

The rising Keladi and Bilgi chiefs, seeing an ageing queen at the helm, unified their armies, and attacked Gerusoppa. After a long resistance, the great queen was captured and taken prisoner to Keladi, where she breathed her last — not on the battlefield, but in captivity. Her fall is a poignant reminder of what Indian history could have been — if such unity had been forged against foreign enemies, rather than used to bring down a fellow Indian monarch.

In the aftermath, the Keladi Nayakas, who betrayed her, would later fight the Portuguese themselves—ironically defending the same coast Chennabhairadevi once protected. The Bilgi chieftains faded into historical irrelevance….And the Mirjan Fort, once echoing with her justice, stood silently as a symbol of betrayal.

Rani Chennabhairadevi remains a shining symbol of womanhood, resistance, and native sovereignty, whose legacy still lingers in the forests of the Western Ghats, in the spice-laden breeze of Honnavar, and in the silent stones of Mirjan Fort.

Wing Commander BS Sudarshan is a former Indian Air Force pilot with over 12,000 flying hours. He participated in Operation Pawan and Operation Cactus before he transitioned to civil aviation. A passionate writer, he has authored six books, including "Hasiru Hampe", appreciated by S L Bhyrappa, and the latest "Evergreen Hampi". He is a regular contributor to the Verandah Club.