Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c14.s2.58

v1.c14.s2.58

One of these Abyssinians was Ambur Khān, for whose maintenance, as mentioned above, Rāma Rāja assigned an estate.² Another Muhammadan officer of Rāma Rāja was Ainana Malukka ('Ain-ul-Mulk Gilāni), who, as related in an inscription dated Saka 1473 (A.D. 1551-2), was a great patron of Brahmans. It was at the request of this officer that the Regent granted the village of Bēvinahaḷḷi to some Brahmans.³ This Muhammadan subordinate of Rama Rāja, "having offended Ibrahim Adil Shah left his service and entered that of Ramraj, with a force consisting of four thousand cavalry. Ein-ool-Moolk had on many occasions so distinguished himself by his bravery that the Raja used to call brother".⁴ A third prominent Muhammadan official under the Hindu government was Dilāvar Khān. He is said to have been the Agent (*kāryakarta*) of Rāma Rāja in A.D. 1558. The epigraph which gives us this information also records a singular curse on both Hindu and Muhammadan kings who might violate the grant of a village given by the agent of Dilāvar Khān, Sitappa . . . to Virayya, as a *baḷa-agrahāra*. "If kings of the Turuka race fail in this, they have eaten hog's flesh. If kings of Karṇāṭaka fail in it, they will incur the guilt of murdering father and mother in Kāśī'.¹ The fact of the Muhammadans having entered the service of Vijayanagara is further borne out by a copper-plate dated A.D. 1577, which says: "The Turush-khas bowed down with the weight of their fears, did service in the courtyard of his (Sadāśiva's) great minister Rāma Rāja; and various ministers sent as envoys besought of him as a favour to admit them to his army".²