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Krishnadevaraya (17 January 1471 – 17 October 1529) was emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1509 to 1529. He was the third monarch of the Tuluva dynasty, and is considered to be one of the greatest rulers in Indian history.<ref>Tabasum Bhanu (2015) Sri krishnadevaraya 1509-1529.made vijayanagara a military power in the south an overview IJCRT 3(4)</ref> He ruled the largest empire in India after the fall of the Islamic Delhi Sultanate.<ref name="k302">Keay, John, India: A History, New York: Harper Collins, 2000, p. 302</ref> Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians. Krishnadevaraya earned the titles Andhra Bhoja (lit. "Bhoja of Andhra"), Karnatakaratna Simhasanadeeshwara (lit. "Lord of the Jewelled Throne of Karnataka"), Yavana Rajya Pratistapanacharya (lit. "Establishment of the King to Bahmani Throne"), Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana (lit. "Lord of the Kannada Empire), Gaubrahmana Pratipalaka (lit. "Protector of Brahmins and Cows") and Mooru Rayara Ganda (lit. "Lord of Three Kings"). He became the dominant ruler of the peninsula by defeating the sultans of Bijapur, Golconda, the Bahmani Sultanate and the Gajapatis of Odisha, and was one of the most powerful Hindu rulers in India.<ref name="ReferenceA" />
Krishnadevaraya's rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation. This was the time when the land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna river (the Raichur doab) was acquired (1512), ruler of Odisha were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520).
When the Mughal Emperor Babur was taking stock of the potentates of north India, he rated Krishnadevaraya the most powerful, with the most extensive empire in the subcontinent.<ref name=k302/> The Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Duarte Barbosa visited the Vijayanagara Empire during his reign, and their travelogues indicate that the king was not only an able administrator but also an excellent general, leading from the front in battle and even attending to the wounded. On many occasions, the king changed battle plans abruptly, turning a losing battle into victory. The poet Mukku Timmanna praised him as the 'Destroyer of the Turks'.<ref name="Vijayanagara Voices p.124">Vijayanagara Voices: Exploring South Indian History and Hindu Literature William Joseph Jackson: p. 124</ref> Krishnadevaraya benefited from the counsel of his prime minister Timmarusu, whom he regarded as the father figure responsible for his coronation. Krishnadevaraya was also advised by the witty Tenali Ramakrishna, who was employed in his court.
Early lifeEdit
Krishnadevaraya was the son of Tuluva Narasa Nayaka<ref name="parents">Prof K.A.N. Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, pp. 250, 258</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and his queen Nagamamba.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:ISBN missing</ref> Tuluva Narasa Nayaka was an army commander under Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya, who later took control to prevent the disintegration of the empire and established the Tuluva dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. He accessed the throne after the death of his half-brother Viranarasimha.<ref name="o497">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was married to Srirangapatna's princess Tirumala Devi and his royal dancer from Kodagu, Chinna Devi.<ref name="o497" /> He was father to Tirumalamba (from Tirumala Devi), Vengalamba (from Chinna Devi) and Tirumala Raya (from Tirumala Devi). His daughters were married to Prince Rama Raya of Vijayanagara and his brother Prince Tirumala Deva Raya.<ref name="o497" />
Military careerEdit
His main enemies were the Bahmani Sultanate, the Deccan Sultanates, the Gajapatis of Odisha, who had been involved in constant conflict since the rule of Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya, and Portugal, a rising maritime power which controlled much of the sea trade.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Success in the DeccanEdit
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The raid and plunder of Vijayanagara towns and villages by the Deccan sultans came to an end during the Raya's rule. In 1509, Krishnadevaraya's armies clashed with them and Sultan Mahmud was severely injured and defeated.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Yusuf Adil Shah was killed and the Raichur Doab was annexed. Taking advantage of the victory, the Raya reunited Bidar, Gulbarga, and Bijapur into Vijayanagara and earned the title "establisher of the Yavana kingdom" when he released Sultan Mahmud and made him de facto ruler.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Sultan of Golconda Sultan Quli Qutb Shah was defeated by Timmarusu, the prime minister of Krishnadevaraya.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1513, Krishnadevaraya personally engaged in battle with Golconda Sultan Quli Qutb Shah at Pangal. The Vijayanagar army suffered defeat at the hands of the Golconda forces, resulting in the capture of the Pangal fort from Vijayanagar. As a consequence, Raya was compelled to retreat.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
