Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c23.s2.13

v2.c23.s2.13

The origin of these caps is given by Barros. While describing an action under the command of Don Menezes, Barros relates that that leader ordered twenty men of his troops to jump into the water and to swim, while he himself at the head of a piece of artillery charged like a furious lion. Don Menezes then called the Moors to retire, whereupon they retired, and charging upon those who were standing with their artillery, he captured it. At this time, "he discerned a great troop of people that was coming towards where he stood, among whom he saw a hat of high peak which covered the head of a horseman and thereby he knew him to be a noble person. This kind of costume comes to India from the China country and as only noblemen can wear it,—as it is a sign of nobility we may call it *quira sol*, the form and use of which it resembles—usually it is six to eight palms in diameter; its stalk (or peak) is little more than fifteen. There are men so skilful in holding it that although the master goes at a gallop on his horse, the sun does not touch him in any part of the body and these they call in India *buiyes*;³ and to see in the court of the prince the lord who accompanied him covered with those hats with high peaks gives them great majesty, because they are handsome to the sight and of much dignity".⁴