The Vijayanagar and Bahmani Kingdoms Class 7 ICSE Notes
•The Vijaynagar Kingdom
The kingdom of Vijayanagar was founded by two brothers, Harihar and Bukka Rai, near the banks of the river Tungabhadra in 1336 AD. At that time Muhammad Tughlaq was the Sultan of Delhi. Harihar’s coronation ceremony was held at Vijayanagar in 1336 AD. Both the brothers greatly enlarged their dominion. The Vijayanagar empire then comprised the whole of Southern India below the river Tungabhadra, covering the present territories of Chennai and Mysore up to Cape Comorin. Bukka Rai succeeded his brother Harihar in 1356 AD. He ruled upto 1377 AD. Vijayanagar became an important centre of Hindu civilization and culture in South India.
•Krishna Deya Raya
• Krishna Deva Raya’s rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation. This was the time when the land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers (the Raichur doab) was acquired (1512), the rulers of Odisha were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520). Although the kingdom remained in a constant state of military preparedness, it flourished under conditions of unparalleled peace and prosperity.
• Krishna Deva Raya is credited with building some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important south Indian temples. He also founded a suburban township near Vijayanagar called Nagalapuram after his mother.
• Krishna Deva Raya was a wise and shrewd statesman. He was well aware of the importance of overseas trade and naval power. To expand his market and to grow his trade he maintained friendly relations with the Portguese and granted them special concessions.
During his reign the city of Vijayanagar touched the height of its glory and prosperity. He died in 1529 AD. After his death, the downfall of the state of Vijayanagar started due to the chain of its weak rulers. The last ruler of this dynasty was Sada Shiva, who was defeated by the Bahmani State in the Battle of Talikot in 1565 AD.
•Causes of Conflict and Battle of Talikot in 1565
The rulers of the Vijayanagar and the Bahmani kingdoms were continuously at war on account of the following reasons :
1. Both the kindoms claimed the Raichur Doab, laying between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers, due to its fertility and rich produce.
2. Both of them wanted to have Golconda, because of its richness in the diamond mines.
1. Both the kindoms claimed the Raichur Doab, laying between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra rivers, due to its fertility and rich produce.
2. Both of them wanted to have Golconda, because of its richness in the diamond mines.
3. Both of them were interested to control the whole Peninsula.
At last a fierce battle was fought at Talikot between the Vijayanagar kingdom and the Bahmani kingdom in 1565 AD. The forces of the Vijayanagar Kingdom were completely defeated and the kingdom was completely ruined.
•Administration under the Vijaynagar Rulers
• In the kingdom of Vijayanagar, the king was all powerful in civil, military and judicial matters.
• The king maintained a splendid court, which was attended by the nobles, priests, men of learning, astrologers and musicians.
• The empire was divided into kattams (districts) and tehsils and these kattams were under the control of the Governors. They gave a part of the revenue to the Central government and rendered military service to the king.
• The tehsils comprised a group of villages, and there was a panchayat system in the villages. The king was the highest court of appeal.
• For the criminal cases, punishments were very severe.
• The land revenue was the main source of income, although other taxes were also levied.
• The earned revenue was spent for the prosperity of the kingdom. Italian traveller Nicolo-Conti and Persian traveller, Abdul Razzak, who visited Vijayanagar in 1420 and 1443 AD respectively, had praised the kingdom for its all-round progress and prosperity.
•Social Conditions
Though the Brahmins possessed great influence in all matters such as religious, social and even political, yet the people of all castes were happy and prosperous. Women were also respected and well treated. They could take part in political and literary fields. But, Sati, polygamy and child marriage were common. Nevertheless there were women judges, astrologers, accountants, even wrestlers and guards of the king’s palaces.
•Economic Life
The Vijayanagar kingdom had a flourishing trade with Portugal, the English and the Dutch. The kingdom had abundance of gold, precious stones and silver. The trade was carried on with Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Arabia, Persia, China and Southeast Asia. The kings paid great attention to irrigation also. They constructed dams and canals for irrigation. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people.
Art and Architecture
The Emperors of Vijayanagar whose empire compromised of almost the whole of peninsular India, were great builders. They exerted great importance on developing irrigation facilities for agricultural improvement as they knew the prosperity of the kingdom depended on fertility of the soil and irrigation. Canals, tanks and wells were the main source of irrigation.
