The

Vijayanagara

The Vijayangar Empire was

brothers, Harihara and Bukka.

Empire

founded

by

According to legend they were officers of

Muhammad Tughluq.

They were sent to crush a rebellion in the

South.
Instead they broke away and founded their
own kingdom.
Harihara was crowned king in 1346.
His brother Bukka I ruled after him, 13571377.
The Vijayanagar Empire is named after its
capital city (Its name means city of victory).
The rulers of Vijayanager gradually conquered
more and more territory and the empire
reached a peak early in the 16th century.

Harihar II (1377-1406)
Expanded the empire towards the sea coast but his
greatest success was in wresting Belgaum and Goa from
Bahmani and in sending expedition to Sri Lanka.
Devraya I (1406-1422)
Was defeated by Firoz Shah Bahmani and had to marry
his daughter to him. But later he allied with the Reddy
Kingdom and managed to defeat Firoz Shah Bahmani. He
also built a dam across Tungabhadra.
Devraya II (1422-1446)
Inducted a large number of Muslims in the army (Their
induction however had begun during Devrayas I reign).
Nuniz informs us that a large number of kings paid tribute
to him.
Krishna Deva Raya (1509-30)

Won Orissa (Gajapati Kingdom) for Vijaynagar and

Vijaynagar emerged strongest during his reign.

Krishna
Deva
of Yavanrayjaya
Abhinav Bhoja.

Raya
assumed
the
title
Sthapancharya also called

Paes says that Krishna Deva Raya was a man of

much justice but subject to sudden fits of rage.
Krishna Deva Raya built a new city and
expanded patronage to a large number of poets
(Astha Diggajas).
Krishna Deva Raya wrote the political treatise of
Amuktamalyamada in Telugu (Jambbavati Kalyannam
in Sanskrit) and emphasized on the welfare of
people.
Rama Raja entered into a treaty with the Portuguese
to obtain themonopoly of horses.

Defeat of Vijaynagar Emipire

Vijayanagar defeat came in the battle of Talikotta in

1565 due to Rama Rajas policy of playing one
Muslim dynasty against the other for making
Vijaynagar supreme.

Vijaynagar Architecture

The Vijaynagar rulers produced a new style of

architecture called as Provida style.
The large number and prominence of pillars and piers
are some of the distinct features.

Horse was the most common animal on the pillars.

Another important feature was the Mandapa or open
pavilion with a raised platform, meant for seating
deities.
Important temples were Vithalswami and Hazara
temples at Hampi, Tadapatri and Parvati temples at
Chidambaramand Varadraja and Ekambarnatha
temples at Kanchipuram.
The Vijaynagar rulers inscribed the stories of the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata on the walls of the
various temples.
Hazara temple and Vithalswami temples
examples of this type of wall inscription.

are

Points to remember :
-The Vijayanagar emperor created their own architecture
style named Provida style which plays a lot of emphasis
on piers and pillars. They had inscribed the tales from
Ramayana and Mahabharata on the various temple that
they
have
established.
Most
importantly
being
Vithalswami Temple and Hazari temple at Humpi at
Karanataka. Horse was a recurring animals present in all
the
depictions.
-Two Portuguese visitors namely Nunez and Paes had
visited the Vijayanagar empire and have described their
experience, which are the basic source of our information.

-Krishana Devaraya assumed the title

Bhoja and
established
treatise Anuktamalyamada which
deals
welfare
of
the

of Abhinav
political
with
the
people.

-Ramaraja was one of the last kings of Tuluva dynasty and

was
defeated
at
Battle
of
Tallikota.
-Harihara-II expanded the Vijayanagar empire to Goa and
Coastal area and also sent an expedition to Sri Lanka.
-Devaraya-I was defeated in the battle with Bahamani
empire and constructed a dam across Tungbhadra river