A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c17.76

c17.76

Ferishta says that Rāma Rāya destroyed many of the ancient nobility and raised his own family to the highest rank, a point which is confirmed by the evidence of other writers and of the inscriptions. Rāma Rāya also began to admit large numbers of Muslims into the army, a practice that had, indeed, been started in a small way by Devarāya I. No important offices at that time had been entrusted to them, but Rāma Rāya departed from this prudent policy employing Muslims in places which gave them an intimate knowledge of the internal affairs of the state. Further, he made it a point to avail himself of every opportunity of interfering in the relations between the Muslim states of Deccan and playing them off one against another, hoping thus to keep them weak and to increase his own power. The Muslim rulers, needless to say, saw clearly what was happening and closed their ranks; and Rāma Rāya paid heavily for his miscalculations. His policy opened the direct road to the disaster of Rakshasi-Tangadi (Talikota).