The Madurai Nayaks were the rulers of Tamil Nadu with Madurai as their capital from 1529 until 1736 A. They were originally governors belonging to Balija social group from the Vijayanagara Empire. Viswanatha Nayak was the Vijayanagara viceroy to Madurai in south India during the 16th century. He later became the ruler of Madurai after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire. He is the founder of the Nayak dynasty of Madurai.Telugu was their native language. The Nayak reign marked a new era in Tamil Nadu, one noted for its vast administrative reforms, the revitalization of Temples previously ransacked by the Delhi Sultans, and the inauguration of a unique architectural style.
