The correct answer is: C) Thekkumkur
Thekkumkur was a feudal kingdom in the present-day Malappuram district of Kerala, India. It was one of the four royal principalities of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, along with Venad, Valluvanad and Eranad. Thekkumkur was ruled by a line of Nair chieftains known as the Thekkumkur Rajas.
Thekkumkur was divided into several ‘nadus’ or provinces, each of which was ruled by a Nair chieftain. The most important of these nadus were the Valluvanad Nadu, the Eranad Nadu and the Kurumbranad Nadu.
Thekkumkur was a powerful kingdom and played an important role in the history of Kerala. It was one of the first kingdoms in Kerala to adopt Christianity and it was also one of the first kingdoms to come under the influence of the Portuguese.
Thekkumkur was eventually annexed by the Kingdom of Cochin in the 18th century. However, the Thekkumkur Rajas continued to rule as feudatories of the Cochin Maharaja until the 19th century, when they were finally abolished by the British.
The other options are incorrect because:
- Venad was a feudal kingdom in the present-day Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India. It was one of the four royal principalities of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, along with Thekkumkur, Valluvanad and Eranad. Venad was ruled by a line of Chera kings.
- Valluvanad was a feudal kingdom in the present-day Malappuram district of Kerala, India. It was one of the four royal principalities of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, along with Thekkumkur, Venad and Eranad. Valluvanad was ruled by a line of Nair chieftains known as the Valluvanad Rajas.
- Eranad was a feudal kingdom in the present-day Malappuram district of Kerala, India. It was one of the four royal principalities of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, along with Thekkumkur, Venad and Valluvanad. Eranad was ruled by a line of Nair chieftains known as the Eranad Rajas.