War with KalingaEdit
The Gajapatis of Odisha ruled a vast land comprising parts of Bengal, Andhra, and Odisha.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Krishnadevaraya's success at Ummatur provided the necessary impetus to carry his campaign into the coastal Andhra region, which was under the control of the Gajapati king Prataparudra Deva. The Vijayanagara army laid siege to the Udayagiri fort in 1512.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The campaign lasted for a year before the Gajapati army disintegrated due to starvation.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Krishnadevaraya offered prayers at Tirupati thereafter, along with his wives Tirumala Devi and Chinnama Devi.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Gajapati army was then met at Kondaveedu. The armies of Vijayanagara, after establishing a siege for a few months, began to retreat due to heavy casualties.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Timmarusu discovered a secret entrance to the unguarded eastern gate of the fort and launched a night attack. This culminated with the capture of the fort and the imprisonment of Prince Virabhadra, the son of Prataparudra Deva.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Vasireddy Mallikharjuna Nayaka took over as governor of Kondaveedu thereafter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Krishnadevaraya planned an invasion of Kalinga, but Prataparudra learned of this plan and formulated his own plan to defeat the former at the fort of Kalinganagar. Timmarusu discovered Prataparudra's plan by bribing a Telugu deserter from the service of Prataparudra. When the Vijayanagara Empire did invade, Prataprudra was driven to Cuttack, the capital of the Gajapati Kingdom.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Prataparudra eventually surrendered to the Vijayanagara Empire, and gave his daughter, Princess Jaganmohini, in marriage to Krishnadevaraya.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Krishnadevaraya returned all the lands that the Vijayanagara Empire had captured north of the Krishna River; this made the Krishna river the boundary between the Vijayanagara and Gajapati Kingdoms.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Krishnadevaraya established friendly relations with the Portuguese in Goa in 1510.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Emperor obtained guns and Arabian horses from the Portuguese merchants.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He also utilized Portuguese expertise to improve the water supply to the Vijayanagara capital.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Final conflict and deathEdit
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The complicated alliances of the empire and the five Deccan sultanates meant that he was continually at war. In one campaign, he defeated Golconda and captured its commander Madurul-Mulk, crushed Bijapur and its sultan Ismail Adil Shah,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and restored the Bahmani sultanate to the son of Template:Nowrap.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Page needed
The highlight of his conquests occurred on 19 May 1520 where he secured Raichur Fort from Ismail Adil Shah after a difficult siege in which 16,000 Vijayanagara soldiers were killed. The exploits of the military commander, Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu of the Pemmasani Nayaks, during the Battle of Raichur were distinguished and lauded by Krishnadevaraya.<ref>Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Tidings of the king : a translation and ethnohistorical analysis of the Rāyavācakamu. Wagoner, Phillip B., Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 1993. Template:ISBN. Template:OCLC. p. 59: Quote: "Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu bravely offers to counter this move of the Turks by going with his men to infiltrate their camp."
- "Journal of the Andhra Historical Society". Andhra Historical Research Society, Rajahmundry, Madras, Andhra Historical Research Society. Volume 30: 91 "Ramalingatiayudu, who succeeded his father, was one of the most redoubtable warriors- in the court of Krishnadgvarlya. ... Rachuru (Raichur) and other strong places with his [Pemmasani Ramalinga] own men and prepared to proceed against the city of Golconda. ... Pemmasani Ramalinganayudu entered the thickest of the fight". 1964.
- Rajasekhara, Sindigi (2008). The Map Approach to Vijayanagara history. University of Michigan and Sujatha Publications. p. 34.</ref> It is said that 700,000 foot soldiers, 32,600 cavalry, and 550 elephants were used.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> A Portuguese contingent <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> commanded by Cristovão de Figueiredo<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with the use of fireweapons helped to conquer the fortress.
