a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第25章

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lerable　to　their　neighbours；　and　accelerated　their　own　downfall。

It　equally　affected　the　fortunes　of　the　Portuguese　on　the　coast。　Goa　rose　and　fell　simultaneously　with　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　second　Vijayanagar　dynasty；　and　necessarily　so；　considering　that　its　entire　trade　depended　on　Hindu　support；　for　the　king　of　Portugal　was　never　well　disposed　towards　his　hereditary　enemies；　the　〃Moors。〃　This　is　a　point　frequently　left　unnoticed　by　writers；　on　Portuguese　colonial　history。　The　two　most　recent　authors　of　works　on　the　subject；　Mr。　Danvers　（〃The　Portuguese　in　India〃）　and　Mr。　Whiteway　（〃The　Rise　of　Portuguese　Power　in　India〃）；　pay　very　little　attention　to　the　internal　politics　of　the　great　country　on　the　fringe　alone　of　which　the　Portuguese　settled；　and　on　the　coast　of　which　their　vessels　came　and　went。　Mr。　Danvers　devotes　one　short　paragraph　to　the　battle　of　Raichur；＇250＇　and　another＇251＇　to　the　destruction　of　Vijayanagar。　Mr。　Whiteway　does　not　even　allude　to　the　former　event；　and　concludes　his　history　before　arriving　at　the　date　of　the　latter。　Yet　surely　it　is　easy　to　see　that　the　success　or　failure　of　maritime　trade　on　any　given　coast　must　depend　on　the　conditions　prevailing　in　the　empire　for　the　supply　of　which　that　trade　was　established。　When　Vijayanagar；　with　its　grandeur；　luxury；　and　love　of　display；　its　great　wealth　and　its　enormous　armies；　was　at　the　height　of　its　power；　the　foreign　traders　were　eminently　successful：　when　Vijayanagar　fell；　and　the　city　became　desolate　and　depopulated；　the　foreign　traders　had　no　market　for　their　goods；　and　trade　decayed。　So　that　this　great　Hindu　victory　at　Raichur　deserved　a　better　fate　than　to　be　passed　over　by　the　historians　as　if　it　had　been　an　event　of　small　importance。


The　Events　that　followed　the　Battle。

Nuniz　gives　us　in　detail　an　account　of　the　events　that　followed　the　victory　of　Krishna　Deva　Raya；　and　considering　that　he　wrote　only　about　fifteen　years　after　their　occurrence；　we　should　do　well　to　receive　his　account　as　probably　true　in　the　main。　Firishtah；　perhaps　naturally；　preserves　a　complete　silence　on　the　subject。

Nuniz　tells　us　that　when　the　city　of　Raichur　surrendered；　the　Hindu　king　made　a　triumphal　entry　into　it；　and　treated　the　garrison　with　kindness　and　consideration；　while　the　other　Muhammadan　kings　sent　envoys　to　Krishna　Deva　Raya　on　hearing　of　his　success；　and　received　a　haughty　and　irritating　reply。　Krishna　Deva　then　returned　to　Vijayanagar　and　held　high　festival。　Shortly　afterwards　an　ambassador　arrived　from　the　defeated　Shah；　and　was　treated　with　scant　courtesy　for　more　than　a　month；　after　which　he　was　received　in　audience；　when　the　king　sent　answer　by　him　to　his　enemy；　that　if　the　Adil　Shah　would　come　to　him；　do　obeisance；　and　kiss　his　foot；　his　lands　and　fortresses　should　be　restored　to　him。　No　attention　being　paid　to　this；　the　Raya　set　out　to　search　for　the　Shah；　hoping；　that　he　would　be　induced　to　do　homage　in　the　manner　demanded　and　appearing　to　ignore　altogether　the　effect　which　would　necessarily　be　produced　on　the　minds　of　the　other　kings　of　the　Dakhan　by　this　contemplated　supreme　humiliation　of　one　of　their　number。　The　submission　never　took　place。　Krishna　led　his　army　as　far　north　as　Bijapur；　the　Adil　Shah's　capital；　which　for　a　time　he　occupied　and　left　sadly　injured。　Then　Asada　Khan；　the　Shah's　wily　courtier；　successfully　brought　about　the　death　of　his　personal　enemy；　Salabat　Khan；　by　inducing　the　Raya　to　order　his　execution；　an　act　to；　which　the　king　was　led　by　the　machinations　of　the　arch…intriguer；　who　subordinated　his　chief's　interests　to　his　own　selfish　ends。

King　Krishna　had；　in　the　city　of　Bijapur；　taken　prisoner　three　sons　of　a　former　king　of　the　Bahmani　dynasty；　who　had　been　held　captive　by　the　Adil　Shahs；　and　he　proclaimed　the　eldest　as　king　of　the　Dakhan。＇252＇　This　abortive　attempt　to　subvert　the　rule　of　the　five　kings　who　had　established　themselves　on　the　ruins　of　the　single　Dakhan　sovereignty　naturally　fell　flat；　and　only　resulted　in　stiffening　the　hostility　which　these　sovereigns　felt　towards　their　common　foe。

