The very last royal dynasty that rule Karnataka was the Wodeyar Dynasty. Even after the Independence of India, their rule existed. The descendants of the Yadavas of Dwarika are believed to be the founders of this dynasty.
Also it is said that they were indigenous chieftains from
Karnataka itself who became the founders of the. Two brothers namely Vijaya and Krishna are given the credit for the establishment of this Vijayanagara Empire. In 1399 AD, Vijaya started ruling under the name of. Its capital was Mysore.
The kingdom was taken over by Hyder Ali, after whom a number of kings came to rule over the city of Mysore towards the end of the seventeenth. Hyder Ali never claimed kingship neither did his son Tipu Sultan. There came a short period when the kingdom was under the control of a British regent. Some of the important kings among them were: Mummadi Krisnaraja Odeyar (1799-1831 AD) Nalmadi Krisnaraja Odeyar (1895-1940 AD) and Jayacama Rajendra Odeyar (1940-1950 AD). During 1761 till 1782 AD, Hyder Ali enjoyed undisputed power. From 1782 to 1799 AD, Tipu Sultan was crowned as the king.
These kings could do little in order to expand of their kingdom and did not enjoy much power over the Vijayanagara kingdom until Raja Odeyar declared independence from the British regent after defeating the functionary of that empire. The most important the kings in this dynasty are Raja Odeyar, Ranadhira Kantirava Narasaraja Odeyar and Cikkadevaraja Odeyar.
When Raja Odeyar came to power the Wodeyar kingdom mainly was constituted by merely 33 villages. The Mysore fort also built by him and in 1610 AD he shifted the capital from Mysore to Shrirangapattana. In order to expand the kingdom he included the whole of the Mysore district and Shrirangapattana. He was succeeded by Camaraja Odeyar V who took the expansion further. Places such as Hassan, Talakadu, Holenarasipura, Mandya and Cennapattana were taken under control by Camaraja Odeyar V. Also Camaraja wrote the meritorious Kannada version of the Mahabharatha known as the 'Camarajoktivilasa'.
Another king was Cikkadevaraja is also one of the most important kings of this dynasty. His military ingenuity, political acumen and administrative innovations are for which he is most remembered for. Mysore became an important kingdom of South India during his regime. He expanded the kingdom by conquering and defeating the Shahi rulers of Bijapur and Golkonda.
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