Krishnadevaraya was brutal towards Bahmani Generals of Raichur. Many Bahmani generals lost their lands. The other Muslim kings sent envoys to the emperor on hearing of his success and received a haughty reply.Template:Citation needed The king conveyed that if Adil Shah would come to him, do obeisance, and kiss his foot, his lands would be restored to him. The submission never took place. Krishnadevaraya then led his army as far north as Bijapur and occupied it.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Citation</ref> He imprisoned three sons of a former king of the Bahmani dynasty, who had been held captive by the Adil Shah and he proclaimed the eldest as king of the Deccan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Finally, in his last battle, he razed to the ground the fortress of Gulburga, the early capital of the Bahmani sultanate.
In 1524, Krishnadevaraya made his son Tirumala Raya the Yuvaraja (crown prince). The prince did not survive for long: he was poisoned.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Suspecting Timmarusu, Krishnadevaraya had him blinded.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> At the same time, Krishnadevaraya was preparing for an attack on Belgaum, which was in the Adil Shah's possession. Around this time, Krishnadevaraya fell ill and eventually died in 1529, succeeded by his brother, Achyuta Deva Raya.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Internal affairsEdit
During his reign he kept strict control over his ministers, and dealt severely with any minister who committed misdeeds.<ref name="India p.94">A Comprehensive History of India: Comprehensive history of medieval India by B.N. Puri, M.N. Das p. 94</ref> He abolished obnoxious taxes such as the marriage fee.<ref name="India p.94" /> To increase revenues, he brought new lands under cultivation, ordering the deforestation of some areas<ref name="India p.94" /> and undertook a large-scale work to obtain water for irrigation around Vijayanagara.<ref>Economic History of Medieval India, 1200–1500 p. 194</ref><ref>History of Medieval India: From 1000 A.D. to 1707 A.D. by Radhey Shyam Chaurasia p. 111</ref> Foreign travellers such as Paes, Nunez and Barbosa who visited Vijayanagara spoke highly of the efficiency of his administration and the prosperity of the people during his reign.<ref name="India p.94" />
The administration of the empire was carried along the lines indicated in his Amuktamalyada. He was of the opinion that the King should always rule with an eye towards Dharma. His concern for the welfare of the people is amply proved by his extensive annual tours all over the empire, during which he studied everything personally and tried to redress the grievances of the people and punish evildoers. With regard to the promotion of the economic progress of his people, Krishnadevaraya says: "the extent of the kingdom is the means for the acquisition of wealth.<ref name="reference">Medieval Indian History by Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis p. 82</ref> Therefore even if the land is limited in extent, excavate tanks and canals and increase the prosperity of the poor by leasing him the land for low ari and koru, so that you may obtain wealth as well as religious merit."<ref name="reference" />
Art and literatureEdit
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Krishnadevaraya was noted to be linguistically neutral as he ruled a multilingual empire. He is known to have patronised poets and issued inscriptions in languages as varied as Kannada, Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil. Krishnadevaraya himself was a polyglot, fluent in Kannada, Sanskrit, Telugu and Tamil. The official language of the Vijayanagara court was Kannada.Template:Sfn
Krishnadevaraya patronized literature in various languages. The rule of Krishnadevaraya was an age of prolific literature in many languages, although it is particularly known as a golden age of Telugu literature. Many Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit, and Tamil poets enjoyed the patronage of the emperor, who was fluent in many languages.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The king himself composed an epic Telugu poem Amuktamalyada. His Sanskrit works include ‘Madalasa Charita’, ‘Satyavadu Parinaya’, ‘Rasamanjari’ and ‘Jambavati Kalyana’.
