a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第26章
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ntended partly for irrigation purposes； and partly for the supply of water to the 〃new city；〃 Nagalapura； the king's favourite residence； now known as Hospett。 The chronicler mentions the existence of lofty ridges on each side； strong gates and towers guarding the entrance； and states that this was the principal approach to the capital from the south； all which data coincide with the position of the tank and road in question。 It is through these gates that the Portuguese travellers entered Vijayanagar。 This view is supported by the account given by Paes。 Writing of the approach to Vijayanagar from the western coast； and describing the 〃first range；〃 I。E。 the first that is seen on passing upwards from the plains； he states that in these hills was the principal entrance from that side。 He alludes to the gates and wall； and the city； Nagalapur； constructed by King Krishna。 Then he writes； 〃the king made a tank THERE；〃 I。E。 close to Hospett； at the mouth of two hills； and in order to this end 〃broke down a hill。〃 He saw innumerable people at work on the tank。 He confirms the story of Nuniz as to the sixty human beings offered in sacrifice to ensure the security of the dam。 Both writers are therefore describing the same tank； and； taking the chronicles together； I can have no doubt as to the soundness of my identification。
Prior to 1520； Krishna Deva built the outlying town of Nagalapur； to which allusion has just been made。 It was constructed in honour of his favourite wife； the quondam courtesan； Nagala Devi； and the king made it his favourite residence。
He also appears to have begun the construction of the temple of Vitthalasvami on the river…bank； the most ornate of an the religious edifices of the kingdom。 〃It shows；〃 writes Mr。 Rea in the article already referred to； 〃the extreme limit in florid magnificence to which the style advanced。〃 The work was continued during the reign of Krishna Deva's successors； Achyuta and Sadasiva； and was probably stopped only by the destruction of the city in 1565。 An inscription records a grant to the temple in 1561。
In 1528 was constructed one of the most curious and interesting monuments to be seen in the city。 This is an enormous statue of the god Vishnu in his AVATARA as Narasimha； the man…lion。 It was hewn out of a single boulder of granite； which lay near the south…western angle of the Krishnasvami temple； and the king bestowed a grant of lands for its maintenance。 Though it has been grievously injured； probably by the iconoclastic Muhammadans in or after the year 1565； it is still a most striking object。
I have already alluded to the grants made by Krishna Deva to the great Virupaksha temple at Hampe； on the occasion of the festival of his coronation。 There is an inscription of his reign on the base of the inner side of the front tower （GOPURA） of the temple at Virinchipuram； dated in the year A。D。 1513 14； and one dated Tuesday； September 20； 1513； at Sankalapura； close to the capital； recording a grant of the lands of that village to the temple of Ganapati in the palace enclosure。＇260＇ Mr。 Fleet＇261＇ mentions others of his reign in A。D。 1509 10； 1512 13； 1514 15； 1522 23； and 1527 28。
The last inscription of the reign at present known is one which bears a date corresponding to Friday； April 23； A。D。 1529。＇262＇ It stands in front of the great statue of Ugra Narasimha； described above。
CHAPTER 13
The Reign of Achyuta Raya
Achyuta Raya Fall of Raichur and Mudkal Asada Khan and Goa Disturbances at Bijapur Ibrahim Shah at the Hindu capital Firishtah on Vijayanagar affairs Rise of Rama Raya and his brothers 〃Hoje〃 Tirumala Varying legends Venkatadri defeated by Asada Khan near Adoni Asada Khan's career Belgaum and Goa Asada's duplicity Portuguese aggressions Religious grants by； and inscriptions relating to； Achyuta。
Achyuta； according to Nuniz and some other authorities； was a brother of the late king；＇263＇ and； in company with two other brothers and a nephew； had been confined by Krishna Deva in the fortress of Chandragiri； in order to prevent dissensions in the kingdom。 The new monarch is said by Nuniz to have been specially selected by Krishna Deva。 If so； the choice was singularly unfortunate； for Achyuta was a craven and under him the Hindu empire began to fall to pieces。
His minister was one of the powerful Saluva family； to which also had belonged Timma； the minister of King Krishna。 Nuniz calls him 〃Salvanay。〃 The earliest known date of Achyuta's reign is gathered from an inscription bearing a date corresponding to Monday； August 15； A。D。 1530。＇264＇
The beginning of his reign was ominously signalised by the loss of the frontier fortresses Mudkal and Raichur。 Firishtah＇265＇ states that the Adil Shah had； some time before the death of Krishna Deva； made preparations to recover possession of these cities； and proceeds：
〃The Sultan 。。。 put his army in motion； attended by Ummad Shaw and Ameer Bereed with their forces； and the affairs of Beejanuggur being in confusion owing to the death of Heemraaje； who was newly succeeded by his son Ramraaje；＇266＇ against whom rebellions had arisen by several roles； met with no interruptions to his arms。 Roijore and Mudkul were taken； after a siege of three months； by capitulation； after they had been in possession of the infidels for seventeen years。〃＇267＇
The relief and delight of the Adil Shah at these successes； and at the death of his mortal enemy Krishna； must have been great； and Firishtah relates that the Sultan； 〃who had vowed to refrain from wine till the reduction of these fortresses； at the request of his nobility now made a splendid festival； at which he drank wine and gave a full loose to mirth and pleasure。〃 Raichur and Mudkal were never again subject to Hindu princes。
