A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c17.87

c17.87

Rāma Rāya fell prisoner into the hands of the Nizam Shah who immediately decapitated him and had his head raised on a spear for the Hindu troops to see. Above a hundred thousand were slain in the pursuit that followed. There was great confusion and no attempt was made to take up a fresh position or organize the defence of the capital. The road to the great city lay open; first to enter it were the dejected soldiers and princes from the field bringing the bad news; but Tirumala made good his escape with all the treasures of the emperor loaded on to one thousand five hundred and fifty elephants. He left the city and its inhabitants to their fate, taking with him only the captive emperor Sadāśiva and the women of the royal family.