A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c14.144

c14.144

“At the end of the month of Zoul’hidjah² we arrived at the city of Bidjanagar. The king sent a numerous cortège to meet us, and appointed us a very handsome house for our residence. His dominion extends from the frontier of Serendib to the extremities of the country of Kalbergah (i.e. from the Krishna River to Cape Comorin). One sees there more than a thousand elephants, in their size resembling mountains and in their form resembling devils. The troops amount in number to eleven lak (1,100,000). One might seek in vain throughout the whole of Hindustan to find a more absolute raï, for the monarchs of this country bear the title of raï.