The name is derived from a local hill, which was called ‘Stambhadri’. The town was called by many different names like Stambhadri, Kambhadri, Kambham mettu, Khammam mettu, and then finally Khammam. Let us look at the hierarchy of the rulers who ruled Khammam since ancient times.
700 BC – 300 BC : Assaka/Asmaka/Ashmaka (The 16 Mahajanapadas)
300 BC – 185 BC: Mauryan Empire
230 BC – 220 AD: Satavahanas ( Were vassals of the Mauryan Empire)
220 AD – 250 AD : Ikshvaku Tribe
250 AD – 500 AD : Vakataka Dynasty
500 AD – 543 AD : Vishnukundins
543 AD – 753 AD : Badami Chalukyas
750 AD to 1323 AD:
Kakatiyas ruled the Rashrakuta Dynasty from 753 AD – 982 AD. Western Chalukyas (Kalyani Chalukyas) ruled Khammam from 982 AD to 1158 with Kakatipura, Anumakonda (Hanumkonda), Orugallu (Warangal) as there capitals.
Polavasa chiefs were based to the north of the Kakatiya territories. Polavasa chiefs ruled most of Karimnagar district and the northern part of Warangal district from their capital at Polavasa. That is currently known by the name Polas in Jagtial taluk.
1310 AD:
Delhi Sultanate general Malik Kafur and Alauddin Khilji defeated Prataprudra II and he was forced to pay annual tribute to Delhi. During this time, Koh-i-Noor diamond went into the ownership of Alauddin from Kakatiya. Moreover, the Kakatiya dynasty has given their 20,000 horses and 100 elephants to Delhi Sultanate.
1323 AD:
Ulug Khan son of Ghiyasuddin Toughly captured Warangal from Parataparudra II.
1323 AD – 1336 AD: Tughlaq Dynasty
Musunuri Nayakas : In 1336, Kapaya Nayaka took control of Warangal from Malik Maqbul
1325 AD – 1350 AD : Musunuri Nayaks
The Hindu feudatories united themselves to liberate the Telugu country from foreign rulers after the fall of the Kakatiya kingdom and its annexation to the Tughlak empire.
On the bank of the Godavari, under the leadership of Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka and his cousin Kapaya Nayaka, a movement was started at Rekapalli. The movement was a success in driving away the Muslims from the Telugu country in A.D.1328.
In 1333 AD, Kapaya Nayaka became the ruler after the demise of Prolaya Nayaka. Warangal was once again the capital of the Telugu Country.
1350 AD:
Bahman Shah led his first campaign against Warangal and forced its ruler Kapaya Nayaka to leave the fortress.
1350 AD – 1518 AD : Bahmani Sultanate
1463 AD:
Sultan Mohammad Shah Bahmani sent Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk to the Telangana region. Sultan Quli was rewarded as the administrator of the region as he resolved the disturbance.
1512 AD: He defeated Shitab Khan to capture the Khammam fort.
1518 AD: Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk declared Independence
1503 AD – 1512 AD: Sitapati Raju (known as Shitab Khan) ruled from Rachakonda(Nalgonda), Warangal and Khammam forts.
1509 AD – 1529 AD: Vijayanagara Empire (Tuluva dynasty) – Krishna Deva Raya Rule
1518 AD – 1687 AD: Qutbshahis / Golconda Sultanate
After Krishnadevaraya, Khammam came under the rule of Golconda Qutub Shahis.
Abdul Hasan Tanisha was the last ruler. Kancharla Gopanna, also known by the name Bhadrachala Ramadas, Ministers Akkana, and Madanna were the employees from Warangal.
1636 AD: Shah Jahan forced the Qutb Shahis to recognize Mughal suzerainty, which lasted until 1687. It was when the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conquered the Golconda sultanate.
1687 AD – 1724 AD: Mughal Empire
1713 AD: Mir Qamaruddin Siddiqi was appointed governor by the Mughals.
1724 AD:
Mir Qamaruddin Siddiqi was granted control of Hyderabad by the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah with the title Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah. This was after defeating the rival from Maratha Empire.
1724 AD – 1948 AD : Asaf Jahis
1798 AD: Hyderabad became the first Indian royal state to accede to British protection under the policy of Subsidiary Alliance instituted by Arthur Wellesley.
1946 – 1951: Telangana Rebellion
Aug 15, 1947: Indian Independence from the British. Osman Ali Khan ASAF Jahi VII chose to remain independent.
Sep 17, 1948: On Sep 13, 1948, then-Indian Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel passed on a military operation, Operation Polo. The Indian Armed Forces invaded the State of Hyderabad and overthrew its Nizam on Sep 17, 1948, integrating Hyderabad into India.
Sep 17, 1948 – Oct 31, 1956: Hyderabad State, India.
Sep 17, 1948 – Dec 31, 1949: Major General J. N. Chaudhuri who led Operation Polo stayed on as Military Governor.
26 January 1950 – 31 October 1956 :
Last Nizam, Osman Ali Khan ASAF Jahi VII as Rajpramukh. Rajpramukh was an administrative title in India that existed from India’s independence in 1947 until 1956. Rajpramukhs were the appointed governors for certain Indian provinces and states.
26 Jan 1950 – 6 March 1952:
M. K. Vellodi was the Chief Minister of the state appointed by the Government of India.
6 March 1952 – 31 October 1956:
In the 1952 Legislative Assembly election, Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected Chief minister of Hyderabad State.
1953 AD:
Until 1 October 1953, Khammam City was the seat of the Taluk Administration and was part of the larger Warangal District. Five taluks of the Warangal district viz., Khammam, Madhira, Yellandu, Burgampadu, and Paloncha (now Kothagudem) were carved out and a new district Khammam with Khammam as District Headquarters.
1 November, 1956 – 1 June 2014: Andhra Pradesh State, India Andhra State, and the Telangana region of Hyderabad State were merged to form Andhra Pradesh State, India.
1959 AD:
Bhadrachalam Revenue Division consisting of Bhadrachalam and Nuguru Venkatapuram Taluks of East Godawari district, which were on the other side of the river Godavari were merged into Khammam.
2 June 2014: Telangana, India.
Also Visit: Bhadrachalam, Temple History & its significance
