The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c25.15

v1.c25.15

But Anquetil du Perron gives us a piece of information not consistent with the above. He says that before the year 1595, both the Nayaks of Madura and Tanjore had rebelled against Venkata ⁷. We really doubt the accuracy of Anquetil in this passage; for the inscription of Venkata mentioned above is dated only a year later. It is possible, however, that the rebellion took place some years later, and was misplaced by Anquetil, confusing it with an earlier rising of the Nayak of Madura. As a matter of fact, one of Fr. Coutinho’s letters from the court of Venkata seems to allude to an insurgent attitude on the part of Achyutappa; for he affirms that “the rumour was that the King (Venkata) would warre upon the Naichus of Tangaor, called Astapanaicus (Achyutappa Nayaka)” ¹. This letter, published by Purchas, has been extremely mutilated. The original gives more valuable information. Coutinho says that Venkata “has a large army with many good generals in order to re-conquer Kanchivaram; which city, along with all the country around, surrendered to Astapa-naichus (Achyutappa Nayaka), the king of Tangior” ². We deduce from this passage that the cause of the trouble was not precisely refusal to pay the tribute, but the city of Kanchivaram; though what the fact was that created this enmity is not clear. Moreover we know from the same letter that the war never broke out: “It is quite certain”, continues Coutinho, “that the King does not think of that expedition any more” ³. Venkata’s designs were checked by the death of Achyutappa Nayaka ⁴. And since this took place in 1600, this quarrel between the Emperor and the Nayaka must have occurred in 1598-9.