Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c11.s2.t4.84

v1.c11.s2.t4.84

A fifth method meant to minimize the miseries of civil war refers to the appointing of a regent. Firishtah speaks of Timraj as managing the affairs of the State, evidently in his capacity as regent, during the regency of a certain "Shewa-Ray" in about A.D. 1491-92.² The rule of a regent was sometimes marked by severe repression. Salaka Timma, for instance, seems to have inaugurated such a policy.³ But a Vijayanagara regent could also be liberal. Rāma Rāja was, for example, a regent of this type. Nicolao Manucci in his Storia do Mogor (A.D. 1653-1708) has the following interesting remarks to make in connection with Rāma Rāja's generosity: "It seems to me that the reader will be pleased if I insert some account of the empire of Narsinga (Nar Singh), of the Hindū race, whose court was in the Karnātik. More than two hundred years ago there reigned an emperor called Ramrajo (Rām Rājah), who was so generous that it is remarked in the chronicles that he never refused any favour asked. He confirmed any grant he made by a record on golden plates. Up to this day the Portuguese preserve one of these plates for a gift to them by the said Rām Rājah of the city of Saā Thome.