Medieval Indian History
🔒 Log in to trackVijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms
🔒 Log in to trackVijayanagara was a great Hindu empire in south India on the Tungabhadra river. The Bahmani kingdom was its Muslim neighbour and rival in the Deccan. Later the Bahmani kingdom split into five sultanates, and they crushed Vijayanagara at Talikota in 1565.
City of victory on the Tungabhadra
Vijayanagara means "city of victory". It ran from 1336 to 1646.
- Founded in 1336 at Hampi, on the Tungabhadra, by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya (Sangama dynasty).
- The guru Vidyaranya blessed them.
- Four dynasties ruled in turn: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu.
- Its wealth rested on the fertile Raichur doab (land between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra), diamond and spice trade, and cavalry fed by Portuguese horses.
Tip: "Some Silly Tigers Attack" gives Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu.
Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529)
He belonged to the Tuluva dynasty and was the greatest Vijayanagara ruler.
- He defeated the Bahmanis and the Odisha (Gajapati) king.
- He won the Battle of Raichur (1520), using Portuguese muskets.
- His titles include Andhra Bhoja. Another title is "establisher of Yavana rule".
- He wrote the Telugu classic Amuktamalyada.
- His court had the Ashtadiggajas (eight poets, "elephants of learning"). The greatest was Allasani Peddana, author of Manucharitam, honoured as "Andhra Kavita Pitamaha". Tenali Ramakrishna was also in this court.
Portuguese visitors Domingo Paes and Duarte Barbosa described his capital. They wrote about the Virupaksha and Vittala temples (with the stone chariot), the Hazara Rama temple and bazaars of pearls.
Foreign visitors to Vijayanagara
| Visitor | From | Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| Niccolo de Conti | Italy | Deva Raya I |
| Abdur Razzaq | Persia (Timurid envoy) | Deva Raya II |
| Domingo Paes | Portugal | Krishnadevaraya |
| Fernao Nuniz | Portugal | Achyuta Raya |
Watch: Abdur Razzaq visited Deva Raya II, not Krishnadevaraya.
The Bahmani kingdom and its five heirs
The Bahmani kingdom began in 1347 and lasted to 1527.
- Founder: Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu).
- Capital: Gulbarga, later Bidar.
- The able minister Mahmud Gawan built a famous madrasa at Bidar. Court factions executed him in 1481.
- After that, the kingdom split into five sultanates.
| Sultanate | Dynasty | Monument or fact |
|---|---|---|
| Bijapur | Adil Shahi | Gol Gumbaz (Muhammad Adil Shah), the whispering gallery |
| Golconda | Qutb Shahi | Charminar, Hyderabad (1591, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah) |
| Ahmadnagar | Nizam Shahi | Chand Bibi resisted Akbar |
| Bidar | Barid Shahi | none to remember |
| Berar | Imad Shahi | Did not join the Talikota alliance |
Rivalry and the fall
Vijayanagara and the Bahmanis fought almost without a break. The fights were over the Raichur doab, the Krishna-Godavari delta and the horse trade.
In 1565 came the Battle of Talikota (also called Rakshasa-Tangadi).
- The combined Deccan sultanates crushed Vijayanagara.
- Rama Raya, the real ruler (Aravidu), was captured and executed.
- Hampi was sacked and left empty.
The dynasty lingered from Penukonda and Chandragiri. Nayak kingdoms took over the south.
Note: The Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage site (1986). The Vitthala temple stone chariot is its best-known sight.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Vijayanagara: founders and the four dynasties
Words like 1336, Harihara, Bukka, Vidyaranya, Sangama, Tuluva or Aravidu.
Founders: Harihara and Bukka, 1336, Hampi on the Tungabhadra.
Dynasty order: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu.
Krishnadevaraya is Tuluva. Rama Raya is Aravidu.
The dynasty order and the two key names cover most questions.
Vijayanagara was founded on the banks of which river? (a) Krishna (b) Godavari (c) Tungabhadra (d) Kaveri
Show solutionHide solution
Hampi, the capital, stands on one river.
That river is the Tungabhadra.
(c) Tungabhadra
Krishnadevaraya: conquests, court and classics
Words like Ashtadiggajas, Amuktamalyada, Raichur 1520, Andhra Bhoja or Peddana.
Court: Ashtadiggajas, chief poet Allasani Peddana (Manucharitam).
