Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1706–1758) is a king of Travancore (Trippappur Swaroopam) from 1729 until his death in 1758.
He annexes several neighboring states and contributes substantially to the expansion of Travancore.
Under his rule, Travancore rises to prominence as a powerful military state in South India.
He is succeeded by his nephew Kartika Tirunal Rama Varma ("Dharma Raja").
Marthanda Varma is usually credited as the "founder of modern Kingdom of Travancore".
The rulers of Venad trace their relations back to the Ay kingdom and the Later Chera kingdom.
Marthanda Varma, crowned in his twenties, successfully suppresses the feudal lords, defeats the local kingdoms of Attingal, Kollam (Desinganad), Kayamkulam, Kottarakara (Ilayidathu Swaroopam), Pandalam, Ambalapuzha, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Karappuram, and Alangad and fights numerous battles against the Dutch and the kingdom of Cochin with the help of the British East India Company.
In the famous Battle of Colachel (1741), Marthanda Varma's army defeats the Dutch East India Company, resulting in the complete eclipse of Dutch power in Malabar.
In this battle, Marthanda Varma captures a Flemish admiral of the VOC, Eustachius De Lannoy, who will later modernize the Travancore army by introducing better firearms and artillery.
This battle in the Travancore-Dutch War (1739–1753) is considered the earliest example of an organized Asian power overcoming European military technology and tactics; and it signals the decline of Dutch power in India.
He is also successful in defeating the Zamorin of Calicut in a battle at Purakkad.
Ramayyan Dalawa, the Prime Minister (1737–1756) of Marthanda Varma, also plays an important role in this consolidation and expansion.
