TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FALL OF THE PERUMAL, THE ZAMORINS EMERGED AS POWERFUL RULERS IN MALABAR AND OCCUPIED NORTHERN KERALA. THE PLACE-NAME KOZHIKODE IS POPULAR IN THE ACCOUNTS OF WESTERN VISITORS DURING THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD.

        THE WORD ZAMORIN SOUNDS A BIT NON-INDIAN, BUT IT IS VERY MUCH INDIAN. THE ROYAL FAMILY OF HINDU ERADI NAIR ZAMORIN RULED OVER THE MALABAR COAST OF PRESENT-DAY NORTHERN AND CENTRAL KERALA FOR CENTURIES BASED AT THE CITY OF CALICUT( NOW KOZHIKODE). 

CALICUT BECAME ONE OF THE NODAL POINTS FOR LONG-DISTANCE TRADE UNDER THE ZAMORINS. DURING THE PERIOD (11TH TO 15TH C). THE KINGDOM OF CALICUT WAS AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPALITY OF KERALA IN THE MIDDLE AGES. IT BECAME INDEPENDENT AFTER THE FALL OF THE PERUMAL KINGDOM. THE RULER OF CALICUT IS KNOWN AS SAMUDIRI OR THE ZAMORIN. HE WAS THE CENTRAL FIGURE IN KERALA HISTORY IN THE MIDDLE AGES. HIS RISE AND FALL SYNCHRONIZE WITH THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE MIDDLE AGES. BUT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF FOREIGNERS LIKE THE PORTUGUESE AND THE DUTCH THE ZAMORINS COULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UNITE THE WHOLE OF KERALA UNDER ONE SCEPTER.

   THE RULING HOUSE OF SAMUTIRI IS KNOWN BY THE NAME NEDIYIRIPPU SWARUPAM. THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY OF THE ZAMORINS ARE ENVELOPED IN MYSTERY. IT REMAINED AS A REGIONAL NADU THROUGHOUT UNDER THE PERUMAL. WHEN PERUMAL’S AUTHORITY DISINTEGRATED. NEDIYIRUPPU SWARUPAM DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE. THE NETRIYIRUPPU RULER WAS IN DARING NEED OF A PORT CITY FOR OVER-SEA TRADE. HENCE HE TRIED TO ACQUIRE CALICUT, WHICH WAS UNDER THE DOMAIN OF PORLATHIRI. THE ERATIS WERE LANDLOCKED IN THEIR DOMAIN AND THEY WANTED TO GET AN OUTLET TO THE SEA THROUGH POLANAD. THE POLANAD CHIEF TURNED DOWN THEIR REQUEST FOR THE CHULLIKKAD AT THE MOUTH OF THE KALLAYI RIVER AND THE ADJOINING KOZHIKODE HILL. THEREUPON THE ERATIS ATTACKED POLANAD AND THROUGH TREACHERY AND BRIBERY ACQUIRED KOZHIKODE AND MADE IT THEIR CAPITAL. AFTER DEFEATING PORLATHIRI AND ACQUIRING CALICUT, THE ZAMORIN EMBARKED ON A SERIES OF CONQUESTS. THE RAJAS OF BEYPORE, PARAPPANAD, AND VELLAT AND THE CHIEFTAINS OF KURUMBRANAD AND PAYYURMALA WERE FORCED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SUPREMACY.

THE ZAMORIN CONTINUED HIS SUCCESS. BEFORE LONG HE BROUGHT NILAMBUR, MANJERI, AND VANKATA KOTTA (KOTTAKKAL) UNDER HIS CONTROL. NEDUNGANAD ACKNOWLEDGED HIS AUTHORITY TALAPILLY RAJA TOO SUBMITTED TO HIS AUTHORITY. THE PUNNATHUR CHIEF BECAME A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE ZAMORIN. THE PERUMPADAPPU SWARUPAM WAS FORCED TO VACATE ITS HEADQUARTERS AT CHITRAKUTAM AND MOVE INTO THIRU VANCHIKKULAM. IN THE COURSE OF THE 14TH CENTURY, THE ZAMORIN FURTHER EXTENDED HIS CONQUESTS OVER CENTRAL KERALA. HE BROUGHT THRIKKANARMATHILAKAM UNDER HIS POSSESSION AND THE COCHIN RAJA WAS FORCED TO SHIFT HIS HEADQUARTERS FROM VANCHI TO KOCHI (1405 AD).

                               BY THE END OF THE 15TH CENTURY, THE ZAMORIN HAD BECOME THE OVERLORD OF ALMOST TWO-THIRDS KERALA. HIS PRESTIGE AND POSITION INCREASED IMMENSELY. VISIONS OF A UNITED KERALA HAVE ALREADY BEEN FLOATING WHEN THE ARRIVAL OF A FEW PORTUGUESE SHIPS UNDER VASCO DA GAMA CHANGED THE COURSE OF EVENTS AND INVOLVED THE ZAMORIN IN A LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE WITH EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM