Foundation and Rulers of Vijayanagara
NCERT Class 7 - Our Pasts II • NCERT Class 12 - Themes in Indian History Part II, Chapter 7
Foundation and Rulers of Vijayanagara
The Vijayanagara empire was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara and Bukka on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra. It lasted over two centuries and was broken as a power by the Battle of Talikota in 1565.
Foundation and the four dynasties
- Tradition credits the sage Vidyaranya with inspiring the brothers, which is why the capital was also called Vidyanagara, the city of learning.
- The site was chosen for defence - it is ringed by granite hills and the Tungabhadra guards one side.
| Dynasty | Period | Notable ruler |
|---|---|---|
| Sangama | 1336-1485 | Devaraya II |
| Saluva | 1485-1505 | Saluva Narasimha |
| Tuluva | 1505-1570 | Krishnadevaraya |
| Aravidu | 1570-1650 | Ramaraya's successors |
- Devaraya II of the Sangama line recruited Muslim archers and cavalry into his army, showing that the conflict with the Bahmanis was political and not religious.
- The rulers used the title Raya, and the empire is often called the Karnataka Samrajya in its own records.
Krishnadevaraya
- He ruled from 1509 to 1529 and is the greatest ruler of the empire.
- He defeated the Bahmani successors, took Raichur in the doab between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra, and campaigned successfully in Odisha against the Gajapatis.
- He wrote Amuktamalyada, a work on statecraft and devotion, in Telugu.
- His court had the ashtadiggajas, eight celebrated Telugu poets, of whom Allasani Peddana was the foremost and was called Andhrakavitapitamaha.
- He built the Vittalaswami and Hazara Rama temples and added great rayagopurams to older temples, and founded the suburb of Nagalapuram in memory of his mother.
- The Portuguese visitors Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz describe his reign in detail.
Talikota and after
- Power later passed to Aliya Rama Raya, who interfered in the quarrels of the Deccan Sultanates and set one against another.
- The Sultanates of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar combined against him and defeated Vijayanagara at Talikota, also called Rakshasa-Tangadi, in 1565.
- Rama Raya was captured and killed, and the capital was sacked over several months and never reoccupied.
- The Aravidu dynasty continued from Penukonda and Chandragiri, but the empire was finished as a great power.
Foreign travellers
| Traveller | Country | Visited during |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolo de Conti | Italy | Devaraya I |
| Abdur Razzaq | Persia | Devaraya II |
| Domingo Paes | Portugal | Krishnadevaraya |
| Fernao Nuniz | Portugal | Achyutadevaraya |
हिंदी संकेत: तालीकोटा का युद्ध 1565 में हुआ और इसे राक्षसी-तंगड़ी भी कहते हैं। यहां विजयनगर को किसी एक सल्तनत ने नहीं, संयुक्त दक्कनी सल्तनतों ने हराया।
Exam me kaise aata hai
Factual questions ask the year of foundation, the author of Amuktamalyada, and the year of Talikota. Match-the-following links dynasty with ruler, or traveller with the king he visited. Statement-based questions test whether the Vijayanagara-Bahmani conflict was religious.
UPSC / State PSC ke liye
Note that the Sultanates were allies of Vijayanagara at different times and fought each other constantly - Devaraya II's Muslim cavalry and Rama Raya's alliances show the Deccan wars were about the Raichur doab and revenue, not faith. This is the point examiners look for in a descriptive answer.
Yahan confuse hote hain
✗ Krishnadevaraya belonged to the Sangama dynasty | ✓ He belonged to the Tuluva dynasty
✗ Amuktamalyada was written in Sanskrit | ✓ It was written in Telugu by Krishnadevaraya
✗ Vijayanagara was defeated by Bijapur alone | ✓ A combined force of four Deccan Sultanates defeated it at Talikota
Ek nazar me
- Vijayanagara founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka on the Tungabhadra.
- Four dynasties - Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu.
- Krishnadevaraya ruled 1509-1529, wrote Amuktamalyada in Telugu.
- Ashtadiggajas at his court; Allasani Peddana called Andhrakavitapitamaha.
- Battle of Talikota in 1565; combined Deccan Sultanates defeated Aliya Rama Raya.
- Travellers - Nicolo de Conti, Abdur Razzaq, Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz.