Kottayam

Kottayam was a Nair chiefdom in North Malabar, whose hills and forests included Wayanad. Its Purannatt Swarupam dynasty gradually gained independence from the Kolathiri rajas and later divided into branches, with the western branch at Pazhassi.

In 1773 Hyder Ali of Mysore overran Malabar and the raja fled to Travancore. Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of the western branch later led Kottayam and fought the British East India Company from 1793, first over Kottayam and then Wayanad. Known as the Lion of Kerala, he was killed in 1805; his lands passed into British Malabar.