Temple architecture received a new impetus and reached to new heights under the patronage of the Vijayanagar rulers, a large number of temples were built during this period.
In temple building they continued the traditions and styles of the Chalukyas, Cholas and Pandyas. These temples in Andhra Pradesh and Deccan show marked traces of Chalukyan style, whereas their temples in the south show Chola and Pandya influence. Built of hard stone, the Vijayanagar temples are large structures with spacious mandapas and lofty gopurams.
One of the most splendid temples of the time is the famous Harasa Rama Temple at Vijayanagar built in the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1550 AD). It is considered to be “one of the most perfect specimen of Hindu Temple architecture”. The temple does not have a gopuram.
The temple of Vithala also in Vijayanagar dedicated to Vishnu is another gigantic structure started by Krishna Deva Raya in 16th century AD.
•Mohhammad Gawan (1460 -1481)
Mohammad Gawan was a Persian merchant. He came to India and took service with the Bahmani ruler, Ala-ud-Din II. Under his leadership, the kingdom got further expanded.
• Mohammad Gawan organized the army on systematic lines and conquered Goa and Kanchipuram.
• The military power that had been assigned to the Jagirdars by the former rulers was taken away from them and centralised in the hands of the Sultan.
• With a view to improving agriculture various irrigation projects were undertaken.
• The existing four provinces were divided into eight ‘Tarafs. He reduced the powers of the governors of these ‘Tarafs’ (Provinces).
• The military power that had been assigned to the Jagirdars by the former rulers was taken away from them and centralised in the hands of the Sultan.
• With a view to improving agriculture various irrigation projects were undertaken.
• The existing four provinces were divided into eight ‘Tarafs. He reduced the powers of the governors of these ‘Tarafs’ (Provinces).
• He put a check on the powers of the nobles.
• He introduced a fair system of justice.
• He took several measures to spread education. He opened a ‘Madrassa’– an institution of higher learning at Bidar. A library containing about 3000 books was also established.
A great patron of art, he was intolerant towards Hindus. But the Deccan nobles disliked Gawan and they conspired against him. As a result, he was executed in 1481 AD by the orders of the Sultan. The glory of the state started declining after the death of Mohammad Gawan. The Bahmani kingdom was divided into five independent states, namely, Berar, Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmadnagar and Golconda. These kingdoms were at war among themselves and these were later on conquered by the Mughals.
•Admistration of Bahamani Rulers
• The Bahmani kingdom was divided into tarafs or provinces and were under the Governors who were very powerful.
• Though the kings were always at war, they had expert and intelligent ministers like Saif-ud-Din and Mohammad Gawan who worked very hard for the peace and prosperity of the state.
• Dams and canals were constructed for irrigation. Schools, colleges and hospitals were built.
• The Bahmani kings were great builders. The princes of Bijapur and Golconda (now, Hyderabad) erected beautiful buildings, the most famous of these being the Gol Gumbaz, the tomb by Muhammad Adi Shah. Another monument worth mentioning is the famous Charminar built in 1501 to commemorate the eradication of plague.
• Most of the Bahmani rulers were religious bigots and took pride in persecuting their Hindu subjects.
• The Bahmani kings were great builders. The princes of Bijapur and Golconda (now, Hyderabad) erected beautiful buildings, the most famous of these being the Gol Gumbaz, the tomb by Muhammad Adi Shah. Another monument worth mentioning is the famous Charminar built in 1501 to commemorate the eradication of plague.
• Most of the Bahmani rulers were religious bigots and took pride in persecuting their Hindu subjects.
•Art and Architecture
The Bahmani Sultans were great patrons of art and architecture. There is much evidence that they employed architects and craftsmen from Persia to build the Jama Masjid at Gulbarga, Chand Minar at Daulatabad and the Madrassa of Mohammad Gawan at Bidar. The fortresses built during the period were a mixture of the work of Hindu, Tughlaq and Bahmani sovereigns. Mahur, Bidar, Narnulla and Golconda are some of the architectural examples of the Sultans. The Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur shows the skill of the architecture of Bahmani Kingdoms. The Mihtar Mahal, which is an ornamental gateway to the courtyard of a mosque, is a notable building.
0 Comments