Vijayanagara Empire was one of the greatest empires in the history of India. Although there is lack of clarity about the about the origin but the foundation of the empire is generally associated with the Harihara and Bukka, the Sangam Brothers. Harihara established new capital city Vijayanagara on the bank of the river of Tungabhadra and founded the Sangam Dynasty in c. 1340s.
Also Read : Vijayanagara Empire – Foreign Accounts and Nature of State
Vijayanagara Empire – Origin, Nature of State and Conflicts with Bahamanid
Bahmani Kingdom – Its Growth and Age of Mahmud Gawan
Climax of Vijayanagara Empire and Its Disintegration
The Sangam dynasty came down to an end as after the death of Deva Raya, second, the civil war broke out. Taking advantage of this, minister Saluva found new dynasty but it was short-lived dynasty as it was replaced by Tuluva dynasty. Tuluva dynasty was founded by Krishna Deva Raya (c. 1509 – c. 1530), who is considered as the greatest of all Vijayanagara kings. He maintained law and order. He fought with old rivals.
He recovered Goa after defeating Bijapur. He also defeated Odisha and other regional neighbors. Domingo Paes, an Italian traveler wrote about Krishna Deva Raya that he was a great ruler and a man of justice. He was a great builder as well. He built new town and tanks. He patronised number of scholars of Sanskrit and Telugu and provided many gifts to them.
Barbosa also wrote that King Krishna Deva Raya allow such freedom that every man may come and go as like according to their own creed without suffering from annoyance. Krishna Deva Raya was succeeded by Sadashiva Deva Raya. He later succeeded by Rama Raya who entered into commercial treaty with Portuguese. He was defeated by alliance of Deccan sultans at the battle of Talikota (Rakkasa-Tangadi). This considered as the end of the great Vijayanagara Empire.
State under Vijayanagara Kings
Vijayanagara rulers have maintained council of minister. The local provincial units included Rajyas, Mandalam, Nadu, Sthala and Grama. There was various type of taxes like sale of produce, profession tax, military contribution, marriage tax etc. Trade and commerce were grown due to irrigation facilities and domination over shipping facilities. Vijayanagara empire also built number of temples which are major attraction in modern-day.
Regional Kingdom of Bengal
Bengal broke away from Delhi in c. 1338. After four years, Ilyas Khan captured Lakhnauti and Sonargaon and ascended the throne under the name of Sultan Shamsuddin Ilyas Khan (Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah). He extended the empire to Champaran, Gorakhpur, Banaras. He came into conflict with Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq and finally they both signed friendship treaty concluded with River Kosi in Bihar as Boundary.
He conquered Kamrupa and plundered Nepal and Odisha. Sikander succeeded the throne and he retreated to Ekdala when Firoz Tughlaq attacked Bengal. After that the Bengal was left alone for almost 200 years, then Akbar brought it under Mughal Empire. Ilyas Khan was well known for justice. He had relation with Persian poet Hafiz of Shiraz. He also maintained relation with Chinese rulers.
Chittagong became a flourishing port for trade with China. The Sufis were welcomed by him and he provide them tax free land grants. Powerful Hindu ruler like Raja Ganesh of Dinajpur, continued to rule under Muslims. They also built number of monuments like Dakhil Darwaza, a mature style of architecture. Bengali Language was flourished under the rule of Alauddin Hussain (c. 1493 – c. 1519).
The Muslim rulers of Bengal maintained liberal policy towards Hindus. Krittibas translated Ramayana into Bengali. Hussain Shah tried to extend territories in north. After that Akbar captured Bengal.
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