A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India c19.52

c19.52

“Acadachan, like one who in a safe and lofty place watches some great fire spreading over the plains below, watched from his city of Belgaum the events that were passing;”—but did nothing till the Âdil Shâh wrote desiring him to return to Bîjapûr, which he had temporarily left owing to a disagreement, and to assist him in the government of the kingdom. Asada Khân replied craftily that he had done with the affairs of this life, and proposed to go and die at Mecca. At this Ismâîl flew into a passion and vowed revenge against his powerful subject, who, to save himself, wrote to Da Cunha, professing his unalloyed friendship for the Portuguese, and inviting them to take possession of certain tracts on the mainland; declaring that his master, the Sultan, was powerless to defend himself against the armies of Vijayanagar. This was, it must be borne in mind, long after the Hindu victory at Raichûr. Da Cunha sent Christovão de Figueiredo, Krishna Deva’s valiant friend, to bear his reply, since the latter was on friendly terms with the lord of Belgaum. A conversation took place, in which Asada Khân said that he was afraid of his master, who was of variable and inconstant character, and that he desired of all things to preserve friendship with the Portuguese. He therefore begged to be allowed to visit Goa and cement an alliance with the governor-general, to whom he faithfully promised that the lands in question should become for ever the property of the king of Portugal. Accordingly the lands were seized by Da Cunha.