Those who desire to obtain an insight into the character of the new king of Vijayanagar should turn to the chronicle of Nuniz。 It will suffice here to say that he alienated his best friends by his violent despotism； and at the same time proved to the whole empire that he was a coward。 His conduct and mode of government ruined the Hindu cause in Southern India and opened the whole country to the invader； though he himself did not live to see the end。
After the fall of Raichur and the Doab； Ismail Adil had another fight （1531） with his rival at Ahmadnagar and defeated him； after which the two brothers…in…law consolidated a strong alliance。 Three years later Ismail died； having contracted a fever while besieging a fortress belonging to the Qutb Shah of Golkonda。 His death occurred on Thursday； August 13； 1534；＇268＇ and he was succeeded by his son Malu。 Asada Khan was appointed regent of Bijapur； but immediately on his accession the new sovereign so offended his powerful subject that he retired to Belgaum； and Sultan Malu； giving himself up to all kinds of excesses； was deposed after a reign of only six months。 Malu was blinded by the orders of his own grandmother； and Ibrahim Adil； his younger brother； was raised to the throne。 It was now 1535。
Da Cunha； the Portuguese governor of Goa； took advantage of these events to erect a fortress at Diu； and early in 1536 to seize again the mainlands of Goa； which had been for ten years in the possession of Asada Khan。 The Khan sent a force to recapture these lands； and in February an engagement took place in which the Portuguese were victorious。 A second attack by the Moslems was similarly repulsed。 A third fight took place in July； and again the Muhammadans were beaten； but Asada Khan then assembled a larger army； and the foreigners were compelled to retire after blowing up their fortress。
About this time＇269＇ Quli Qutb Shah is said to have attacked Kondavid on account of its withholding payment of tribute； to have taken it； and built a tower in the middle of the fort in commemoration of its reduction。
Two inscriptions at Conjeeveram； dated respectively in 1532 and 1533；＇270＇ imply that at that period King Achyuta reduced the country about Tinnevelly； but apparently he was not present in person； and nothing further is known regarding this expedition。
We now enter upon a period very difficult to deal with satisfactorily； owing to the conflict of evidence in the works of the various writers。
〃A year after his accession；〃 writes Firishtah；＇271＇ 〃Ibrahim； Adil led his army to Beejanuggur on the requisition of the roy。〃 This would be the year 1536 A。D。 But what led to such an extraordinary complication of affairs？ Can it be true that King Achyuta was so humiliated and hard pressed as to be compelled to summon to his aid the hereditary enemies of his country？
Nuniz is silent as to the cause； though he admits the fact。 It is quite possible that Firishtah is correct； that the public were not taken into confidence by their despotic rulers； and that the troops of Bijapur marched to the Hindu capital at the request of King Achyuta。 That they actually came there seems quite certain； and it is probable that Nuniz was in Vijayanagar at the time； but there is a LACUNA in his story which can only be filled up by reference to Firishtah。 Accepting Firishtah； we can readily understand why King Achyuta received the Sultan and his army without open opposition； as Nuniz declares that he did； and why the Muhammadan king received splendid presents before he retired。 To Nuniz； however； this conduct was inexplicable except on the basis of Achyuta's craven spirit and utter unworthiness。＇272＇ As to the assertion of Nuniz that the Sultan entered Nagalapur or Hospett and 〃razed it to the ground；〃 we may remember the treatment of the city of Bijapur by Krishna Deva Raya；＇273＇ and surmise that the houses of the Vijayanagar suburbs may have been pulled to pieces by the Mussalman soldiery in search for firewood。 However all this may be； my readers have before them the story as given by Nuniz in Chapter XX。 of his chronicle； and the following is Firishtah's account of the event。＇274＇
〃Heem〃 Rajah； or； as Briggs renders the name； 〃Tim〃 Rajah representing 〃Timma；〃 and referring doubtless to Saluva Timma； the great minister of Krishna Deva had； forty years earlier； become DE FACTO ruler of Vijayanagar on the death of the two sons of a former king； 〃Seo〃 Raya。 He had poisoned the infant son of the younger of these sons； and had thus succeeded in becoming head of the state。 During these forty years he had been obeyed by all。 On his death his son Rama Rajah became ruler。 Rama's marriage to 〃a daughter of the son of Seo〃 Raya＇275＇ had greatly added to his dignity and power； and he now tried to secure the throne for himself and his family。 He was； however； compelled by the nobles to recognise as king an 〃infant of the female line；〃 whose person he committed to the care of the child's uncle； 〃Hoje〃 Tirumala Raya；＇276＇ a man of weak intellect if not absolutely insane。 In five or six years Rama cut off by treachery most of the chiefs who opposed him。＇277＇ He then marched on an expedition into Malabar； and afterwards moved against a powerful zamindar to the south of Vijayanagar； who held out for six months and in the end beat off the troops of Rama Raya。 Vijayanagar was at that time governed by a slave whom Rama had raised to high rank； and this man； on being applied to by the minister to send supplies from
