In 1614, his father Sriranga II, who was the preceding emperor, and his family were murdered by rival factions headed by Jagga Raya, who was one of their kins.
Rama Deva himself was smuggled out of the prison by Yachama Naidu, a faithful commander and the viceroy of earlier emperor Venkata II.
In a long-drawn battle between the two factions in which the whole of the kingdom took part, Jagga Raya would be slain and his Gobburi estates in south west of Nellore in present-day Chennai, Chengelpet seized by Yachama Naidu.
Both the Armies met at the Toppur, at an open field on the northern banks of River Cauvery, between Tiruchirapalli and Grand Anicut in late months of 1616.
The Nayaka chieftain of Madurai tried to escape, he was pursued by Yachama's general Rao Dama Nayani and captured near Tiruchirapalli.
Yethiraja, the brother of Jagga Raya, after losing the Toppur Battle, aligned with the Gingee Nayak and attacked Tanjore, but was defeated with the later ending as captive.