 At the height of the Vijayanagara Empire ( 1350 – 1565 ) , the Mysore and Coorg region was ruled by motley chieftains , or rajas ( " little kings " ) . Each raja had dominion over a small area , and each supplied soldiers and annual tribute for the empire 's needs . Soon after the empire 's fall and the subsequent eastward move of the diminished ruling family , many chieftains , especially in the west , tried to loosen their imperial bonds and expand their realms . Sensing opportunity amidst the new uncertainty , various powers from the north invaded the region intermittently . Among these were the Sultanate of Bijapur to the northwest , the Sultanate of Golconda to the northeast , the fledgling Maratha empire , farther northwest , and the Mughal empire , farther north still . For much of the 17th century the tussles between the little kings and the big powers , and amongst the little kings , resulted in shifting sovereignties , loyalties , and borders . By the turn of the 18th century , the political landscape had become better defined . The northwestern hills were being ruled by the Nayaka rulers of Ikkeri , the southwestern , in the Western Ghats , by the Rajas of Coorg , the southern plains by the Wodeyar rulers of Mysore , all of which were Hindu dynasties ; whereas the eastern and northeastern regions were being ruled by the Muslim Nawabs of Arcot and Sira . Of these , Ikkeri and Coorg were independent , Mysore , although much expanded , was formally a Mughal dependency , and Arcot and Sira , Mughal <unk> ( or provinces ) . 
