RAJAMAHENDRI (Rajamahendravaram, Rajahmun-dry), a town of India, in the Godavari district, Madras presidency, situated on high ground on the left bank of the Godavari river in 17° N. lat. and 81° 49' E. long., and 365 miles north-east of Madras. Its population in 1881 numbered 24,555 (males 12,290, females 12,265). Rajamaliendri, was formerly the headquarters of a separate district of the same name, but is now incorporated with Godavari.

Tradition divides the merit of founding this city between the Orissa and Chalukya princes. There appears little doubt that the city of the Vengi kings was identical with the site of the present town, and that this also was the seat of the Orissa power in the south. In 1471 Rajamahendri was wrested from Orissa by the Mohammedans, but early in the 16th century it was retaken by Krishna Raja and restored to Orissa. It continued under Hindu rule till 1572, when it yielded to the Moslems of the Deccan under Rafat Khan. For the next century and a half it was the scene of perpetual fighting, and at last fell to Golconda, and became one of the four nawabships of that government. Rajamahendri passed into the possession of the French in 1753, but they were driven out by the British under Colonel Forde in 1758. The French, however, recaptured it, but, finding that the treasure had been removed, they evacuated it almost immediately.