The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c9.3

v1.c9.3

SADASIVA was on account of his age unfit to manage the State affairs. Hence the anonymous chronicler of Golkonda states that ‘Rama Raya assumed the office of Protector’¹. The Muhammadan writer in announcing the assumption of power by the Minister Rama Raya describes him as Regent of the puppet Sadasiva. Accordingly all power was vested in Rama Raya, as the *Chikkadevaraya Vamsavali* recorded some years later². The only fact on which all the authors who have written on Sadasiva’s reign agree, is the supreme power wielded by the fortunate Minister who was helped by his two brothers. But the aforesaid chronicler of Golkonda suggests at least two different stages in his period of governing. “Ramraj”, he states, “first assumed the office of Protector, and subsequently usurped the throne”³. Is this usurpation of the throne supported by other documents? I have closely examined the inscriptions and grants of Sadasiva’s reign, and discern not two but three different stages in the Regency of Rama Raya.