A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c17.86

c17.86

The rival armies were opposing each other for over a month, during which there were preliminary trials of strength. In one of these the Nizam Shah and the Qutb Shah sustained a severe defeat, and felt the need to resort to a stratagem. They gave out that they intended to make peace with the powerful Rāya and even started negotiations; at the same time they secured the firm adherence of Ali Adil Shah to their cause by remonstrating with him, and possibly also entered into communication with the Muslim officers in Rāma Rāya’s army. When everything was ready, the main body of the Muslim army crossed the river by means of a feint which drew off the Hindu forces guarding the ford, and proceeded to attack the Hindu camp. Rāma Rāya, though surprised, was able to organize the defence. In the decisive engagement that followed—the day was Tuesday, 23 January 1565, according to Sewell and Ferishta—Rāma Rāya and his two brothers all took part. In spite of his age Rāma Rāya insisted on directing operations from a litter. He held command of the centre and was opposed by Husain Nizam Shah; his left, under his brother Tirumala, was opposed by the Bijapur forces under Ali; and his right, under Venkatādri, opposed the sultans of Ahmadabad-Bidar and Golconda. At first the Hindus fought with success and nearly won the battle; but the issue was decided by the desertion of two Muslim commanders of Rāma Rāya’s army, each in charge of seventy to eighty thousand men. Says Caesar Frederick: ‘And when the armies were joined, the battle lasted but a while, not the space of four hours, because the two traitorous captains in the chiefest of the fight, with their companies turned their faces against their king, and made such disorder in his army, that astonied they set themselves to flight.’