His own Telugu work: Amuktamalyada. Title: Andhra Bhoja.
Battle: Raichur 1520. Visitor: Domingo Paes.
Every fact about this ruler ties to a book, a poet or a battle.
Who was the greatest of the Ashtadiggajas at Krishnadevaraya's court?
Show solutionHide solution
Ashtadiggajas were eight poets.
The greatest was the author of Manucharitam.
Allasani Peddana
Bahmani kingdom: founder, capital, five sultanates
Words like Hasan Gangu, Gulbarga, Bidar, Mahmud Gawan, Adil Shahi or Qutb Shahi.
Founder: Hasan Gangu, 1347. Capital: Gulbarga, then Bidar.
Recall the five: Bijapur (Adil), Ahmadnagar (Nizam), Golconda (Qutb), Berar (Imad), Bidar (Barid).
Match the dynasty name to the city.
The five dynasty names and cities form one fixed list.
The Bahmani kingdom broke into five sultanates. Which house ruled Golconda?
Show solutionHide solution
Bijapur was Adil Shahi and Ahmadnagar was Nizam Shahi.
Golconda belonged to the Qutb Shahis.
The Qutb Shahi dynasty
Hampi and the decisive battles
Words like Talikota, Rakshasa-Tangadi, Rama Raya, Raichur doab, UNESCO or stone chariot.
The Raichur doab was the long war zone.
Talikota 1565: sultanates beat Vijayanagara. Rama Raya was executed.
Hampi is a UNESCO site. The stone chariot is at the Vitthala temple.
One battle (Talikota) and one man (Rama Raya) end the empire.
Who led Vijayanagara at the Battle of Talikota (1565) and was executed after defeat?
Show solutionHide solution
Talikota was fought in 1565.
The Aravidu regent Rama Raya was captured and executed.
Rama Raya
Monuments of the Deccan sultanates
"Gol Gumbaz is in", "Charminar was built by", "Chand Bibi".
Bijapur: Gol Gumbaz (Muhammad Adil Shah), whispering gallery.
Golconda: Charminar, Hyderabad, 1591 (Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah).
Ahmadnagar: Chand Bibi resisted Akbar.
Each sultanate has one famous monument or person.
The Gol Gumbaz, with its whispering gallery, is in which city?
Show solutionHide solution
Gol Gumbaz was built by Muhammad Adil Shah.
The Adil Shahis ruled Bijapur.
Bijapur
Foreign visitors to Vijayanagara
"Who visited the court of..." with names such as Razzaq, Paes, Conti or Nuniz.
Conti (Italy): Deva Raya I.
Abdur Razzaq (Persia): Deva Raya II.
Paes (Portugal): Krishnadevaraya. Nuniz (Portugal): Achyuta Raya.
Each traveller pairs with one ruler, so the country also helps.
Which foreign visitor came as a Persian envoy to Deva Raya II?
Show solutionHide solution
Persia narrows the list.
The Timurid envoy was Abdur Razzaq.
Abdur Razzaq
Shortcuts that save time
Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu. Krishnadevaraya sits third, in the Tuluva line.
Krishnadevaraya belonged to which dynasty of Vijayanagara?
Show solutionHide solution
The order is Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu.
He is the third.
Tuluva
Bijapur (Adil), Golconda (Qutb), Ahmadnagar (Nizam), Bidar (Barid), Berar (Imad).
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Placing Hampi on the Krishna river.
Hampi is on the Tungabhadra.
Saying Abdur Razzaq visited Krishnadevaraya.
He visited Deva Raya II. Domingo Paes visited Krishnadevaraya.
Putting Charminar in Bijapur.
Gol Gumbaz is in Bijapur. Charminar is in Hyderabad (Golconda kingdom).
Saying all five sultanates fought at Talikota.
Berar did not join the Talikota alliance.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
1336: Harihara and Bukka (Sangama) at Hampi. Guru: Vidyaranya.
Dynasties: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu.
Krishnadevaraya (Tuluva): Raichur 1520, Ashtadiggajas, Allasani Peddana, Amuktamalyada.
Bahmani: Hasan Gangu, 1347, Gulbarga then Bidar. Mahmud Gawan was executed in 1481.
Five sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, Berar, Bidar.
1565 Talikota: Rama Raya killed, Hampi sacked. Hampi is now a UNESCO site.
Practice: 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 5 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.