a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第36章
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followed his example； and his youngest son was slain by his father。 The 〃middle son〃 escaped； and was raised to the throne by a friendly chief named Echama Naik。 This second son was probably Ranga IV。 Two of King Venkata's wives were Bayama； daughter of Jaga Raya； and a lady unnamed； sister of Narpa Raya。 A niece of Venkata I。 had been given in marriage to a Brahman boy； who had been surreptitiously introduced into the palace by Bayama and educated in the pretence that he was son of King Venkata。 The plot to raise him to the throne was temporarily successful； and Ranga III。 and all the royal family were killed； saving only Ranga IV。； who afterwards came to the throne。
How much of the story told is true we cannot as yet decide； but it is extremely improbable that the whole is a pure invention； and we may for the present accept it； fixing the date of these occurrences as certainly between the years 1614 and 1616 A。D。 the date of Barradas's letter being December 12 in the latter year。
It will be observed that the inscriptions upon which the genealogical table given above； from the EPIGRAPHIA INDICA； is founded do not yield any date between A。D。 1614 and 1634； when Pedda Venkata II。 is named as king。 In 1883 I published＇369＇ a list of Vijayanagar names derived from reports of inscriptions which had then reached me。 I am by no means certain of their accuracy； and it is clear that they must all be hereafter carefully examined。 But so far as it goes the list runs thus：
A。D。 Ranga 1619 Rama 1620； 1622 Ranga 1623 Venkata 1623 Rama 1629 Venkata 1636
The last…mentioned name and date are apparently correct。
In 1633 the Portuguese； encouraged by the Vijayanagar king； still at Chandragiri； attempted to eject the Dutch from 〃Paleacate；〃 or Pulicat。 An arrangement was made by which the Portuguese were to attack by sea and the Rajah by land； but while the Viceroy sent his twelve ships as agreed on； the Rajah failed to attack； alleging in explanation that he was compelled to use his army to put down internal disturbances in the kingdom。 A second expedition met with no better success； the plans of the Portuguese being again upset by the non fulfilment of the king's part of the bargain。 On the departure of the fleet the king did attack the Dutch settlement； but was bought off by a large payment； and the Hollanders remained subsequently undisturbed。
Senhor Lopes tells me that he has found in the National Archives in the Torre do Tombo； amongst the 〃Livros das Moncoes；〃 a number of papers bearing on this subject。 The most interesting are those contained in Volume xxxiv。 （fol。 91 99）。 These were written by the Captain…General of Meliapor （St。 Thome）； by Padre Pero Mexia of the Company of Jesus； and by the Bishop； and amongst the other documents are to be seen translations of two palm…leaf letters written by the king of Vijayanagar； then at Vellore。 It appears from these that the king was devoid of energy； and that one Timma Raya had revolted against him。
We know that in 1639 the king of Vijayanagar was named Ranga or Sri…Ranga； and that he was at that time residing at Chandragiri； because in that year Mr。 Day； the head of the English trading station a Madras； obtained from the king a grant of land at that place； one mile broad by five miles long； on which Fort St。 George was afterwards constructed。 The country about Madras was then ruled over by a governor or Naik； and so little heed did he pay to the wishes or commands of his titular sovereign； that although the Raya had directed that the name of the new town should be 〃Srirangarayalapatnam〃 （〃city of Sri Ranga Raya〃）； the Naik christened it after the name of his own father； Chenna； and called it 〃Chennapatnam；〃 by which appellation it has ever since been known to the Hindus。 Such； at least； is the local tradition。 This king was probably the Ranga VI。 of the Epigraphia list； mentioned as living in 1644 A。D。
After this date my （doubtful and unexamined） inscriptions yield the following names and dates：
A。D。 Ranga 1643； 1647； 1655； 1662； 1663； 1665； 1667； 1678 Venkata 1678； 1680 Ranga 1692 Venkata 1706 Ranga 1716 Mahadeva 1724 Ranga 1729 Venkata 1732 Rama 1739 （？） Venkata 1744 Venkata 1791； 1792； 1793
From Sir Thomas Munro's papers I gather that the territory about the old family estate of Anegundi was early in the eighteenth century held by the Rayas from the Mogul emperor of Delhi as a tributary state。 In 1749 it was seized by the Mahrattas； and in 1775 it was reduced by Haidar Ali of Mysore； but continued to exist as a tributary quasi…independent state till the time of Tipu （Tippoo Sultan）。
Tipu； who never suffered from an excess of compunction or compassion when his own interests were at stake； annexed the estate bodily to his dominions in 1786。 Thirteen years later he was killed at Seringapatam； and in the settlement that followed the little territory was made over to the Nizam of Haidarabad； the English Government retaining all lands on their side of the Tungabhadra。 Partly in compensation for this loss of land the Government has till very recently paid an annual pension to the head of the Anegundi family。 This has now been abolished。
Chronicles of Paes and Nuniz
Letter
（？ to the historian Barros） which accompanied the Chronicles when sent from India to Portugal about the year 1537 A。D。
