Queen Victoria was keen to forge a matrimonial alliance between
princess Gowramma and Maharaja Duleep Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh of Punjab, but the alliance failed to materialize.
Eighteen-year-old princess Gowramma fell in love with a 48-year-old
widower Col. John Campbell and they were married in 1860. The marriage
failed in a few years and a dejected princess succumbed to tuberculosis
and passed away in 1864. The couple had a girl child who was named Edith
Victoria Gowramma Campbell.
Prior to the annexation of Coorg by the British in 1834, Coorg had been ruled by Lingayat Rajas since 1600.
It is interesting to note how a prince in the garb of a priest,
took possession of Coorg and began the rein of the Lingayat rajas. A
prince of Ikkeri family in Shimoga district, assumed the role of a
Lingayat priest and established himself at Haleri, to the north of
Madikeri, the capital of Coorg. Gradually, he assumed kingship of Coorg
and his heirs ruled the place for the next two centuries.
Most of the early accounts of Coorg are essentially legendary and
the only authentic record of Coorg history is available after the ninth
and 10th centuries. According to inscriptions, Coorg was ruled by
several south Indian dynasties like Gangas, Pandyas, Cholas, Kadambas,
Changalvas and Hoysalas. After the fall of Hoysala rule in the 14th
century, Coorg came under the supremacy of the Vijaynagar empire.
Subsequently, Coorg was ruled by petty local chieftains called Nayakas,
till the advent of the Lingayat Rajas.
After the annexation of Coorg by the British in 1834, Coorg was
ruled directly by the British till the Indian Independence in 1947. The
Indian Constitution recognized Coorg as part '
C'
state and an elected government assumed office in 1952 with its own
chief minister. In November, 1956, Coorg was merged with the erstwhile
state of Mysore, during the reorganization of states. Now, Coorg is a
district in the state of Karnataka.
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