The Telugu poet Mukku Timmanna praised him as a great general and stated: "O Krishnaraya, you Man-Lion. You destroyed the Turks from far away with just your great name's power. Oh Lord of the elephant king, just from seeing you the multitude of elephants ran away in horror."<ref name="Vijayanagara Voices p.124" />
Telugu literatureEdit
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The rule of Krishnadevaraya is known as golden age of Telugu literature. Eight Telugu poets were regarded as eight pillars of his literary assembly and known as Ashtadiggajas. Krishna Dev Raya himself composed an epic Telugu poem Amuktamalyada.<ref name="Jayapalan">Template:Cite book</ref>
During the reign of Krishnadevaraya Telugu culture and literature flourished and reached their heyday. The great emperor was himself a celebrated poet having composed Amuktamalyada.<ref name="Chenchiah"/> In the olden days, it was believed that eight elephants were holding the earth in eight different directions. The title Ashtadiggajas celebrates this belief and hence the court was also called Bhuvana Vijayam (Conquest of the World). This period of the Empire is known as the "Prabandha Period," because of the quality of the prabandha literature it produced.<ref name="Chenchiah">Template:Cite book</ref>
- Allasani Peddana is considered to be the greatest and given the title of Andhra Kavita Pitamaha (the father of Telugu poetry). Svarocisha Sambhava or Manucharita, his popular prabandha work, was dedicated to Krishnadevaraya
- Nandi Thimmana wrote Parijathapaharanam
- Madayyagari Mallana wrote Rajasekhara Charitramu
- Dhurjati wrote Kalahasti Mahatyamu and Kalahastisvara Satakamu
- Ayyalaraju Ramabhadrudu wrote Sakalakatha Sangraha and Ramaabhyudayamu
- Pingali Surana wrote Raghava Pandaviyamu, Kalapurnodayam and Prabhavate Pradyamana
- – Raghavapandaveeyamu is a dual work with double meaning built into the text, describing both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
- – Kalapurnodayam ("full bloom of art") has been considered the first original poetic novel in Telugu literature
- Battumurthy, alias Ramarajabhushanudu, wrote Kavyalankarasangrahamu, Vasucharitra, Narasabhupaliyam and Harischandranalopakhyanamu, a dual work which tells simultaneously the story of King Harishchandra and Nala and Damayanti
- Tenali Ramakrishna first wrote Udbhataradhya Charitramu, a Shaivite work. However, he later converted to Vaishnavism and wrote the Vaishnava devotional texts Panduranga Mahatmyamu, and Ghatikachala Mahatmyamu. Tenali Rama remains one of the most popular folk figures in India today, a quick-witted courtier ready even to outwit the all-powerful emperor.
Other well-known poets were Sankusala Nrisimha Kavi, who wrote Kavikarna Rasayana,<ref name="Chenchiah"/> Chintalapudi Ellaya, who wrote Radhamadhavavilasa and Vishnumayavilasa, the poet Molla, who wrote a version of the Ramayana,<ref name="Chenchiah"/> Kamsali Rudrakavi, who wrote Nirankusopakhyana,<ref name="Chenchiah"/> and Addamki Gangadhara, who wrote Tapatlsamvarana<ref name="Chenchiah"/> and Basavapurana.Template:Clarify Manumanchi Bhatta wrote a scientific work on veterinary science called Haya lakshanasara.<ref name="Chenchiah"/>
Kannada literatureEdit
He patronised several Kannada poets. Among them Mallanarya, who wrote Veera-shaivamruta, Bhava-chinta-ratna and Satyendra Chola-kathe; Chatu Vittalanatha who wrote Bhagavatha and Timmanna Kavi wrote a eulogy of his king in Krishna Raya Bharata.<ref name="Kannada1">Dr. S.U. Kamat, Concise history of Karnataka, pp. 157–189</ref><ref name="Kannada2">Prof K.A.N. Sastri, History of South India pp. 355–366</ref> Vyasatirtha, the noted Dvaita saint from Mysore (of the Madhva tradition) was the emperor's Rajaguru ("royal guru").<ref name="rajguru">Krishna Deva Raya considered the saint his Kula-devata and highly honored him. A Concise History of Karnataka p. 178, Dr. S.U. Kamath, [1] Haridasas of Karnataka, Madhusudana Rao CR, History of South India, p. 324, Prof. K.A.N. Sastri</ref> The writing Krishna Deva Rayana Dinachari in Kannada is a recently discovered work.<ref name="dina">A Concise History of Karnataka, Dr. S.U. Kamath, p. 157</ref> The record highlights the contemporary society during Krishnadevaraya's time in his personal diary. However, it is not yet clear if the record was written by the king himself.
