The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c23.s2.t4: The Vijayanagar Empire
The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c23.s2.t4
- Language
- English
The Vijayanagar Empire
c23.s2.t4.1
*Origin.* The empire of Vijayanagar came into existence during the confusion of Muhammad bin Tughluq's reign. There are several theories about its origin and the controversy has not as yet come to an end. It is, however, definite that the empire was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka, two of the five sons of Sangama, who were originally in the service of the Hoysala king, Vir Ballala III, and were responsible for organising resistance against the encroachment of the Sultan of Delhi. The city of Anegundi, on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra, which formed the nucleus of the empire, was probably founded by Vir Ballala III about the year 1336. On the death of Vir Ballala III's son and successor, Virupaksha Ballala, in 1346, Harihara and Bukka found themselves in possession of the territory that had belonged to the Hoysala kingdom. They made Vijayanagar, on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra, their capital. The town, probably, owes its birth to Vir Ballala III; but, after it was made the seat of a new government, it must have been greatly improved by Harihara and Bukka. The founders seem to have been greatly inspired and aided by the celebrated scholar and saint, Madhava Vidyaranya and his equally famous brother, Sayana, a commentator of the holy *Vedas*.
c23.s2.t4.2
*The Sangama dynasty.* The founders, Harihara and Bukka, belonged to the Sangama dynasty, so-called from their father, Sangama. Harihara I did not assume full imperial title and his brother, Bukka, who followed him, also refrained from doing so. Harihara and his brother brought under their control almost the whole of the territory that had formerly belonged to the Hoysala kingdom. Bukka sent a mission to China in 1374. He died in 1379 and was succeeded by his son, Harihara II. The new ruler assumed the imperial titles of Maharajadhiraj and Raja Parameshwara, etc. He was a great fighter and conqueror and extended his authority over Kanara, Mysore, Trichinopoly, Kanchi and Chingleput regions. During his reign his son, Bukka II, made an attempt to capture by force the Raichur Doab, situated between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers and forming the bone of contention between the Vijayanagar empire and the Bahamani kingdom. He was defeated by Firoz Shah Bahamani. Though a worshipper of Shiva, Harihara II was tolerant towards other religions. He died in 1406 and was succeeded by his son, Deva Raya I. During his reign there were wars with the Bahamani kingdom. He died in 1422. The next king was Vijaya Bukka or Vir Vijaya who reigned for a few months. Then came Deva Raya II who reorganised the administration and placed his army on a sound footing. He appointed an officer to look after the overseas commerce. During his reign Vijayanagar was visited by two foreign travellers, Nicolo Conti, an Italian, and Abdur Razzaq, a Persian, who had left graphic descriptions of the city and the empire. The empire now included the whole of southern India and touched the shores of Ceylon. Deva Raya II died in 1446. His successors were weak. There were rebellions and foreign invasions. The Bahamani Sultan and the ruler of Orissa threatened the eastern provinces. The invaders were, however, successfully repelled by Narasinha, a powerful chieftain of Chandragiri (Chittur district). This chief deposed Virupaksha II, the last ruler of the Sangama dynasty, and seized the throne in about 1486.
c23.s2.t4.3
*The Saluva dynasty.* After this episode, which is known as the First Usurpation in the history of the Vijayanagar empire, Narasinha Saluva laid the foundation of a new dynasty, known as the Saluva dynasty. Narasinha ruled for six years. He was an able and popular ruler. He fought for, and recovered, most of the districts occupied by the Bahamani Sultans and the king of Orissa. He was succeeded by his two sons, one after the other, who proved to be worthless princes. During their reigns the power was wielded by Narasa Nayaka who was the commander of the army. When Narasa died in 1505, his ambitious son, Vira Narasinha, deposed Narasinha's worthless son and set himself up as king. This is called the Second Usurpation.
c23.s2.t4.4
*The Taluva dynasty.* Vira Narasinha laid the foundation of a new dynasty, which is known as the Taluva dynasty. He seems to have been a fairly successful ruler. He ruled from 1505 to 1509, and, after his death, was succeeded by his younger brother, Krishnadeva Raya (1509-30). Krishnadeva Raya was the greatest king of Vijayanagar and one of the greatest in the entire history of India. A great soldier and general, he waged many wars in all of which he was successful. First of all, he subdued his refractory vassals and reduced them to submission. Next, he obtained possession of the Raichur Doab. Then he turned his attention towards his hostile neighbours. In 1513 he defeated Gajapati Prataprudra, the king of Orissa and recovered from him those portions of the Vijayanagar territory which the latter had wrested during the reigns of his weak predecessors. In 1514 he captured the fortress of Udayagiri and made an uncle and an aunt of the raja of Orissa prisoners. Next, he acquired the fortress of Kondavidu and, thereafter, Kondapalli was acquired. In these campaigns the wife and three sons of the raja of Orissa were taken prisoners. They were treated with courtesy and consideration. After his success against Orissa, Krishnadeva Raya turned against the Sultan of Bijapur whom he defeated in March, 1520. He ravaged Bijapur territory and razed the fortress of Gulbarga to the ground. He was, thus, successful in humbling the pride of his hostile neighbours. The result of his military expeditions was that his authority now extended as far as south Konkan in the west, Vizagapattam in the east and the extremity of the Indian peninsula in the south. Some islands in the Indian Ocean, also, seem to have acknowledged his suzerainty. The power and prestige of the Vijayanagar kingdom reached its zenith under this ruler.
