a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第29章

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nity　to　set　out　afresh；　nominally　to　aid　the　true　king；　but　really　to　acquire　the　kingdom　for　himself。　The　Hindus；　in　fear　for　their　safety；　placed　on　the　throne　the　brother　of　the　dead　king；　and　succeeded　in　defeating　the　Adil　Shah　close　to　Vijayanagar。　The　new　king；　in　order　to　strengthen　his　position　for　the　future；　caused　the　boy；　his　rival；　to　be　assassinated；　as　also　two　of　the　latter's　uncles　and　a　nephew　of　the　dead　king　（Achyuta）。＇301＇　Then；　in　dread　of　the　power　of　the　principal　nobles；　he　summoned　them　to　court；　and　put　out　the　eyes　of　those　who　arrived　first；　so　that　the　rest　returned　in　great　anger　to　their　homes　and　began　to　intrigue　with　the　Sultan。　They　urged　him　to　depose　the　tyrant；　promising　their　aid；　and　offering　him　the　kingdom　for　himself　if　only　the　country　could　be　freed　from　this　monster。　The　Adil　Shah　therefore　advanced；　entered　the　kingdom　of　Vijayanagar；　and　was　received　as　sovereign　by　many；　but　he　also　assumed　such　intolerant　and　haughty　airs　that　he　aroused　the　hatred　of　all　around　him；　and　in　the　end　was　obliged；　in　fear　for　his　own　safety；　to　retire　to　Bijapur。　〃Meanwhile　a　new　king　had　seized　the　throne　of　Vijayanagar；　a　great　lord　from　Paleacate；　married　to　a　sister　of　the　king　that　preceded　the　dead　king；＇302＇　and　in　the　end　he　secured　the　kingdom。〃＇303＇

It　seems　impossible；　as　Senhor　Lopes　justly　observes；　to　get　at　the　truth　of　all　this　at　present；　and　I　think　it　best　to　abandon　the　subject　and　pass　on　to　consider　the　events　of　the　reign　of　Sadasiva；　which　lasted　from　1542　to　1567。　It　is　pretty　evident　that　each　chronicler　acquired　his　knowledge　〃from　stories　transmitted　from　mouth　to　mouth　and　disfigured　in　the　process。〃＇304＇

In　1543　Burhan　Nizam　Shah　made　an　alliance　with　Rama　Rajah　and　Jamshid　Qutb　Shah；　Sultan　of　Golkonda；　and　attacked　the　Adil　Shah；　whereupon　Rama　Rajah；　taking　advantage　of　the　latter's　troubles；　sent　Venkatadri　to　reduce　Raichur　and　the　Doab；　〃so　that　Beejapore；　attacked　at　the　same　time　by　three　powerful　princes　in　three　separate　quarters；　was　full　of　danger　and　disorder。〃＇305＇　True　to　the　traditions　of　his　predecessors；　the　new　Sultan　of　Bijapur　〃called　Assud　Khan　from　Balgoan　to　his　presence　and　demanded　his　advice　on　the　alarming　state　of　affairs；〃　with　the　result　that　he　patched　up　a　peace　with　Burhan；　making　over　to　him　the　rich　districts　surrounding　Sholapur；　and　sent　ambassadors　to　arrange　terms　with　Vijayanagar。　This　done；　and　the　allies　having　retired；　Asada　Khan　marched　against　the　Qutb　Shah　of　Golkonda；　defeated　him　under　the　walls　of　his　capital；　and　in　a　personal　encounter　grievously　wounded　him　in　the　face　with　his　sabre。＇306＇

The　Portuguese　at　this　period　had　been　very　active；　and　amongst　other　more　or　less　successful　enterprises　the　Governor；　Affonso　de　Sousa；　attacked　the　territory　of　the　Rani　of　Bhatkal　on　the　pretext　that　she　had　withheld　tribute　due　to　the　king　of　Portugal；　and　wasted　her　country　with　fire　and　sword。　Her　city　was　burnt；　the　Hindus　were　slain　in　large　numbers；　and　the　Rani　reduced　to　submission。

About　the　year　1544　　the　date　is　somewhat　uncertain　　Sultan　Burhan　again　attacked　Ibrahim　Adil　at　the　instigation　of　Rama　Rajah；　but　was　completely　defeated。

〃The　sultan　（Ibrahim）　after　this　victory　growing　haughty　and　imperious；　treated　the　ambassadors　of　Nizam　Shah　in　a　contemptuous　manner；　and　behaved　tyrannically　to　his　own　subjects；　putting　to　death　many　and　severely　punishing　others　of　his　principal　nobility　for　slight　offences；　which　occasioned　disaffection　to　his　government。〃

