Global InformationVijayanagara Empire information
Vijayanagara Empire | |
|---|---|
| 1336–1646[1] | |
 The Vijayanagara Empire at its height in 1485, tributaries not shown | |
| Capital | Vijayanagara (1336–1565) Penukonda (1565–1592) Chandragiri (1592–1604) Vellore (1604–1646)[2] |
| Common languages | Kannada Telugu Tamil Sanskrit[3] |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Government | Monarchy |
| Emperor | |
• 1336–1356 | Harihara I (first) |
• 1509–1529 | Krishna Deva Raya |
• 1642–1646 | Sriranga III (last) |
| History | |
• Established | 18 April 1336 |
• Earliest records | 1343 |
• Disestablished | 1646[1] |
| Currency | Varaha |
| Today part of | India |
The Vijayanagara Empire (/vɪˌdʒəjəˈnɑːɡərə/; also called the Karnata Kingdom[4]) was a medieval Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, members of a pastoralist Gadariya community that claimed Kuruba lineage.[5][6][note 1]
The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts by the southern powers to ward off Turco-Persian Muslim invasions by the end of the 13th century. At its peak, it conquered almost all of Southern India's ruling dynasties and pushed the Turco-Persian sultans of the Deccan beyond the Tungabhadra-Krishna River doab region, in addition to annexing Gajapati Empire (Odisha) up to the Krishna River, thus becoming a notable power.[7] It at its height ruled the lands of the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and some parts of Telangana, Maharashtra and some parts of Sri Lanka.
The empire lasted until 1646, although its power greatly declined after a major military defeat in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by the combined armies of the Deccan sultanates. The empire is named after its capital city of Vijayanagara, as Hampi was renamed, whose extensive ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka. The wealth and fame of the empire inspired visits by and writings of medieval European travelers such as Domingo Paes, Fernão Nunes, and Niccolò de' Conti. These travelogues, contemporary literature and epigraphy in the local languages, and modern archeological excavations at Vijayanagara have provided ample information about the history and power of the empire.
The empire's legacy includes monuments spread over Southern India, the best known of which is the group at Hampi. Different temple building traditions in South and Central India were merged into the Vijayanagara architecture style. This synthesis inspired architectural innovations in the construction of Hindu temples. Efficient administration and vigorous overseas trade brought new technologies to the region such as water management systems for irrigation. The empire's patronage enabled fine arts and literature to reach new heights in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit with topics such as astronomy, mathematics, medicine, fiction, musicology, historiography and theater gaining popularity. The classical music of Southern India, Carnatic music, evolved into its current form. The Vijayanagara Empire created an epoch in the history of Southern India that transcended regionalism by promoting Hinduism as a unifying factor. The colonettes of the Gadaladeniya Vihara temple, situated in Sri Lanka, match Vijayanagara style colonettes.
| Vijayanagara Empire |
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| Ruling dynasties |
- ^ Reddy, P. Bhaskar. "The Vijayanagara Empire".
- ^ Howes, Jennifer (1998). The Courts of Pre-colonial South India: Material Culture and Kingship. Psychology Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-07-0071-585-5.
- ^ Bridges, Elizabeth J. (2016). "Vijayanagara Empire". In Dalziel, N.; MacKenzie, J. M. (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Empire. pp. 1–5. doi:10.1002/9781118455074.wbeoe424. ISBN 978-1118455074.
- ^ Stein 1989, p. 1.
- ^ Dhere 2011, p. 243.
- ^ Sewell 2011, pp. 22, 23, 420.
- ^ Stein 1989, p. xi
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