Erra Timmanayudu was born to
Timmanayudu II and Machamma. According to
kaifiyat of Tadipatri, he succeeded to the estates of his father during the reign of
Achyutadevaraya. Like his father, Erra became the commandant of the Gandikota Fort, which at that time was an
amaram of the Nandyala chiefs. Erra espoused the cause of Rama Raya when the latter was "helpless" and in need of assistance. Erra and his brothers, Chinna Timmanayudu I and
Ramalinga Nayudu II, won many battles for Rama Raya, including the Battle of Juturu and Battle of Betamcherla. A historian, Y. Sriramamurthy, stated the following about the role played by Erra in assisting Rama Raya: Erra constructed a village and named it Timmanayudupeta. Since in the Vijayanagara Empire, the governors, commandants of forts, and
amarnayakas could mint their own coins, Erra Timmanayudu did just that and circulated them in his fiefdom. He also made improvements to the
Chintala Venkataramana Temple, which was built by his father, and added paintings using the large amount of money and jewels that he received from Rama Raya as gifts. Sriramamurthy states that "most probably", Erra Timmanayudu may have died in the
Battle of Talikota because the Kaifiyat of Tadipatri makes no mention of him after the battle. Erra Timmanayudu was succeeded by his son, Pemmasani Narasimhanayudu. == Notes ==