A　little　later　Krishna　Raya's　son；　a　young　prince　on　whom　he　desired　to　confer　his　crown；　and　in　whose　favour　he　had　even　gone　so　far　as　openly　to　abdicate；　died　suddenly　of　poison；　and　the　king；　then　himself　in　a　dying　condition；　arrested　and　imprisoned　his　own　minister；　Saluva　Timma；　and　his　family。　In　this　he　was　aided　by　some　Portuguese　who　happened　to　be　present　at　the　Durbar。　On　Saluva　Timma's　son　escaping　to　a　〃mountain　range〃　　perhaps　Sandur；　on　the　south　of　the　capital；　where　there　are　still　to　be　seen　the　remains　of　a　strong　fortress　built　of　cyclopean　masonry　on　the　summit　of　the　highest　hill；　now　known　as　Ramandrug　　the　king　summoned　Timma　and　his　brother　and　son；　and　had　their　eyes　put　out。

About　this　time　the　Adil　Shah　advanced　again　to　retrieve　his　broken　fortunes；　but　fled　incontinently　on　hearing　the　news　that　Krishna　Deva　was　advancing　in　person　to　meet　him。　That　the　king；　though　sorely　ill；　did　indeed　move　in　the　manner　stated；　seems　to　be　confirmed　by　the　statement　of　Nuniz　that　on　the　way　he　bought　six　hundred　horses　from　the　Portuguese。　Krishna　began　to　make　preparations　for　an　attack　on　Belgaum；　then　in　the　Adil　Shah's　possession；　and　sent　an　envoy　to　invite　the　assistance　in　this　enterprise　of　the　Portuguese　at　Goa；　but　he　fell　too　seriously　ill　to　carry　out　his　project；　and　died　shortly　afterwards　at　the　age　of　from　forty…two　to　forty…five　years。　It　was　then　the　year　1530　A。D。

He　was　succeeded　by　Achyuta。

So　far　Nuniz。　We　learn　something　more　from　other　writers。　Barros　states　that　about　the　year　1523　Saluva　Timma；　the　king's　minister；　invaded　the　mainlands　near　Goa；　which　had　been　recently　acquired　by　the　Portuguese　under　Ruy　de　Mello；　that　he　advanced　towards　Ponda　with　a　small　force；　but　that　he　was　attacked　and　driven　back。＇253＇　Shortly　after　this；　viz。；　in　April　1524；　the　Muhammadans　of　Bijapur　attacked　these　same　mainlands　with　success；　during　the　viceroyalty　of　Dom　Duarte　de　Menezes。　On　October　31　of　that　year　the　Chamber　of　Goa　wrote　a　report　to　the　king　of　Portugal　in　which　occurs　the　following　passage：　

〃The　mainland　which　Ruy　de　Mello；　who　was　captain　of　this　city；　conquered；　was　entered　by　the　Moors；　who　used　to　possess　it；　in　the　month　of　April　of　five　hundred　and　twenty…four；　and　they　hold　it　as　theirs；　and　the　first　Thanadar's　district　which　they　took　was　that　of　Perna；　which　is　by　the　seaside。　There　they　captured　two　Portuguese；　and　one　of　them　was　the　Thanadar；　these　are　prisoners　in　the　fortress　of　Bylgan　（Belgaum）；　of　which　the　Suffilarim　is　captain。〃＇254＇

It　is　evident；　therefore；　that　〃the　Moors〃　were　successful；　and　yet　it　is　curious　that　very　little　mention　is　made　of　this　circumstance　by　other　historians。　Firishtah　does　not　mention　it；　and　it　may　therefore　be　reasonably　inferred　that　the　〃Moors〃　in　question　were　not　the　royal　troops　acting　under　the　orders　of　the　Sultan；　but　belonged　to　the　local　levies　of　Asada　Khan；　then　chief　of　Belgaum。

According　to　Firishtah；　the　defeat　at　Raichur　was　followed　by　Ismail　Adil　Shah's　marrying　his　sister　to　Burhan　Nizam　Shah　of　Ahmadnagar；　quarrelling　and　fighting　with　him　（A。D。　1523）；　again　fighting　with　him　（1528）；　marrying　another　sister　to　Ala…ud…Din　Ummad　of　Birar；　and　fighting　with　and　entirely　defeating　Sultan　Amir　Barid　of　Bidar；　then　an　old　man；　whom　he　captured。　On　the　death　of　Krishna　Deva；　Ismail　took　advantage　of　the　confusion　of　the　Hindus　to　retake　possession　of　Mudkal　and　Raichur。

