Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c9.s5.113

v1.c9.s5.113

Having dispensed with the erroneous assumptions made by some writers as regards the character of the Hindu leaders and of the Hindu commanders, and the sack of the capital by the Bēḍars, we may now gauge the effect of the battle of Rākshasa-Taṅgaḍi on the administration, and, therefore, on the life of the Empire. Here one may tentatively agree with the Rev. Heras, who answers the question: "What was the interior state of the Empire in the meanwhile? Both Couto and Faria y Sousa relate that after the battle of Raksas-Tagdi the whole territory of Vijayanagara was divided among the sons and nephews of Rama Raya; and several modern authors have blindly followed their statements. But we know from epigraphical records that there was at that time no such break-up of the Empire: the members of the Aravidu family remained as united as ever. That explains why the anonymous author of the life of St. Xavier, who wrote his book a little later, writes to this effect, after narrating the Battie of Raksas-Tagdi: 'Nevertheless the king of this country was not so much knocked down, for he is still very rich and powerful; and he possesses a large state, and has quite a good number of elepants and great cavalry and Infantry'."³