a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第4章

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the　way。　Ibn　Batuta；　who　was　an　eye…witness　of　the　scenes　of　horror　to　which　this　gave　rise；　has　left　us　the　following　description：　

〃The　Sultan　ordered　all　the　inhabitants　to　quit　the　place　（Delhi）；　and　upon　some　delay　being　evinced　he　made　a　proclamation　stating　that　what　person　soever；　being　an　inhabitant　of　that　city；　should　be　found　in　any　of　its　houses　or　streets　should　receive　condign　punishment。　Upon　this　they　all　went　out；　but　his　servants　finding　a　blind　man　in　one　of　the　houses　and　a　bedridden　one　in　the　other；　the　Emperor　commanded　the　bedridden　man　to　be　projected　from　a　balista；　and　the　blind　one　to　be　dragged　by　his　feet　to　Daulatabad；　which　is　at　the　distance　of　ten　days；　and　he　was　so　dragged；　but　his　limbs　dropping　off　by　the　way；　only　one　of　his　legs　was　brought　to　the　place　intended；　and　was　then　thrown　into　it；　for　the　order　had　been　that　they　should　go　to　this　place。　When　I　entered　Delhi　it　was　almost　a　desert。〃＇20＇

It　is　characteristic　of　Muhammad's　whimsical　despotism　that　shortly　afterwards　he　ordered　the　inhabitants　of　different　districts　to　go　and　repeople　Delhi；　which　they　attempted　to　do；　but　with　little　success。　Batuta　relates　that　during　the　interval　of　desolation　the　king　mounted　on　the　roof　of　his　palace；　and　seeing　the　city　empty　and　without　fire　or　smoke　said；　〃Now　my　heart　is　satisfied　and　my　feelings　are　appeased。〃

Ibn　Batuta　was　a　member　of　this　king's　court；　and　had　every　opportunity　of　forming　a　just　conclusion。　He　sums　up　his　qualities　thus：　

〃Muhammad　more　than　all　men　loves　to　bestow　gifts　and　to　shed　blood。　At　his　gate　one　sees　always　some　fakir　who　has　become　rich；　or　some　living　being　who　is　put　to　death。　His　traits　of　generosity　and　valour；　and　his　examples　of　cruelty　and　violence　towards　criminals；　have　obtained　celebrity　among　the　people。　But　apart　from　this　he　is　the　most　humble　of　men　and　the　one　who　displays　the　most　equity；　the　ceremonies　of　religion　are　observed　at　his　court；　he　is　very　severe　in　all　that　concerns　prayer　and　the　punishment　that　follows　omission　of　it　。。。　his　dominating　quality　is　generosity。。。。　It　rarely　happened　that　the　corpse　of　some　one　who　had　been　killed　was　not　to　be　seen　at　the　gate　of　his　palace。　I　have　often　seen　men　killed　and　their　bodies　left　there。　One　day　I　went　to　his　palace　and　my　horse　shied。　I　looked　before　me　and　I　saw　a　white　heap　on　the　ground；　and　when　I　asked　what　it　was　one　of　my　companions　said　it　was　the　trunk　of　a　man　cut　into　three　pieces。。。。　Every　day　hundreds　of　individuals　were　brought　chained　into　his　hall　of　audience；　their　hands　tied　to　their　necks　and　their　feet　bound　together。　Some　were　killed；　and　others　were　tortured　or　well　beaten。〃＇21＇

A　man　of　these　seemingly　opposite　qualities；　charity；　generosity；　and　religious　fervour　linked　to　unbridled　lust　for　blood　and　an　apparently　overmastering　desire　to　take　life；　possesses　a　character　so　bizarre；　so　totally　opposed　to　Hindu　ideals；　that　he　would　almost　of　necessity　be　accounted　as　something　superhuman；　monstrous；　a　saint　with　the　heart　of　a　devil；　or　a　fiend　with　the　soul　of　a　saint。　Hence　Muhammad　in　the　course　of　years　gathered　round　his　memory；　centuries　after　his　death；　all　the　quaint　tales　and　curious　legends　which　an　Oriental　imagination　could　devise；　and　whenever　his　name　is　mentioned　by　the　old　chroniclers　it　is　always　with　some　extraordinary　story　attached　to　it。

Nuniz；　therefore；　though　accurate　in　the　main；　was　a　century　too　early　in　his　opening　sentence。　His　〃Togao　Mamede〃　can　be　none　other　than　Muhammad　Taghlaq。

Henceforward　this　will　be　assumed。＇22＇



CHAPTER　2

Origin　of　the　Empire　（A。D。　1316）

Muhammad's　capture　of　Kampli　and　Anegundi　　Death　of　his　nephew　Baha…ud…din　　Malik　Naib　made　governor　of　Anegundi　　Disturbances　　Harihara　Deva　Raya　raised　to　be　king　of　Anegundi　　Madhavacharya　Vidyaranya　　The　city　of　Vijayanagar　founded　　Legends　as　to　the　origin　of　the　new　kingdom。

