 Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I was crowned king at Kudumiyanmalai on the death of his grandfather, Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman, the Raja of Pudukkottai in 1730.Soon after his accession, a bloody civil war followed and Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I had to fight his uncles in order to secure his throne.In 1733, the Thanjavur Maratha general, Ananda Rao, invaded Pudukkottai and besieged Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I at the Thirumayam Fort for over a year destroying its defences and ravaging the town before returning.