c23.s2.t4.5
Krishnadeva Raya was an equally great administrator. He reorganised the administration of the empire. Himself an accomplished scholar, he was a generous patron of learning. He was also noted "for his religious zeal and catholicity". Though a follower of Vaishnavism, he respected and tolerated all other religions. He maintained friendly relations with the Portuguese governor Albuquerque and granted him permission to build a fort at Bhatkal. He died in 1529 or 1530. By the unanimous testimony of foreign and Indian writers, Krishnadeva Raya was one of the most remarkable kings that ever ruled in any part of the world. The Portuguese traveller, Domingos Paes, writes: "He is the most learned and perfect king that could possibly be, cheerful of disposition and very merry; he is one that seeks to honour foreigners and receives them kindly, asking all about their affairs whatever their condition may be. He is a great ruler and a man of much justice, but subject to certain fits of rage...He is by rank a greater lord than any, by reason of what he possesses in armies and territories; but it seems that he has, in fact, nothing, compared to what a man like him ought to have, so gallant and perfect is he in all things.”
c23.s2.t4.6
*Battle of Talikota, 1565.* Krishnadeva Raya was succeeded by his brother, Achyuta Raya (1530-42). But this prince was a weak ruler. During his time, rival political groups came into existence. The central authority was, therefore, weakened. On his death the throne passed to his nephew, Sadasiva; but the power was in the hands of his famous minister, Rama Raya. Rama Raya was an able administrator. But he was ambitious and tactless. He interfered in the quarrels of the Muslim Sultans of the Dakhin, thinking that'this policy would lead to the restoration of the power and prestige of the Vijayanagar empire. In 1543 he entered into an alliance with Ahmadnagar and Golkunda against Bijapur. A few years later, he joined Bijapur and Golkunda against Ahmadnagar. A joint invasion of Ahmadnagar was undertaken. The Vijayanagar army ravaged the enemy territory and is said to have destroyed mosques and disrespected the *Quran*. This insult to Islam, which must have been highly exaggerated by the parties concerned, brought about an alliance among the Sultans of the Dakhin. The combined armies of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golkunda and Bidar invaded Vijayanagar and inflicted upon her a defeat on the field of Talikota on 23rd January, 1565. Rama Raya, the prime minister, fought well; but he was captured and put to death by the Sultan of Ahmadnagar with his own hands. The victors acquired a huge booty consisting of jewels, tents, arms and cash, besides horses and slaves. They now proceeded to the city of Vijayanagar and destroyed it mercilessly. In the words of Sewell, the author of *A Forgotten Empire* : “Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been brought and wrought so suddenly on so splendid a city.......”
c23.s2.t4.7
Though the battle of Talikota crippled the Vijayanagar empire, it could not blot it out of existence. After their victory there arose mutual jealousy among the four Sultans which prevented them from combining together to put an end to the Vijayanagar empire. Their jealousy enabled Vijayanagar to recover a part of its territory and power.
c23.s2.t4.8
*The Aravidu dynasty.* After the battle of Talikota, Rama Raya's brother, Tirumala, transferred the capital to Penugonda. He succeeded in restoring a part of the power and prestige of the empire. He was an ambitious man and, in 1570, he deposed king Sadasiva and seized the throne. He laid the foundation of the Aravidu dynasty. He was succeeded by his son, Ranga II, who was a successful ruler. Then came his brother, Venkata II, to the throne who ruled from 1586 to 1614. During his time the disintegration of the kingdom set in and the king committed the mistake of recognising the complete autonomy of the kingdom of Mysore which was founded by Raja Oedyar in 1612. He transferred the capital to Chandragiri. On his death, in 1614, there was a war of succession and the result was the disruption of the kingdom. The last important ruler of this dynasty was Ranga III. He was powerless to reduce the refractory vassals to submission and to resist the aggression of the Sultan of Bijapur and Golkunda. The empire came to an end after subordinate officers, like the chiefs of Sringapattam and Bednur and the nayaks of Madura and Tanjore, had declared their independence.