The　city　of　Vijayanagar　is；　as　already　stated；　generally　supposed　to　have　been　founded　in　the　year　1336；　and　that　that　date　is　not　far　from　the　truth　may　be　gathered　from　two　facts。　Firstly；　there　is　extant　an　inscription　of　the　earliest　real　king；　Harihara　I。　or　Hariyappa；　the　〃Haraib〃　of　Ibn　Batuta；＇23＇　dated　in　A。D。　1340。　Secondly；　the　account　given　by　that　writer　of　a　raid　southwards　by　Muhammad　Taghlaq　tallies　at　almost　all　points　with　the　story　given　at　the　beginning　of　the　Chronicle　of　Nuniz；　and　this　raid　took　place　in　1334。＇24＇

For　if　a　comparison　is　made　between　the　narrative　of　Batuta　and　the　traditional　account　given　by　Nuniz　as　to　the　events　that　preceded　and　led　to　the　foundation　of　Vijayanagar；　little　doubt　will　remain　in　the　mind　that　both　relate　to　the　same　event。　According　to　Ibn　Batuta；＇25＇　Sultan　Muhammad　marched　southwards　against　his　rebel　nephew；　Baha…ud…din　Gushtasp；　who　had　fled　to　the　protection　of　the　〃Rai　of　Kambila；〃　or　〃Kampila〃　as　Firishtah　calls　the　place；　in　his　stronghold　amongst　the　mountains。　The　title　〃Rai〃　unmistakably　points　to　the　Kanarese　country；　where　the　form　〃Raya〃　is　used　for　〃Rajah；〃　while　in　〃Kambila〃　or　〃Kampila〃　we　recognise　the　old　town　of　Kampli；　a　fortified　place　about　eight　miles　east　of　Anegundi；　which　was　the　citadel　of　the　predecessors　of　the　kings　of　Vijayanagar。　Though　not　itself　actually　〃amongst　the　mountains；〃　Kampli　is　backed　by　the　mass　of　rocky　hills　in　the　centre　of　which　the　great　city　was　afterwards　situated。　It　is　highly　natural　to　suppose　that　the　〃Rai；〃　when　attacked　by　the　Sultan；　would　have　quitted　Kampli　and　taken　refuge　in　the　fortified　heights　of　Anegundi；　where　he　could　defend　himself　with　far　greater　chance　of　success　than　at　the　former　place；　and　this　would　account　for　the　difference　in　the　names　given　by　the　two　chroniclers。　Ibn　Batuta　goes　on　to　say　that　the　Raya　sent　his　guest　safely　away　to　a　neighbouring　chief；　probably　the　Hoysala　Ballala；　king　of　Dvarasamudra　in　Maisur；　then　residing　at　Tanur。　He　caused　a　huge　fire　to　be　lit　on　which　his　wives　and　the　wives　of　his　nobles；　ministers；　and　principal　men　immolated　themselves；　and　this　done　he　sallied　forth　with　his　followers　to　meet　the　invaders；　and　was　slain。　The　town　was　taken；　〃and　eleven　sons　of　the　Rai　were　made　prisoners　and　carried　to　the　Sultan；　who　made　them　all　Mussalmans。〃　After　the　fall　of　the　place　the　Sultan　〃treated　the　king's　sons　with　great　honour；　as　much　for　their　illustrious　birth　as　for　his　admiration　of　the　conduct　of　their　father；〃　and　Batuta　adds　that　he　himself　became　intimately　acquainted　with　one　of　these　　〃we　were　companions　and　friends。〃

There　are　only　two　substantial　points　of　difference　between　this　story　and　the　traditional　Hindu　account　given　by　Nuniz。　One　of　these　concerns　the　reason　for　the　Sultan's　attack。　According　to　the　Hindus　it　was　a　war　undertaken　from　pure　greed　of　conquest；　according　to　Muhammadan　story　it　was　a　campaign　against　a　rebel。　The　second　is　that　while　the　Hindus　declare　that　none　of　the　blood　royal　escaped；　Batuta　distinctly　mentions　the　survival　of　eleven　sons；　and　proves　his　point　incontestably。　But　this　does　not　vitiate　the　general　resemblance　of　the　two　accounts；　while　the　synchronism　of　the　dates　renders　it　impossible　to　believe　that　they　can　refer　to　two　separate　events。　We　may　suppose　that　since　the　eleven　sons　became　followers　of　Islam　they　were　for　ever　blotted　out　of　account　to　the　orthodox　Hindu。

After　the　capture　of　the　fortress　the　Sultan；　according　to　Ibn　Batuta；　pursued　Baha…ud…din　southwards　and　arrived　near　the　city　of　the　prince　with　whom　he　had　taken　refuge。　The　chief　abandoned　his　guest　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the　tyrant；　by　whom　he　was　condemned　to　a　death　of　fiendish　barbarity。