Firishtah　gives　no　dates　for　the　two　last　of　the　event　above　noted；　but　the　submission　of　Amir　Barid　to　the　Adil　Shah　apparently　did　not　take　place　till　1529；　for　Barros＇255＇　implies　that　it　occurred　after　an　event　which　cannot　have　happened　earlier　than　1529　　namely；　an　attack　on　Ponda　by　three　Hindu　chiefs；　which　led　to　the　inhabitants　appealing　for　help　to　the　then　governor　of　Goa；　Nuno　da　Cunha。　Da　Cunha　was　not　governor　till　1529。　〃AT　THIS　TIME；〃　writes　the　historian；　〃Melique　Verido＇256＇　submitted　to　the　Hidalchan；　by　advice　of　Madre　Maluco　and　Cota　Maluco；　and　came　to　his　camp　in　poor　clothes；　and　flung　himself　at　his　feet。〃　This　evidently　refers　to　what　occurred　after　the　Barid's　capture　by　the　Adil　Shah；　if　Firishtah's　story　is　true。＇257＇

Let　it　be　remembered；　though　the　fact　has　no　bearing　on　the　history　of　Vijayanagar　at　this　date；　that　in　1526　the　Emperor　Babar　captured　Delhi；　and　established　himself　as　the　first　monarch　of　the　great　Moghul　dynasty。　He　was　succeeded　in　1530　by　Humayun；　and　on　the　latter's　death　in　1556　the　great　Akbar　attained　the　throne。



CHAPTER　12

The　Buildings；　Works；　and　Inscriptions　of　Krishna　Deva

Temples　　Irrigation　works　　Statue　of　Narasimha　　Kamalapuram　　Inscriptions。

Were　it　not　that　the　description　given　us　by　Nuniz　and　Paes　of　the　condition　of　the　great　city　of　Vijayanagar　at　this　period　is　so　graphic；　so　picturesque；　and　so　detailed　as　positively　to　require　no　addition；　I　should　have　deemed　it　my　duty　to　attempt　to　supply　the　want；　but　with　their　narrative　before　us　in　all　its　original　freshness；　it　would　be　useless　to　attempt　anything　further。　Both　of　these　writers　were　on　the　spot　at　the　time　of　the　city's　greatest　grandeur　and　prosperity；　though　in　the　time　of　Nuniz　the　period　of　its　political　decay　had　set　in。　With　their　descriptions　I　shall　not　venture　to　interfere。

I　cannot；　however；　pass　on　to　the　reign　of　Achyuta　without　calling　attention　to　some　of　the　works　carried　out　at　the　capital　by　Krishna　Deva；　and　to　a　few　of　the　inscribed　records　of　his　reign。

At　the　beginning　of　his　reign　Krishna　built　a　GOPURA　or　tower；　and　repaired　another；　at　the　Hampe　temple；　which　had　been　built　by　the　first　kings　in　honour　of　Madhavacharya；　the　founder　of　the　fortunes　of　Vijayanagar。　The　great　KRISHNASVAMI　temple　was　built　by　him　in　1513；　after　his　return　from　the　successful　campaign　in　the　east。　In　the　same　year　he　commenced　the　temple　of　HAZARA　RAMASVAMI　at　the　palace；　the　architecture　of　which　leads　Mr。　Rea＇258＇　to　think　that　it　was　not　finished　till　a　later　period。

Later　in　his　reign　the　king　busied　himself　in　improving　the　irrigation　of　the　dry　lands　about　Vijayanagar。　He　constructed　in　1521　the　great　dam　and　channel　at　Korragal；　and　the　Basavanna　channel；　both　of　which　are　still　in　use　and　of　great　value　to　the　country。＇259＇

Another　great　work　of　his　was　the　construction　of　an　enormous　tank　or　dammed…up　lake　at　the　capital；　which　he　carried　out　with　the　aid　of　Joao　de　la　Ponte；　a　Portuguese　engineer；　whose　services　were　lent　to　him　by　the　governor…general　of　Goa。　Both　Paes　and　Nuniz　mention　this　lake；　and　as　the　former　actually　saw　it　under　construction　it　may　have　been　begun　in　A。D。　1520。　I　think　that　this　is　the　large　lake；　now　dry；　to　be　seen　at　the　north…western　mouth　of　the　valley　entering　into　the　Sandur　hills　south…west　of　Hospett；　the　huge　bank　of　which　has　been　utilised　for　the　conveyance　of　the　highroad　from　Hospett　to　the　southern　taluqs。　If　so；　the　fact　of　its　original　failure　is　interesting　to　us；　because　for　many　years　past　this　vast　work　has　been　entirely　useless。　The　description　given　by　Nuniz　accords　with　the　position　of　this　tank；　which　was　doubtless　intended　partly　for　irrigation　purposes；　and　partly　for　the　supply　of　water　to　the　〃new　city；〃　Nagala