Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c6.41

c6.41

The selection of the ruler appears to have been made generally in the presence of the ministers and nobles. On this we have the evidence of Barradas who says that just three days before his death, Veṅkaṭa II, in the presence of his 'captains', handed over the Government of his vast empire to his nephew Śrī Ranga II generally known as Cikka Rāya. On the advice of some of the 'captains' present on the occasion Cikka Rāya accepted the kingdom, though not himself anxious to ascend the throne. Another reason why he agreed to shoulder the responsibility was that Veṅkaṭa had no legitimate son to succeed him.²³