Vijaynagara Empire | History for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


Vijaynagara Empire 
and Bahmani Kingdom
Page 2


Vijaynagara Empire 
and Bahmani Kingdom
Rise of the Empire:
The empire was founded in 1336 as a result of the political and cultural movement against the Tughlaq authority 
in the south.
The Hindu states of the Deccan – the Yadava Empire of Devagiri, the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, the Pandyan
Empire of Madurai had been repeatedly raided and attacked by Muslims from the north, and by 1336 these upper 
Deccan region (modern day Maharashtra, Telangana) had all been defeated by armies of Sultan Alauddin Khalji
and Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate
The founders of Sangama Dynasty were brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I . 
They were originally feudatories of Kakatiyas of Warangal. They, later, declared their independence and founded a 
new city on the south bank of the Tungabhadra river. It was called Vijayanagar.
Four dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu – ruled Vijayanagar from 1336 to 1672. 
Harihara-I was the first ruler. 
In the first two decades after the founding of the empire, Harihara I gained control over most of the area south of 
the Tungabhadra river and earned the title of PurvapaschimaSamudradhishavara ("master of the eastern and 
western seas"). 
By 1374 Bukka Raya I, successor to Harihara I, had defeated the chiefdom of Arcot, the Reddys of Kondavidu, and 
the Sultan of Madurai and had gained control over Goa in the west and the Tungabhadra-Krishna River doab in 
the north.
Page 3


Vijaynagara Empire 
and Bahmani Kingdom
Rise of the Empire:
The empire was founded in 1336 as a result of the political and cultural movement against the Tughlaq authority 
in the south.
The Hindu states of the Deccan – the Yadava Empire of Devagiri, the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, the Pandyan
Empire of Madurai had been repeatedly raided and attacked by Muslims from the north, and by 1336 these upper 
Deccan region (modern day Maharashtra, Telangana) had all been defeated by armies of Sultan Alauddin Khalji
and Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate
The founders of Sangama Dynasty were brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I . 
They were originally feudatories of Kakatiyas of Warangal. They, later, declared their independence and founded a 
new city on the south bank of the Tungabhadra river. It was called Vijayanagar.
Four dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu – ruled Vijayanagar from 1336 to 1672. 
Harihara-I was the first ruler. 
In the first two decades after the founding of the empire, Harihara I gained control over most of the area south of 
the Tungabhadra river and earned the title of PurvapaschimaSamudradhishavara ("master of the eastern and 
western seas"). 
By 1374 Bukka Raya I, successor to Harihara I, had defeated the chiefdom of Arcot, the Reddys of Kondavidu, and 
the Sultan of Madurai and had gained control over Goa in the west and the Tungabhadra-Krishna River doab in 
the north.
Vijayanagara Empire
The original capital was in the principality of Anegondi on the northern banks of the Tungabhadra 
River in today's Karnataka. 
It was later moved to nearby Vijayanagara on the river's southern banks during the reign of Bukka
Raya I, because it was easier to defend against the Muslim armies persistently attacking it from the 
northern lands
With the Vijayanagara Kingdom now imperial in stature, Harihara II, the second son of Bukka Raya I, 
further consolidated the kingdom beyond the Krishna River and brought the whole of South India 
under the Vijayanagara umbrella.
The next ruler, Deva Raya I, emerged successful against the Gajapatis of Odisha and undertook 
important works of fortification and irrigation.
Firuz Bahmani of Bahmani Sultanate entered into a treaty with Deva Raya I of Vijayanagara in 1407 
that required the latter to pay Bahmani an annual tribute of "100,000 huns, five maunds of pearls and 
fifty elephants". 
The Sultanate invaded Vijayanagara in 1417 when the latter defaulted in paying the tribute.
The ensuing Sultanates-Vijayanagara wars expanded the Vijayanagara military, its power and disputes 
between its military commanders. 
Page 4


