Chronology and Important Rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire

The Vijayanagara Empire was established in South India during the fourteenth century and flourished as a dominant political and cultural power until the seventeenth century.

Foundation and Early History

The empire was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, who belonged to the Sangama dynasty. They established the capital city of Vijayanagara on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra River. The founders acted under the spiritual guidance of the sage Vidyaranya. The empire served as a bulwark against northern Islamic sultanates, consolidating control over the entire peninsular region south of the Krishna River.

Sangama Dynasty Rulers

• Harihara I: Ruled from 1336 to 1356 CE and laid the administrative foundations of the new state.
• Bukka Raya I: Ruled from 1356 to 1377 CE, expanded territories into the Madurai region, and assumed the title Purvapaschima Samudradhipati.
• Devaraya II: Ruled from 1424 to 1446 CE, represented the pinnacle of the Sangama dynasty, employed Muslim cavalrymen in his army, and patronized Kannada and Sanskrit literature.

Saluva and Tuluva Dynasties

Internal instability and provincial revolts led to the usurpation of the throne by general Saluva Narasimha, marking the beginning of the brief Saluva dynasty before the rise of the powerful Tuluva dynasty.

Saluva Dynasty

• Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya: Ruled from 1485 to 1491 CE, restored internal order and strengthened coastal trade ports.

Tuluva Dynasty

• Krishna Deva Raya: Ruled from 1509 to 1529 CE, brought the empire to its golden age, defeated the Sultan of Golconda and the Gajapatis of Odisha, and maintained friendly trade relations with the Portuguese.
• Achyuta Deva Raya: Ruled from 1529 to 1542 CE, maintained territorial integrity amidst rising internal rebellions.
• Sadaiva Raya: Ruled from 1543 to 1565 CE, with actual administrative power wielded by his prime minister Aliya Rama Raya.

Decline and Aravidu Dynasty

The Battle of Talikota in 1565 CE marked a catastrophic turning point for the empire when a coalition of northern Deccan sultanates decisively defeated the Vijayanagara army.

Fall of the Capital

• The victorious confederacy sacked, looted, and permanently depopulated the capital city of Vijayanagara over a period of several months.
• Aliya Rama Raya was executed on the battlefield, shattering the central military command.

Aravidu Dynasty

• Tirumala Deva Raya: Shifted the capital to Penukonda and later Chandragiri, attempting to revive administrative control.
• Sri Ranga III: Ruled during the seventeenth century as the final ruler of the fragmented empire before it disintegrated into autonomous nayakaship states.

Comparative Overview of Dynasties

Key Historical Facts

• The imperial title used by the rulers was Rayas, and the state language for administration was primarily Kannada, Telugu, and Sanskrit.
• Foreign travelers such as Ibn Battuta, Niccolo de Conti, Abdur Razzak, and Domingo Paes visited the empire and documented its immense wealth and advanced irrigation systems.
• Krishna Deva Raya authored the Telugu literary masterpiece Amuktamalyada and the Sanskrit drama Jambavati Kalyanam.
• The court of Krishna Deva Raya housed the Ashtadiggajas, a collective of eight celebrated Telugu poets.
• The Vitthala Temple complex features musical pillars that produce distinct acoustic tones when struck gently.
• The Hazara Rama Temple served as the private royal chapel for the kings of Vijayanagara and features extensive Ramayana relief carvings.