〃The　Sultan　ordered　the　prisoner　to　be　taken　to　the　women　his　relations；　and　these　insulted　him　and　spat　upon　him。　Then　he　ordered　him　to　be　skinned　alive；　and　as　his　skin　was　torn　off　his　flesh　was　cooked　with　rice。　Some　was　sent　to　his　children　and　his　wife；　and　the　remainder　was　put　into　a　great　dish　and　given　to　the　elephants　to　eat；　but　they　would　not　touch　it。　The　Sultan　ordered　his　skin　to　be　stuffed　with　straw；　to　be　placed　along　with　the　remains　of　Bahadur　Bura；＇26＇　and　to　be　exhibited　through　the　country。〃

To　continue　briefly　the　story　given　by　Nuniz。　After　the　capture　of　Anegundi　in　1334　the　Sultan　left　Malik　Naib　（whom　Nuniz　calls　〃Enybiquymelly〃　in　his　second　chapter；　and　〃Mileque　neby；〃　〃Meliquy　niby；〃　and　〃Melinebiquy〃　in　the　third）　as　his　local　governor；　and　retired　northwards。　The　country　rose　against　the　usurpers；　and　after　a　time　the　Sultan　restored　the　principality　to　the　Hindus；　but　made　a　new　departure　by　raising　to　be　Raya　the　former　chief　minister　Deva　Raya；　called　〃Deorao〃　or　〃Dehorao〃　by　Nuniz。　He　reigned　seven　years。　During　his　reign　this　chief　was　one　day　hunting　amongst　the　mountains　south　of　the　river　when　a　hare；　instead　of　fleeing　from　his　dogs；　flew　at　them　and　bit　them。＇27＇　The　king；　astonished　at　this　marvel；　was　returning　homewards　lost　in　meditation；　when　he　met　on　the　river…bank　the　sage　Madhavacharya；　surnamed　VIDYARANYA　or　〃Forest　of　Learning；〃　　for　so　we　learn　from　other　sources　to　name　the　anchorite　alluded　to　　who　advised　the　chief　to　found　a　city　on　the　spot。　〃And　so　the　king　did；　and　on　that　very　day　began　work　on　his　houses；　and　he　enclosed　the　city　round　about；　and　that　done；　he　left　Nagumdym；　and　soon　filled　the　new　city　with　people。　And　he　gave　it　the　name　VYDIAJUNA；　for　so　the　hermit　called　himself　who　had　bidden　him　construct　it。〃＇28＇

Thus；　in　or　about　the　year　A。D。　1336；　sprung　into　existence　the　great　city　which　afterwards　became　so　magnificent　and　of　such　wide…spread　fame。

The　chronicle　continues　by　saying　that　the　king　constructed　in　the　city　of　Vijayanagar　a　magnificent　temple　in　honour　of　the　sage。　This　temple　I　take　to　be　the　great　temple　near　the　river；　still　in　use　and　known　as　the　temple　of　Hampi　or　Hampe；　having　a　small　village　clustering　about　it。　On　the　rocks　above　it；　close　to　a　group　of　more　modern　Jain　temples；　is　to　be　seen　a　small　shrine　built　entirely；　roof　as　well　as　walls；　of　stone。　Everything　about　this　little　relic　proves　it　to　be　of　greater　antiquity　than　any　other　structure　in　the　whole　circuit　of　the　hills；　but　its　exact　age　is　doubtful。　It　looks　like　a　building　of　the　seventh　century　A。D。　Mr。　Rea；　superintendent　of　the　Madras　Archaeological　Survey；　in　an　article　published　in　the　MADRAS　CHRISTIAN　COLLEGE　MAGAZINE　for　December　1886；　points　out　that　the　fact　of　mortar　having　been　used　in　its　construction　throws　a　doubt　upon　its　being　as　old　as　its　type　of　architecture　would　otherwise　make　it　appear。　It　is　quite　possible；　however；　that　the　shrine　may　have　been　used　by　a　succession　of　recluses；　the　last　of　whom　was　the　great　teacher　Madhava。　If　we　stand　on　that　rock　and　imagine　all　the　great　ruins　of　the　city　visible　from　thence；　the　palaces　and　temples；　the　statues　and　towers　and　walls；　to　be　swept　out　of　existence；　we　have　around　us　nothing　but　Nature　in　one　of　her　wildest　moods　　lofty　hills　near　and　far；　formed　almost　entirely　of　huge　tumbled　boulders　of　granite；　but　with　trees　and　grass　on　all　the　low　ground。　It　was　a　lonely　spot；　separated　by　the　river　from　the　mere　inhabited　country　on　the　farther　side；　where　dwelt　the　chiefs　of　Anegundi；　and　was　just　such　as　would　have　been　chosen　for　their　abode