Kingdom of Tanur

The Kingdom of Tanur (also referred to as Vettathunadu, Vettam, Tanur Swaroopam, and Prakashabhu; or the Kingdom of Light) was a feudal principality on the Malabar Coast of the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Ages. It was governed by the Tanur dynasty, a Hindu ruling family that claimed Kshatriya status. The kingdom encompassed parts of the coastal taluks of Tirurangadi, Tirur, and Ponnani in present-day Malappuram district, including locations such as Tanur, Tirur (historically known as Trikkandiyur) and Chaliyam. The kingdom also contained the coastal villages of Kadalundi and Chaliyam in the southernmost region of Kozhikode district.

The rulers of Vettathunadu were long-standing feudatories of the Zamorin of Calicut. With the arrival of the Portuguese on the Malabar Coast, the Vettathunadu kings began to manoeuvre between the Portuguese and the Zamorin. They were among the first vassals of Calicut to stand up against the Zamorin with Portuguese support. In 1546, Francis Xavier visited Tanur and the Keraladeshpuram Temple located there.

In 1549, a ruler of Vettathunadu converted to Christianity under Portuguese influence. This conversion marked a shift in the kingdom's alliance, allowing the Portuguese to construct a fortress at Chaliyam.

In the 17th century, the Queen of Cochin adopted some Vettathunadu princes. This adoption included parts of the Chovvaram (Sukapuram) village, which was one of the 64 historic villages of Nambudiris. The adoption contributed to tensions among the regional powers and principalities.

The Tanur royal family became extinct following the death of the last king on 24 May 1793. Afterwards, the kingdom came under control of the English East India Company. In 1842, the temple associated with the royal family was transferred to the Zamorin of Calicut, marking the end of the kingdom's independent identity.

The Vettathunadu rulers were renowned patrons of arts and learning. A Vettathunadu ruler is credited with introducing innovations toKathakali, which have come to be known as the Vettathu Sambradayam ('Vettathu tradition'). The region was also the birthplace of the famous poets Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, celebrated as "the father of modern Malayalam", and Vallathol Narayana Menon, the founder of Kerala Kalamandalam.

The Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. Scholars from the school made significant advancements in addressing astronomical problems and independently developed a number of important mathematical concepts, including series expansion for trigonometric functions.