Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c15.s7.23

v1.c15.s7.23

One particular feature of the camp which struck the foreign witnesses as remarkable was the presence of the public women in the army. There is no denying the fact that these formed an indispensable element in the Vijayanagara camp. Nuniz's remarks are confirmed by the other Portuguese traveller Barbosa, who gives us the reason why they were taken to the front, with an account of the manner in which the monarchs started on their campaigns. "In order that these may not take to flight he directs large pay to be given to all; in the first place, to the enchanting single women, who are numerous, and who do not fight, but their lovers fight for love of them very vigorously. And it is also said that many men come from all the other kingdoms to the king's camp for the love of these women, amongst whom there are many honourable ones, great confidantes of the king, who came of great houses, and are very rich. Each one of them keeps seven or eight pretty waiting women, who are given to them by their mothers to bring them up, and put them in the court enrolled on the pay list. They hold this service in great honour.¹ While Barbosa's assertion that there were public women in the army only proves the remarks of the other travellers and of the Bakhair, it may be doubted whether entire reliance can be placed on him when he says that the great nobles allowed their ladies to join the army in their capacity as public women.²