A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c17.s4.3

c17.s4.3

It is worthy of notice, too, that throughout the story of Nuniz at this part of his chronicle there is much that impels the belief that either himself or his informant was present at the Hindu camp while these events were taking place. The narrative of the campaign, in complete contrast to that of the remainder of the history, reads like the account of an eye-witness; especially in the passages describing the fortress of Raichûr¹ and the camp—where the supplies were so great that “you could find everything that you wanted,”² where “you saw”³ the goldsmiths and artisans at work as if in a city, where “you will find”⁴ all kinds of precious stones offered for sale, and where “no one who did not understand the meaning of what he saw would ever dream that a war was going on, but would think that he was in a prosperous city.” Note also the description given of the extraordinary noise made by the drums, trumpets, and shouts of the men; so that even the birds fell down into the soldiers' hands stricken with terror and "it seemed as if the sky would fall to the earth," and "if you asked anything, you could not hear yourself speak, and you had to ask by signs." Many such instances might be given, but not to be tedious I will invite attention to only three more, viz., the account given by Nuniz of how, when receiving the men of the city after its surrender, the king, "casting his eye on Christovão de Figueiredo, nodded his head, and turned to the people telling them to observe what great things could be effected by one good man;"¹ his description of the behaviour of the defeated citizens when Krishna Deva made his triumphant entry into the city; and his narrative of the ambassador's reception at Vijayanagar by the king after the conclusion of the campaign.² It may be remembered that our other chronicler, Domingo Paes, was at Vijayanagar with Christovão de Figueiredo some months after the battle, even if he were not personally present in the fighting at Raichûr.