The first Kings of Vijayanagar

Founded in 1335, Vijayanagar quickly gained prominence and became a haven for Hindu refugees, exiles and warriors. Vijayanagar provided shelter to those expelled from their strongholds following the Islamic occupation. Even the first rulers of Vijayanagar did not call themselves kings. The Brahmins who wrote the inscriptions about them did not call them so. It is for this reason that the author addressed Harihara I and Bukka I as 'chiefs'. The inscriptions of 1340 state that Harihara was called Hariyappa Vodaya. It must be concluded that the first was a less dignified name than Harihara. The second name certainly deserves the position of a chief. Moreover, the title given to him in Sanskrit was 'Mahamandaleshwara'. It means 'great lord', not king. The same is seen in both inscriptions about his successor Bukka. One of them is dated 1353. It is said that Harihara already occupied a large territory in 1340. He also had the recognition of villages in the far north. The fact that a fort was built that year with the permission of Harihara in Badami is not just a compliment. We can see that the first chief of Vijayanagar quietly and peacefully gained great influence and vast possessions. All of this increased very quickly. Bukka's successor Harihara II described himself as the "King of Kings" or Emperor. According to historical records, Harihara I, known as Devaraya, ruled for seven years and "restored peace to the land that had lost its peace", so his death must have occurred in 1343. Nunis says he built a temple in honor of his guru the guardian saint. This great temple at Hampi near the river is still standing today.

It is one of the many other large temples located in the capital. Others were ruthlessly destroyed by the Muslim Invaders in 1565. As already mentioned, there is a reference to this king named Harib by Ibn Battuta around 1342. According to Nunis, Harihara I, who lived in peace during his seven years in power, must have died in 1344. According to other sources, Krishna, son of Prathaparudra of Warangal, sought refuge in Vijayanagar in the same year. The king, along with the Ballala kings of Dwarasamudra, drove out the Muslim Invaders and fled to southern Deccan, paving the way for the overthrow of the Islamic rulers of Delhi in southern India. An inscription states that Harihara I defeated the Sultan, indicating that Muhammad bin Tughlaq had to relinquish his dominion over South India.

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Unfortunate Marriage of Vijayanagar Princess to Firuz Shah Bahmani

At the beginning of a winter of 1406, the Sultan's army approached Vijayanagar. They attacked the city, looted houses and occupied the streets. Firuz Shah was then forced to give up everything and retreat as the city dwellers chased away the Islamic militants. That victory prompted Devaraya to defend his army within the walls. At the same time, he set out to retaliate against the Sultan's camp. In the rocky area of Vijayanagar, the Islamic militants were unable to use their cavalry properly and lost confidence. At the same time, Firuz Shah's hand was wounded by an arrow. Eventually, the king’s army retreated, kneeling before the might of Ahmed Khan and Khan Khan, and the Sultan withdrew from the city and stayed elsewhere for four months, waiting for the wounds of him and other wounded soldiers to heal. Devaraya, who was defeated in the war, was imprisoned in the capital. At the same time, the corpses of the slain Vijayanagara soldiers were desecrated and mutilat...

Seven Forts of Vijayanagar Empire

Twenty years after the visit of Nicola Conte, let us examine the travel experience of Abdur Razak, a Persian traveler who visited Vijayanagar during the reign of Devaraya II. During his voyage from Kozhikode to Vijayanagar in 1443, Razak was amazed by a small temple made of bronze. There is also a reference to a temple that is notable for its unique architecture. Vijayanagara, which stretches from the Krishna River to Kanyakumari, had a thousand elephants and about 11 lakh troops. The Vijayanagara kings defended the country by building seven strong forts and huge walls to protect the country from being penetrated by the waves of enemy army. The city's surveillance system and intelligence system were considered the best in the world. A traveler coming from the south can see the beginning of the fort that lie between the two hills southwest of the Hospet as the first defensive system. After that entrance you will reach the second stage with farms, houses and...

The Fall of Bahmani Sultanate

Governor Muhammad Gawan set out from Bidar to attack Vijayanagar with his army. According to the available figures, Vijayanagar had three hundred elephants, one lakh infantry and fifty thousand horses. The Sultan's army consisted of nine hundred thousand infantry and five hundred and seventy - five elephants. The king of Vijayanagar, a large city surrounded by three forts with gorges on one side and valleys on the other, was very powerful. During the month-long war, many people lost their lives without access to food and water. Muhammad, who ascended the throne at Kulberga in 1482 AD at the age of twelve, was only nominal in his reign. As the upper classes turned against Muhammad's rule, the atmosphere became unsustainable. The governor of Goa declared his independence and invaded many places, setting the stage for a civil war. Later, the country itself became fragmented as the higher echelons of the authorities became synonymous with disciplinary violations. Vijay...

Vijayanagar Empire

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