Vijay Nagar and Bahamani Kingdoms

FIFTEENTH & SIXTEENTH CENTURIES: THE AGE OF VIJAYANAGAR & THE BAHAMANIES

• Both these kingdoms were founded by offices who had rebelled against the sultanate during reign of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq

1. The Bahamani Kingdom:-

• Dominated by Muslims;  established in 1345

• Founder Zafar Khan also known as Bahaman Shah; made Gulbarga his capital

• He had to fight various remnants of Muhammad Tughlaq’s troops, as well as the Hindu rulers of Orissa & Warangal
• The Rajas of Viajayanagar had established their empire almost at the same time as Bahaman Shah had founded his sultanate; they now emerged as his most formidable enemies
• The reasons were that:
• They both claimed the Raichur Doab, the fertile land between Krishna & Tungabhadra
• Golconda in Bahamani kingdom had diamond mines &
• Ambition to control peninsula
• Around 1400, the rulers of Vijayanagr, established an alliance with Bahamani sultans northern neighbors – sultan of Gujarat & Malwa

• In 1425, the Bahamani sultan subjected Warangal & thus reached the east coast.

• In 15th century capital was moved to Bidar. However only few years later the new Suryavamsha dynasty of Orissa challenged the sultanate & contributed to its downfall.

• Athanasius Nikitin, Russian traveler who spent 4 years in sultanate (1470-74)

• Kingdom reached the height of its glory under Mahmud Gawan in Bidar period as Prime Minister

• He conquered Goa, which had been captured by the rulers of Vijayanagar

• Gawan also introduced remarkable administrative reforms & controlled many districts directly, state finance was thus much improved
• But his competent organization ended with his execution ordered by the sultan as a result of court intrigue. After realizing his mistake the sultan drank himself to death within year
• After Gawan’s death indigenous Muslim courtiers & generals were ranged against the alien’s – Arabs, Turks & Persian

• The last sultan was Mahmud Shah (1482-1518)

• Governors of 4 most important province declared their independence

• Bijapur proved to be most expansive of successor states & annexed Berar & Bidar. Ahemadnagar & Golconda retained their independence & finally joined hands with Bijapur in greatest struggle against Vijayanagar

• Bijapur lost Goa to Portugese in 1510

• Armies of Vijayanagar were a match for armies of Bijapur. However when all Deccan sultanates pooled their resources, Vijayanagar suffered a crucial defeat in 1565

2. Vijayanagar Empire:-
• Founded by brothers, Harihara & Bukka in 1336
• Dynasty were named after their father, Sangama
• Regarded themselves as representative of god Virupaksha with advise of Vidyaranya
• Main temple of Vijayanagar at Hampi is dedicated to god Virupaksha
• There were 3 main Vijayanagar dynasties : Sangamas (1336-1485); the Imperial Tuvulus (1485-1550) & the Aravidis (1550-to late 17th century)
• Krishnadeva Raya (1509-29) of Tuluva dynasty was greatest of Vijayanagar empire
• He build almost all big temples of southern India
• He was great patron of Telugu literature & composed poems himself
• He was great praised as ‘Andhra Bhoja’ because he could rival the great 11th century Paramara King Bhoja, who had been greatest patrons of literature in Indian history
• Vijayanagar dynasties proclaimed a ‘dharmic kingdom’ after a campaign of 1365-70 against the Muslims who had captured Madurai
• And that supposedly, the kingdom stood for older religion & culture of country & was the ‘last bastion of Hinduism’ & when it fell, ‘the south died’
• In 1531, Chellapa (Saluva Narsinga Nayaka) rebelled against Krihsnadeva Raya’s brother & successor, Achutdeva Raya in alliance with Tamil Magnates

3. Economy:-
• Collected more land tax than predecessors
• Another source is income, control of western seaboard gave Vijayanagara access to growing Arabian sea trade, sponsored by Islamic power, in pepper textiles, sandalwood & other Indian produce

4. Architecture:-
• Capital cities of Bahamanis, Gulbarga & Bidar boasted of many fine buildings
• Jama masjid of Gulbarga & Madurai at Bidar were built on Persian style; best known Gol Gumbuz at Bijapur – its dome is said to one of largest in world
• Forts at Daulatabad & Golconda
• What we know about Vijayanagar or Hampi is from foreign travelers, Nicolo Conti & Abdur Razzaq
• Amma shrine – main deity’s consort resisted
• Kalyanamandap – open pillared pavilion with raised platform
• Rath – temple car/ chariot
• Scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata & other sacred works were portrayed on the walls

SOURCE MATERIAL

1. SLAVE SULTANS:-
• Amir Khusurao – poet & writer; patrionised by Alauddin Khilji – Laila Majnu, Ayina-i-Sikandri

 

2. THE KILJI PERIOD:-
• Hasht Bihist & Nuh-Siphir, Khazain-ul-futuh – Alauddin conquest, Tughlaq Nama which describes rise of Giyasuddin Tughlaq, Miftah-ul-futuh – 4 victories of Jalauddin Khilji; Nuh-siphir – poetical description of Qutub-ud-din Mubarak Shah Khilji’s reign

3. TUGHLAQ:-
• Zia-ud-din Barani – fatawah-i-Jahandari & Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi
• Firoz Shah – Fituhat-i-Firoz Shah. Literary works of Firishta, Badauni & Sufi literature
• Travelers – Ibn Batutah (1333-46), Marco Polo & Athanasius Nikitin (1475), Abdur Razzak