Vijaynagara Empire 
and Bahmani Kingdom
Rise of the Empire:
The empire was founded in 1336 as a result of the political and cultural movement against the Tughlaq authority 
in the south.
The Hindu states of the Deccan – the Yadava Empire of Devagiri, the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, the Pandyan
Empire of Madurai had been repeatedly raided and attacked by Muslims from the north, and by 1336 these upper 
Deccan region (modern day Maharashtra, Telangana) had all been defeated by armies of Sultan Alauddin Khalji
and Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate
The founders of Sangama Dynasty were brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I . 
They were originally feudatories of Kakatiyas of Warangal. They, later, declared their independence and founded a 
new city on the south bank of the Tungabhadra river. It was called Vijayanagar.
Four dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu – ruled Vijayanagar from 1336 to 1672. 
Harihara-I was the first ruler. 
In the first two decades after the founding of the empire, Harihara I gained control over most of the area south of 
the Tungabhadra river and earned the title of PurvapaschimaSamudradhishavara ("master of the eastern and 
western seas"). 
By 1374 Bukka Raya I, successor to Harihara I, had defeated the chiefdom of Arcot, the Reddys of Kondavidu, and 
the Sultan of Madurai and had gained control over Goa in the west and the Tungabhadra-Krishna River doab in 
the north.
Vijayanagara Empire
The original capital was in the principality of Anegondi on the northern banks of the Tungabhadra 
River in today's Karnataka. 
It was later moved to nearby Vijayanagara on the river's southern banks during the reign of Bukka
Raya I, because it was easier to defend against the Muslim armies persistently attacking it from the 
northern lands
With the Vijayanagara Kingdom now imperial in stature, Harihara II, the second son of Bukka Raya I, 
further consolidated the kingdom beyond the Krishna River and brought the whole of South India 
under the Vijayanagara umbrella.
The next ruler, Deva Raya I, emerged successful against the Gajapatis of Odisha and undertook 
important works of fortification and irrigation.
Firuz Bahmani of Bahmani Sultanate entered into a treaty with Deva Raya I of Vijayanagara in 1407 
that required the latter to pay Bahmani an annual tribute of "100,000 huns, five maunds of pearls and 
fifty elephants". 
The Sultanate invaded Vijayanagara in 1417 when the latter defaulted in paying the tribute.
The ensuing Sultanates-Vijayanagara wars expanded the Vijayanagara military, its power and disputes 
between its military commanders. 
Vijayanagara Empire
The greatest ruler of Sangama dynasty was Deva Raya II. 
? He succeeded to the throne in 1424 and was possibly the most capable of the Sangama Dynasty rulers. 
? He quelled rebelling feudal lords as well as the Zamorin of Calicut and Quilon in the south. 
? He invaded the island of Sri Lanka and became overlord of the kings of Burma at Pegu and Tanasserim.
? The inscriptions speak of his title `Gajabetekara’ i.e., the elephant hunter.
? He built the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi. The temple is dedicated to Virupaksha (consort of the local goddess 
Pampadevi who is associated with the Tungabhadra River), a form of Shiva.
After his death, Sangama dynasty became weak. 
In 1485, Saluva Narasimha led a coup and ended the dynastic rule, while continuing to defend the 
Empire from raids by the Sultanates created from the continuing disintegration of the Bahmani 
Sultanate in its north. 
The Saluva dynasty founded by Saluva Narasimha reigned only for a brief period (1486-1509)
In 1505, another commander Tuluva Narasa Nayaka took over the Vijayanagara rule from the Saluva
descendant in a coup. 
Page 5


