Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c14.s2.41

v1.c14.s2.41

But just then once again occurred one of those trifles which did more than religious bigotry to breed ill will between the Hindus and Muhammadans. "Ali Adil Shah took his leave; but as Ramraj did not attend him out of the city he was offended, and treasured up the affront in his mind, though too prudent, for the present, to evince any signs of his displeasure".² The Bijapur ruler did not realize that his host was a Hindu; the Vijayanagara ruler may have been more prudent when he knew so well that 'Ali Ādil Shāh was an orthodox Shiah. Like Firūz Shāh Bāhmani, who had sworn "to take revenge for the affront offered him" by Dēva Rāya I,³ the Bijapur Sultan allowed a trifling detail of etiquette to get the better of his discretion; and generous and great as he undoubtedly was, he repaid the uncommon liberality of the Hindu ruler by what seemed to be calculated treachery on the battlefield.