Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c15.s1.1

v1.c15.s1.1

THE militant age in which the Vijayanagara monarchs lived necessitated the maintenance of a large and powerful army. An adequate idea of the amount of labour, wealth, and skill which the Hindu rulers expended on the institution of this vital branch of their political organization can be formed only when we have examined the component parts of their army, the department which controlled it, the reforms which were introduced by the kings to make it more efficient, and the manner in which it was summoned at the commencement of a campaign.