Since I have lived till now in this city （？ Goa）； it seemed necessary to do what your Honour desired of me； namely； to search for men who had formerly been in Bisnaga； for I know that no one goes there without bringing away his quire of paper written about its affairs。 Thus I obtained this summary from one Domingos Paes； who goes there； and who was at Bisnaga in the time of Crisnarao when Cristovao de Figueiredo was there。 I obtained another from Fernao Nuniz； who was there three years trading in horses （which did not prove remunerative）。 Since one man cannot tell everything one relating some things which another does not I send both the summaries made by them； namely； one in the time of Crisnarao； as I have said； and the other sent from there six months since。 I desire to do this because your honour can gather what is useful to you from both； and because you will thus give the more credit to some things in the chronicle of the kings of Bisnaga； since they conform one to the other。 The copy of the summary which he began to make＇370＇ when he first went to the kingdom of Bisnaga is as follows：
Narrative of Domingos Paes
（written probably A。D。 1520 22）
Of the things which I saw and contrived to learn concerning the kingdom of Narsimga； etc。＇371＇
On leaving India＇372＇ to travel towards the kingdom of Narsymga from the sea…coast； you have （first） to pass a range of hills （SERRA）； the boundary of the said kingdom and of those territories which are by the sea。 This SERRA runs along the whole of the coast of India； and has passes by which people enter the interior； for all the rest of the range is very rocky and is filled with thick forest。 The said kingdom has many places on the coast of India； they are seaports with which we are at peace； and in some of them we have factories； namely； Amcola； Mirgeo； Honor； Batecalla； Mamgalor； Bracalor； and Bacanor。 And as soon as we are above this SERRA we have a plain country in which there are no more ranges of hills； but only a few mountains； and these small ones； for all the rest is like the plains of Ssantarem。＇373＇ Only on the road from Batecala＇374＇ to a town called ZAMBUJA； there are some ranges with forests； nevertheless the road is very even。 From Batecala to this town of Zambur＇375＇ is forty leagues； the road has many streams of water by its side； and because of this so much merchandise flows to Batecala that every year there come five or six thousand pack…oxen。
Now to tell of the aforesaid kingdom。 It is a country sparsely wooded except along this SERRA on the east；＇376＇ but in places you walk for two or three leagues under groves of trees； and behind cities and towns and villages they have plantations of mangoes； and jack…fruit trees； and tamarinds and other very large trees； which form resting…places where merchants halt with their merchandise。 I saw in the city of Recalem＇377＇ a tree under which we lodged three hundred and twenty horses； standing in order as in their stables； and all over the country you may see many small trees。 These dominions are very well cultivated and very fertile； and are provided with quantities of cattle； such as cows； buffaloes； and sheep； also of birds； both those belonging to the hills and those reared at home； and this in greater abundance than in our tracts。 The land has plenty of rice and Indian…corn； grains； beans； and other kind of crops which are not sown in our parts； also an infinity of cotton。 Of the grains there is a great quantity； because； besides being used as food for men； it is also used for horses； since there is no other kind of barley； and this country has also much wheat； and that good。 The whole country is thickly populated with cities and towns and villages； the king allows them to be surrounded only with earthen walls for fear of their becoming too strong。 But if a city is situated at the extremity of his territory he gives his consent to its having stone walls； but never the towns； so that they may make fortresses of the cities but not of the towns。
And because this country is all flat； the winds blow here more than in other parts。 The oil which it produces comes from seeds sown and afterwards reaped； and they obtain it by means of machines which they make。 This country wants water because it is very great and has few streams； they make lakes in which water collects when it rains； and thereby they maintain themselves。 They maintain themselves by means of some in which there are springs better than by others that have only the water from rain； for we find many quite dry； so that people go about walking in their beds； and dig holes to try and find enough water； even a little； for their maintenance。 The failure of the water is because they have no winter as in our parts and in （Portuguese） India； but only thunder…storms that are greater in one year than in another。 The water in these lakes is for the most part muddy； especially in those where there are no springs； and the reason why it is so muddy is because of the strong wind and the dust that is in this country； which never allows the water to be clear； and also because of the numbers of cattle； buffaloes； cows； oxen； and other small cattle that drink in them。 For you must know that in this land they do not slaughter oxen or cows； the oxen are beasts of burden and are like sumpter…mules； these carry all their goods。 They worship the cows； and have them in their pagodas made in stone； and also bulls； they have many bulls that they present to these pagodas； and these bulls go about the city without any one causing them any harm or loss。 Further； there are asses in this country； but they are small； and they use them only for little things； those that wash clothes lay the cloths on them； and use them for this more than for anything else。 You must know that this kingdom of Narsymga has three hundred GRAOS of coast； each GRAO being a league； along the hill…range （SERRA） of which