On　Burhan　again　invading　Bijapur　territories；　a　party　was　formed　to　depose　Ibrahim　and　raise　to　the　throne　his　brother　Abdullah。　This　prince；　finding　that　the　conspiracy　had　been　discovered；　fled　for　safety　to　Goa；　where　he　was　well　received。　But　when　Ibrahim　promised　certain　provinces　to　the　Portuguese　if　they　would　send　Abdullah　away　to　a　place　where　he　could　no　longer　disturb　the　peace　of　the　Bijapur　territories；　De　Sousa　accepted　the　conditions；　receiving　the　gift　of　Salsette　and　Bardes　for　the　crown　of　Portugal；　and　the　whole　of　the　vast　treasures　accumulated　by　Asada　Khan　at　Belgaum　as　a　personal　present　for　himself。　Having　pocketed　as　much　as　he　could　of　the　bribe；　however；　he　only　took　Abdullah　as　far　as　Cannanore　and　then　brought　him　back　to　Goa；　and　when；　at　the　end　of　the　next　year；　De　Castro　succeeded　De　Sousa　as　Governor；　the　former　refused　to　surrender　the　rebel　prince。　This　duplicity　placed　the　Sultan　in　great　difficulty；　and　in　February　1546　he　executed　a　treaty　of　peace；　one　of　the　terms　of　which　was　that　no　person　belonging　either　to　the　Dakhan；　or　to　the　territories　of　the　Nizam　Shah；　or　to　those　of　the　king　of　Vijayanagar；　with　certain　others　specially　mentioned；　should　be　permitted　to　have　any　communication　with　Abdullah　or　his　family　until　the　reply　of　the　king　of　Portugal　was　received　to　an　embassy　which　the　Adil　Shah　proposed　to　send　to　him。　There　were　other　terms　also；　and　these　not　being　acted　up　to　by　the　Portuguese；　the　Sultan　in　1547　sent　some　troops　into　the　provinces　of　Salsette　and　Bardes；　which　were　driven　out　by　the　Viceroy　after　a　stubborn　fight。

De　Castro　then　concluded　treaties　with　Vijayanagar　on　the　19th　September　1547；　and　with　Ahmadnagar　on　the　6th　October　of　the　same　year；　by　the　former　of　which　the　Hindu　king　was　secured　in　the　monopoly　of　the　Goa　horse　trade；＇307＇　and　by　the　latter　a　defensive　alliance　was　cemented　between　the　Portuguese　and　the　Nizam　Shah。　This　constituted　a　tripartite　league　against　Bijapur。

Shortly　afterwards　a　still　more　determined　attack　was　made　by　the　Bijapur　troops　against　the　mainlands　of　Goa；　and　in　the　battle　which　ensued　one　of　the　Adil　Shah's　principal　generals　was　slain。

In　1548　the　Viceroy　concluded　a　more　favourable　arrangement　with　Bijapur　and　also　with　the　Rani　of　Bhatkal。

The　Portuguese　historians　say　that　De　Sousa　and　Asada　Khan　both　joined　the　ranks　of　the　supporters　of　Abdullah；　and　that　Asada　Khan　promised　to　give　the　king　of　Portugal　all　the　territories　of　the　Konkan　on　the　downfall　of　Ibrahim；　but　the　Viceroy　changed　his　mind　and　withdrew；　while　Asada　Khans　death　put　a　stop　to　all　intrigues　in　that　quarter。

Firishtah's　account；　however；　of　the　conduct　of　Asada　at　this　period　totally　differs；　as　do　his　dates。　He　states　that；　although　the　Khan　was　much　distressed　at　his　master's　neglect；　his　coldness　towards　him；　and　his　attitude　of　suspicion；　yet　he　himself　was　consistently　loyal　in　his　actions；　and　did　his　utmost　to　crush　the　conspiracy。　As　to　the　Portuguese；　this　historian　avers　that；　so　far　from　abjuring　the　cause　of　Abdullah；　they　actually　marched　with　that　prince　from　Goa　towards　Bijapur；　supported　by　the　Nizam　Shah；　and　even　reached　the　neighbourhood　of　Belgaum；　but　when　it　became　evident　that　Asada　could　not　be　corrupted；　the　nobles　of　Bijapur　returned　to　their　allegiance　to　their　sovereign；　and　the　alliance　broke　up。　Sultan　Ibrahim　advanced　to　Belgaum　in　February　1549；＇308＇　but　on　the　road　heard　that　Asada　had　died。

Firishtah's　account　of　the　Bijapur　Sultan's　conduct　when　he　arrived　at　Belgaum　is　too　suggestive　to　be　omitted。　The　king；　he　says；　〃COMFORTED　HIS　（ASADA　KHAN'S）　MOURNING　FAMILY　WITH　KHELAUTS　AND　ASSURANCES　OF　ROYAL　FAVOUR；　BUT　ALL　HIS　ESTATES　AND　TREASURES　HE　TOOK　FOR　HIS　OWN　USE〃　　though　these　treasures　were　the　accumulated　property　of　a　man　whom　the　historian　declares　to　have　been；　during　the　whole　of　his　long　life；　the　most　faithful；　courageous；　and　devoted　adherent　of　his　royal　master；　whom　on　many　occasions　he　had　personally　rescued　from　difficulties　which　appeared　almost　insurmountable！　The　Portuguese　account　as　to　the　fate　of　the　treasures　accumulated　by　Asada　Khan　is　given　by　Mr。　Danvers；　who；　treating　the　Khan　as　an　unprincipled　rebel；　writes：　

