02624nam a22001817a 4500008004100000020001800041082002500059084001300084100001900097245007700116260003500193500006700228505044600295520156700741653004202308653003302350653005902383160323b        xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  a9789351776420  223a920.05483bMAN/I  aV2122CC  aManu S. Pillai  aIvory throne :bchronicles of the house of Travancore /cManu S. Pillai.  aNoida :bHarperCollins,c2015.  aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 557-662) and index.  aA painter prince -- The queen of the Kupakas -- Three consorts -- The second favourite -- Her highness the Maharajah -- A Christian minister -- Malice domestique -- Tea and troubles -- The Boudoir Dewan -- Black magic -- In letters of gold -- Mother and son -- La revanche -- A real little grande dame -- A palace coup -- The ultimate eclipse -- The villain of the piece -- Rivers of blood -- The reluctant princess -- Once I had a kingdom.
  aIn 1498, when Vasco da Gama set foot in Kerala looking for Christians and spices, he unleashed a wave of political fury that would topple local powers like a house of cards. The cosmopolitan fabric of a vibrant trading society with its Jewish and Arab merchants, Chinese pirate heroes and masterful Hindu Zamorins was ripped apart, heralding an age of violence and bloodshed. One prince, however, emerged triumphant from this descent into chaos. Shrewdly marrying Western arms to Eastern strategy, Martanda Varma consecrated the dominion of Travancore, destined to become one of the most dutiful pillars of the British Raj. What followed was two centuries of internecine conflict in one of India's premier princely states, culminating in a dynastic feud between two sisters battling to steer the fortunes of their house on the eve of Independence. Manu S. Pillai's retelling of this sprawling saga focuses on the remarkable life and work of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, the last, and forgotten, queen of the House of Travancore. The supporting cast includes the flamboyant painter Raja Ravi Varma and his wrathful wife, scheming matriarchs of violent, profligate and sordid character, wifeswapping court favourites, vigilant English agents, quarrelling consorts and lustful kings. Extensively researched and vividly rendered, The Ivory Throne conjures up a dramatic world of political intrigues and factions, black magic and conspiracies, crafty ceremonies and splendorous temple treasures, all harnessed in a tragic contest for power and authority in the age of empire."  aTravancore (India) - Kings and Rulers  aTravancore (India) - History  aSetu Lakshmi Bai - Maharani of Travancore, 1895 - 1985