Vijayanagara Empire – Foreign Accounts and Nature of State

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 – Origin, Nature of State and Conflicts with Bahamanid

Firoz Shah Tughlaq – Reforms and Religious Outlook

Ghiyas-ud-din Balban – Theory of Kingship

Foreign Accounts of Vijayanagara Empire

Vijayanagara Empire was major attraction for the many foreign scholars and travelers. They provide much important about the Vijayanagara Empire. Italian traveler, Nicolo Conti, visited the city in c. 1420 AD. He wrote about the geography of empire. He says that city circumstances were about sixty miles, walls up to mountains. There were around 90k men to bear arms. The king was most powerful among the kings of India.

Ferishta also wrote that the princes of house of Bahmani maintain their superiority by valour only, for power, wealth and extent of the country, and the Raya’s of Vijayanagara greatly exceeded them. Abdur Razzaq who travelled widely in and outside India. He was an ambassador at court of Deva Raya, the second. He wrote that the country was most well cultivated, very fertile and maintained large number of troops.

The 17^th fortress of Vijayanagara empire, which was at the centre of other occupies on an area. It was ten times larger than market place of the city of Herat. Muslims appear to be lived in separate quarters. Another traveler said that the city was larger than the city of Rome. Abdur said that the king’s palace has several cells like basically with bullion, forming one mass.

Nature of State

The nature of Vijayanagara state included different number of elements. Nilkanth Shastri considered the state as nearest to a war state. The state’s rulers appointed number of provincial lords knows as Nayaks, basically were hereditary territory lords in their own rights. Nayaks were too powerful that they had strictly controlled the local system till the last quarter of the 15^th-16^th century AD.

The revenue system was harsh as land tax was heavy which helped rulers to maintain a large standing army. The emperors of Vijayanagara state were great patronage of art and culture. They often bear the titles of “Protectors of Vedas and Vedic path”. Vijayanagara was often called “a citadel of (Hindu) orthodoxy and conservatism”. They favored Brahmans and gave free grants to them. Mallikarjun Raya was the only king who killed Muslims.

But they actually not so harsh towards the Muslims as kings like Deva Raya second, employed large number of Muslims in his service and around 10k Muslim were also the part of the army of the Deva Raya. Thus, Vijayanagara rulers were Hindus and patronage Brahmins as well but they also employed Muslims which shows liberal outlook of the state.

Thus, Vijayanagara Empire was one of the great empires in the history of India which helped in growth of art and culture and prospering of the other fields also.