Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c10.s2.65

c10.s2.65

A few words may be said here about the influence of certain families over the royal house. A few of the provincial governors who held some office or other with the imperial government often wielded great influence over the royal house which at times had certain serious consequences. The Sangama brothers who were themselves influential feudatories under the Hoyśālas, gradually rose to power and position and finally overthrew the royal house to their own advantage. Under the weak rulers, Mallikārjuna and Virūpākṣa, Sāḷuva Narasiṃha developed his ambition of usurping all royal authority, and finally achieved his object by making himself the founder of the second line of the Vijayanagar emperors. During the rule of his weak son Immaḍi Narasiṃha, Narasā Nāyaka rose to a position of eminence and power, and finally his son was able to see through a “bloodless revolution” at Vijayanagar. The influence and power of the Salaka brothers during the reign of Acyuta Rāya, were responsible for the many palace intrigues at the Vijayanagar capital. The influence wielded by Rāma Rāja and his brothers at the court of Sadāśiva is too well known to need recapitulation here. The inefficient Sadāśiva was a poor prisoner in the hands of Rāma Rāja and was shown to the public only once in a year. During the period of his power, Rāma Rāja dominated the politics of Vijayanagar and made his Muhammadan neighbours on the north prostrate before him. However it must be said that the governors could not trifle with strong kings. Sāḷuva Timma in spite of his ability and power was kept under great check by Kṛṣṇadēva Rāya. On the mere suspicion of his complicity in the murder of his son Tirumala, he was blinded, and imprisoned and his family also was ruined. Thus under strong kings they were submissive; but under weak ones they rose to great power, influence and eminence.