The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c23.144

v1.c23.144

One of these rebellions took place in the beginning of 1610. Very likely Venkata did not lead the army which marched against the rebel Nayak. At this time he is described by both the Jesuit and the Portuguese sources as a very old, and a valetudinarian. Matla Ananta or Venkatapati Nayaningaru might have held the supreme command: the latter, in an inscription of 1612-3, is 'called the conqueror of the territory called Panchapandya' i.e. the kingdom of Madura⁶. The result of this fight was the same as on the previous occasions: Muttu Virappa was defeated by the army of Venkata, and compelled to pay a heavier tribute, summing up the arrears and the war indemnity. Fr. Roberto de Nobili, writing from Madura on December 12th, 1610, to Fr. Laerzio, says as follows: "A certain notable Pandara said to one of my Christians these last days that the coming of the King of Bisnaga was the destruction of the Naiche, just as my stay in this country was the destruction of the Pandaras" ¹. The saying referred to in this letter proves evidently both that the war was over at the end of the same year, and that its result was satisfactory to the Vijayanagara Emperor. The same is meant by Fr. Vico's letter, which says that the poor people had to pay for the fault of the prince: "all the country is laid waste and people are plundered or massacred" ².