Vijaynagara Empire 
and Bahmani Kingdom
Rise of the Empire:
The empire was founded in 1336 as a result of the political and cultural movement against the Tughlaq authority 
in the south.
The Hindu states of the Deccan – the Yadava Empire of Devagiri, the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, the Pandyan
Empire of Madurai had been repeatedly raided and attacked by Muslims from the north, and by 1336 these upper 
Deccan region (modern day Maharashtra, Telangana) had all been defeated by armies of Sultan Alauddin Khalji
and Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate
The founders of Sangama Dynasty were brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I . 
They were originally feudatories of Kakatiyas of Warangal. They, later, declared their independence and founded a 
new city on the south bank of the Tungabhadra river. It was called Vijayanagar.
Four dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu – ruled Vijayanagar from 1336 to 1672. 
Harihara-I was the first ruler. 
In the first two decades after the founding of the empire, Harihara I gained control over most of the area south of 
the Tungabhadra river and earned the title of PurvapaschimaSamudradhishavara ("master of the eastern and 
western seas"). 
By 1374 Bukka Raya I, successor to Harihara I, had defeated the chiefdom of Arcot, the Reddys of Kondavidu, and 
the Sultan of Madurai and had gained control over Goa in the west and the Tungabhadra-Krishna River doab in 
the north.
Vijayanagara Empire
The original capital was in the principality of Anegondi on the northern banks of the Tungabhadra 
River in today's Karnataka. 
It was later moved to nearby Vijayanagara on the river's southern banks during the reign of Bukka
Raya I, because it was easier to defend against the Muslim armies persistently attacking it from the 
northern lands
With the Vijayanagara Kingdom now imperial in stature, Harihara II, the second son of Bukka Raya I, 
further consolidated the kingdom beyond the Krishna River and brought the whole of South India 
under the Vijayanagara umbrella.
The next ruler, Deva Raya I, emerged successful against the Gajapatis of Odisha and undertook 
important works of fortification and irrigation.
Firuz Bahmani of Bahmani Sultanate entered into a treaty with Deva Raya I of Vijayanagara in 1407 
that required the latter to pay Bahmani an annual tribute of "100,000 huns, five maunds of pearls and 
fifty elephants". 
The Sultanate invaded Vijayanagara in 1417 when the latter defaulted in paying the tribute.
The ensuing Sultanates-Vijayanagara wars expanded the Vijayanagara military, its power and disputes 
between its military commanders. 
Vijayanagara Empire
The greatest ruler of Sangama dynasty was Deva Raya II. 
? He succeeded to the throne in 1424 and was possibly the most capable of the Sangama Dynasty rulers. 
? He quelled rebelling feudal lords as well as the Zamorin of Calicut and Quilon in the south. 
? He invaded the island of Sri Lanka and became overlord of the kings of Burma at Pegu and Tanasserim.
? The inscriptions speak of his title `Gajabetekara’ i.e., the elephant hunter.
? He built the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi. The temple is dedicated to Virupaksha (consort of the local goddess 
Pampadevi who is associated with the Tungabhadra River), a form of Shiva.
After his death, Sangama dynasty became weak. 
In 1485, Saluva Narasimha led a coup and ended the dynastic rule, while continuing to defend the 
Empire from raids by the Sultanates created from the continuing disintegration of the Bahmani 
Sultanate in its north. 
The Saluva dynasty founded by Saluva Narasimha reigned only for a brief period (1486-1509)
In 1505, another commander Tuluva Narasa Nayaka took over the Vijayanagara rule from the Saluva
descendant in a coup. 
Vijayanagara Empire
Ultimately, a new dynasty called the Tuluva dynasty (1503-69) was founded by Vira Narsimha.
The empire came under the rule of Krishna Deva Raya in 1509, the son of Tuluva Narasa Nayaka. 
? He was the greatest of the Vijayanagar rulers
? He strengthened and consolidated the reach of the empire, by hiring both Hindus and Muslims into his army.
? In the following decades, it covered Southern India and successfully defeated invasions from the five 
established Deccan Sultanates to its north
? Though a Vaishnavaite, he respected all religions. 
? He was a great patron of literature and art and he was known as Andhra Bhoja. 
? Eight eminent scholars known as Ashtadiggajas were at his royal court. 
? Allasani Peddanna was the greatest and he was called Andhrakavita Pitamaga. His important works include 
Manucharitam and Harikathasaram. 
? Pingali Suranna and Tenali Ramakrishna were other important scholars. 
? Krishna Deva Raya himself authored a Telugu work, Amukthamalyadha and Sanskrit works, Jambavati 
Kalyanam and Ushaparinayam.
? He also built the famous Vittalaswamy and Hazara Ramaswamy temples at Vijayanagar. 
? He also built a new city called Nagalapuram in memory of his queen Nagaladevi. 
? Besides, he built a large number of Rayagopurams.