Purandara Dasa, "widely considered the father of Carnatic music" was closely associated with the empire. He extolled the Madhwa philosophy in his compositions and was a disciple of the Rajaguru of the emperor. According to Sambamoorthy,<ref>Friday Review Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Columns: An authority on Purandara Dasa. The Hindu. 20 October 2006.</ref> he was born as Srinivasa and had his formal initiation by Vyasatirtha took place around 1525 when he was about 40 years of age, when he was given the name Purandara Dasa. Purandara Daasa traveled extensively in southern India composing and rendering them in praise of his god Purandara Vittala. He spent his last years in Hampi where he rendered his compositions in Krishnadevaraya's court.
Tamil literatureEdit
Krishnadevaraya patronised the Tamil poet Haridasa, and Tamil literature soon began to flourish as the years passed by.<ref name="Tamil1">Dr. S.U. Kamat, Concise history of Karnataka, pp. 157–189, History of South India, pp. 331–354, Prof. K.A.N. Sastri</ref>
Sanskrit literatureEdit
In Sanskrit, Vyasatirtha wrote Bhedojjivana, Tatparyachandrika, Nyayamrita (a work directed against the Advaita philosophy) and Tarkatandava. Krishnadevaraya, himself an accomplished scholar, wrote Madalasa Charita, Satyavadu Parinaya and Rasamanjari and Jambavati Kalyana.<ref name="Kannada1"/><ref name="sanskrit2">Prof K.A.N. Sastri, History of South India pp. 239–280</ref><ref name="sanskrit4">Prof K.A.N. Sastri, History of South India pp. 309–330</ref>
Religion and cultureEdit
Krishnadevaraya respected all sects of Hinduism. He is known to have encouraged and supported various sects and their places of worship.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> He rebuilt the Virupaksha Temple and other Shiva shrines. He gave land grants to the temples of Tirumala, Srisailam, Amaravati, Chidambaram, Ahobilam, and Tiruvannamalai.<ref name=":0" /> He lavished on the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple numerous objects of priceless value, ranging from diamond studded crowns to golden swords to nine kinds of precious gems.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Krishnadevaraya made Venkateshwara his patron deity.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> He visited the temple seven times.<ref name=":1" /> Out of the around 1,250 temple epigraphs published by the Tirumala Devasthanam, 229 are attributed to Krishnadevaraya.<ref name=":1" /> A statue of Krishnadevaraya with two of his wives is found at the temple complex of Tirumala.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> These statues are still visible at the temple at the exit. He also contributed in building parts of the Srisailam temple complex where he had rows of mandapas built.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Sri Vaishnavas claim that Krishnadevaraya himself was formally initiated into the Sri Vaishnava tradition and that's why he wrote a Telugu work on Andal, a Tamil Sri Vaishnava female saint, called the Amuktamalyada.<ref name=":1" /> They claim that Venkata Tathacharya of the Sri Vaishnava sect was Krishnadevaraya's rajaguru, and he was considered influential.<ref name=":1" /> But the Madhva text Vyasayogicarita the biography of Madhva seer Vyasatirtha says that the kulaguru of Krishnadevaraya. A manuscript from Madras Oriental Manuscript Library which is from a book written by Krishnadevaya himself in which Krishnadevaraya himself wrote that Vyasatirtha is his Rajaguru."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
SourcesEdit
- Template:Citation
- Smith, Vincent, Oxford History of India, 4th ed., pp. 306–307, 312–313.
- Template:Citation
- Prof K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002)
External linksEdit
- The Golden Era of Telugu Literature from the Vepachedu Educational Foundation
- Krishnadevaraya's complex at Tirupati
- Statues of Krishnadevaraya and his wives at Tirupati.
- Gold coins issued during Krishnadevaraya's reign
- A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagara): a contribution to the history of India (Translation of the Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga written by Domingos Paes and Fernão Nunes about 1520 and 1535, respectively, with a historical introduction by Robert Sewell)