A History of Agriculture in India v2.c65.s2: Bukka I (A.D. 1355-1377)

v2.c65.s2.1

Bukka I succeeded Harihara I in A.D. 1355 and ruled till A.D. 1377. He took an active interest in the revival of the Hindu dharma. He also encouraged Telugu literature and was a patron of Nachana Soma, the greatest Telugu poet of the age. He was repeatedly attacked by the Bahmani Sultan Muhammad I. The Hindu bankers and money-changers started the practice of selling to the mints of Vijayanagar gold coins of Muhammad, which were finer than those of the Hindu mints. As a result of this practice, following Gresham's law, the gold coins of the Sultan disappeared, and the Hindu coins became the gold currency of the entire south. To safeguard the economy of his kingdom Muhammad murdered such of the Hindu bankers and money-changers who were residing in his kingdom. This was followed by a war against Vijayanagar in which the Hindus suffered heavy casualties and over four lacs were killed by the Sultan's armies.