War in Ancient India c10.112

c10.112

The Vijayanagar kings also claimed supremacy over the sea. Since the days of Harihara I the rulers of Vijayanagar took the title of the Lord of the Eastern, Western and Southern oceans; and there were 300 ports in the empire.⁷¹ According to Ferishta, the ruler of Ceylon kept ambassadors at the Vijayanagar court and sent rich presents to the king every year. Virūpākṣa the son of Harihara II is said to have conquered Ceylon and set up a pillar of victory in the island.⁷² ’Abd-ur-Razāk says that (Lakkaṇṇa) Daṇṇaik, the Prime Minister of Dēvarāya II, went on a voyage to the frontier of Ceylon.⁷³ Dēvarāya II is credited in an epigraph with having levied tribute from Ceylon (*Ilam tirai koṇḍa*).⁷⁴ Besides, Dēvarāya collected tribute from foreign countries like Pegu and Tenasserim.⁷⁵ Ludovico Varthema who visited the Vijayanagar kingdom in 1504 mentions that the Vijayanagar king was then waging a war with Tenasserim.⁷⁶ Kṛṣṇadēvarāya, Acyutarāya and Sadāśivarāya each claims to have invaded Ceylon.