Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c10.16

c10.16

Thus in the heyday of its glory the Vijayanagar empire comprised all India south of the river Kṛṣṇā. But in the west coast there were some small kingdoms which were independent of Vijayanagar. Barbosa says that on account of the high mountains which separated Malabar from the main territory, the Vijayanagar sovereigns could not conquer them.¹² Thus Calicut was independent of Vijayanagar, and in 1510 after the repulse of Albuquerque by the Zamorin of the place, Kṛṣṇadēva Rāya was induced to attack Calicut, for the Portuguese and the Zamorin were not very friendly.¹³ Abdur Razāk too states that the Sumeri of Calicut was not a subordinate of Vijayanagar, but paid it respect and dreaded it because of its power.¹⁴ The inclusion of Calicut by Nuniz as a tributary of Vijayanagar “cannot be considered as proving anything except ordinary diplomatic relations.” 15