from a post in quora
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from 1311–1321 Madurai saw three attacks by the Delhi Sultanate - first by Malik Kafur (1311), then Khusro Khan (1314) and finally by Ulugh Khan (1323). This shattered the already fragile Pandian empire, and led to the establishment of the Madurai Sultanate under the Delhi Sultanate.
Eventually, in 1335, the governor of Madurai Sultanate, Jalaluddin Ahsan declared independence from the Delhi Sultanate, and for the next 43 years, established a shaky Muslim control over Madurai.
In 1378, Bukka Raya I, one of the founding rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire and his son Kumara Kampanna Udaiyar conquered the Madurai Sultanate, re-establishing Hindu control over the city of Madurai. The story of this conquest is legendary and has been epitomized in the Sanskrit poem Madhura Vijayam by Kampanna’s wife Gangadevi.
After a short rule by the dynastic line of Kampanna, in 1404, the Vijaya Nagara empire appointed various representatives (called Nayakas) to rule Madurai. Some of the Nayakas instead also allowed Madurai to be rule by descendants of the Pandian empire.
However, in 1529, Vishwanatha Nayaka was appointed as another representative from the Vijayanagara empire. While, he too initially appointed a Pandian descendant to rule Madurai, in 1559, he declared independence from the failing Vijayanagara Empire and established his rule over Madurai. This dynasty ruled Madurai, until almost 1736. Their rule was noted for its high patronage of arts, culture, architecture, temple reconstructions, grand festivals, and much administrative reforms. Famous among the Nayakars is Thirumalai Nayakar, who to this date is remembered for his contributions to the Meenakshi and Azhagar temples.