Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c9.s3.6

c9.s3.6

The kings first declared war against the enemies. The *Sāḷuvābhyudayam* for instance says that Narasimha resolved to set out on an expedition of conquest of Udayagiri and ordered a public announcement of the resolve.⁹¹ Just before the starting of the expedition the feudal vassals were summoned to the court and were given rich presents. They were also entertained at a banquet at the capital.⁹² Then an advance army was sent into the enemy’s territory. Kṛṣṇadēva Rāya is said to have asked a part of his force to proceed to a distance of three *āmaḍas* (thirty miles) into the enemy’s territories and gather from there men, cattle, sheep and goats that they may not be available to the enemy.⁹³ This is in a way confirmed by Nuniz who in describing the advance troops that went to Raicūr says: “Three or four leagues in front of this multitude go some fifty thousand men who are like scouts; they have to spy out the country in front and always keep at a distance”.⁹⁴ The king himself started a little later. Before he started he made his offerings and performed sacrifices.⁹⁵ Barbosa gives a descriptive account of how the king started for his wars. According to him on the appointed day the king went to an open space mounted on an elephant or a palanquin as if for his pleasure, along with his horsemen and footmen and many elephants drawn up in a line all richly dressed. He then mounted a horse and shot an arrow in the direction of the country with which he was about to wage war. He then gave out in how many days he would be starting for the war.⁹⁶