〃In　addition　to　making　over　Salsette　and　Bardes　to　the　Crown　of　Portugal；　the　Adil　Khan　had　also　given　Martim　Affonso　（De　Sousa；　the　viceroy）　the　vast　treasure　which　Acede　Khan　had　collected　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　out　his　rebellion；　and　which　is　said　to　have　amounted　to　ten　millions　of　ducats；　OF　WHICH；　HOWEVER；　ONLY　ONE　MILLION　CAME　INTO　THE　HANDS　OF　MARTIM　AFFONSO。　Some　accounts　state　that　he　sent　about　half　of　this　amount　to　Portugal　for　his　own　use；　but　others　aver　that　he　employed　a　great　part　of　it　in　the　public　service　in　India；　besides　sending　some　home　for　the　king's　use　in　Portugal。〃　＇309＇

It　will　be　seen　that　the　two　accounts　differ　widely　in　details。

At　this　time　Ibrahim　Qutb　Shah；　younger　brother　of　Jamshid　and　heir　presumptive　to　the　throne　of　Golkonda；　was　at　Vijayanagar；　whither　he　had　fled　in　fear　of　Jamshid's　despotic　and　violent　temper。　Firishtah＇310＇　relates　a　story　of　him　which　is　worth　repeating　here；　partly　because　the　event　occurred　in　the　Hindu　capital；　partly　because　it　illustrates　the　practice　of　duelling　which；　as　Nuniz　tells　us；　largely　obtained　at　that　time。＇311＇　and　partly　because　it　confirms　the　assertions　of　Nuniz　that　the　king　of　Vijayanagar　was　in　the　habit　of　disposing　at　will　with　the　revenues　of　his　provinces。

Rama　Raya　had　despotically　turned　out　of　his　estate　an　Abyssinian　officer　in　his　employ　named　Ambur　Khan；　and　conferred　the　same　on　Prince　Ibrahim　for　his　support。

〃Ambur　Khan；　enraged　at　the　alienation　of　his　estate；　and　meeting　Ibrahim　Kootb　Shah　in　the　streets　of　Beejanuggur；　accused　him　of　depriving　him　of　it。　The　latter　replied　that　monarchs　were　at　liberty　to　dispose　of　their　own　property；　and　that　the　king　of　Beejanuggur　had　chosen　to　give　him　the　estate。　Ibrahim　Kootb　Shah　proceeded　on　his　way；　but　the　Abyssinian　called　him　coward　in　refusing　to　dispute　his　title　with　the　sword。　Ibrahim　warned　him　of　his　imprudence；　but　the　Prince's　mildness　only　added　fury　to　the　Abyssinian's　anger；　who　proceeded　to　abuse　him　in　grosser　language。　On　this　the　Prince　dismounted　and　drew。　The　Abyssinian　rushed　upon　him；　but　the　Prince's　temper　giving　him　the　advantage；　he　killed　his　antagonist；　whose　brother；　standing　by；　insisted　on　taking　up　the　cause；　and　he　also　fell　a　victim　to　his　temerity。〃

Prince　Ibrahim　succeeded　to　the　throne　of　Golkonda　In　A。D。　1550。　In　the　previous　year；　says　Firishtah；　an　alliance　was　cemented　between　Sultan　Ibrahim　of　Bijapur　and　the　new　sovereign　of　Bidar；　Ali　Barid；　son　of　Amir　Barid。

Rama　Rajah　having　at　this　period　accepted　the　presents　and　professions　of　regard　sent　to　him　by　the　Nizam　Shah　with　an　embassy；　Sultan　Ibrahim；　roused　to　indignation；　treated　the　Vijayanagar　ambassadors　at　Bijapur　with　such　indignity　that　they　fled　in　fear　of　their　lives；　and　Rama　Rajah；　offended　in　his　turn；　induced　Burhan　Nizam　to　attack　Ibrahim。　He　did　so　successfully；　and　captured　the　fortress　of　Kallian；　and　on　Ibrahim's　retaliating　by　seizing　one　of　the　Ahmadnagar　forts；　an　open　alliance　was　entered　into　between　Burhan　and　Rama。　The　two　kings　met　near　Raichur　in　1551；　laid　siege　to　the　place　and　took　it。　Mudkul　also　capitulated；　and　the　Doab　was　thus　once　more　restored　to　the　Hindu　sovereign。

About　this　time；＇312＇　so　we　are　told　by　a　Muhammadan　historian；　Rama　Raya's　two　brothers　rebelled　against　his　authority　during　his　absence　from　the　capital；　and　seized　the　fortress　of　Adoni；　upon　which　Rama　begged　aid　from　the　Qutb　Shah　Ibrahim；　and　this　being　granted；　Rama　besieged　Adoni　for　six　months。　The　place　eventuall