 His reign was marked with incessant wars with the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom and against the French East India Company and Chanda Sahib.Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I was born on 25 August 1713 to Thirumalai Raya Tondaiman Sahib, the heir-apparent of Pudukkottai and his wife, Nallayi Ayi Sahib and educated privately.On the death of his father in 1729, Vijaya Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman I was made heir-apparent by his grandfather, Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman, the Raja of Pudukkottai.