The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c13.143

v1.c13.143

⁴ Badagas or Badugas is the name given by St. Xavier and the old Jesuit writers to the soldiers either of Madura or of Vijayanagara. This was another corruption of the name Vaduquer, northener, given to the Telugus because they came from the North. Nagam Aiya, *The Travancore State*, I, p. 297, says that St. Xavier in one of his letters dated March, 1544, describes the Badagas as ‘tax gatherers’ and ‘lawless marauders’. But I could not find such a description among the letters of Xavier in their critical edition, *M. H. S. J., Mon. Xav.*, I. The anonymous author of the life of St. Xavier, quoted above, after describing the city of Vijayanagara, adds as follows: “These people, called Badagas, although having the same complexion and qualities as ths rest of the people of India, are stronger and more powerful in war; because they are rich people aud have much cavalry, and their behaviour is more showy than that of the others. And they have all the cities and villages surrounded with brick or stone walls, with bastions here and there as in our fortresses.” *M. H. S. J., Mon. Xav.*, I. p. 62. Fr. Du Jarric, *Thesaurus Rerum Indicarum*, I. p. 144, describes the Badagas as follows: They are “wild and cruel people, naturally fond of stealing, coming from Bisnaga, foes of everybody, but specially of Christians.” This last note given by almost all the early Jesuit writers needs