Ch 07 - T7: AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL: VIJAYANAGARA (c. 14th to 16th centuries)12th Themes in Indian History
Foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire
When and by whom was the Vijayanagara Empire founded?
When and by whom was the Vijayanagara Empire founded?
Foundation (1336 CE)
- Founders: Two brothers, Harihara and Bukka.
- Dynasty: Sangama Dynasty.
- Location: On the banks of the river Tungabhadra.
- Name: Vijayanagara translates to the 'City of Victory'. Contemporaries also referred to it as Karnataka Samrajyamu.
Prism Memory Hook
Harihara and Bukka built the Home of Victory.
The Four Dynasties of Vijayanagara
What is the correct chronological order of the four dynasties that ruled the Vijayanagara Empire?
What is the correct chronological order of the four dynasties that ruled the Vijayanagara Empire?
Dynastic Sequence
- Sangama: The founding dynasty (ruled until 1485).
- Saluva: Military commanders who usurped power (ruled until 1503).
- Tuluva: The dynasty of Krishnadeva Raya, the empire's most famous ruler.
- Aravidu: The final dynasty, which ruled from Penukonda and Chandragiri after the city was sacked in 1565.
Prism Memory Hook
Sangama -> Saluva -> Tuluva -> Aravidu (SSTA).
Geopolitical Rivals and Royal Titles
Match the 15th-century royal titles Gajapati, Ashvapati, and Narapati to their respective rulers and regions.
Match the 15th-century royal titles Gajapati, Ashvapati, and Narapati to their respective rulers and regions.
Titles of Regional Rulers
- Gajapati (Lord of Elephants): Rulers of Orissa (a powerful rival lineage).
- Ashvapati (Lord of Horses): Sultans of the Deccan.
- Narapati (Lord of Men): The Rayas of Vijayanagara.
Context: The Vijayanagara kings constantly competed with the Gajapatis and the Deccan Sultans for control over fertile river valleys and lucrative foreign trade.
Prism Memory Hook
Gajapati = Orissa (Elephants); Ashvapati = Deccan (Horses); Narapati = Vijayanagara (Men).
Also in this chapter
45 more cards to study in Prism
- 4The Title: Hindu Suratrana
- 5Military Expansion under Krishnadeva Raya
- 6Statecraft Literature: Amuktamalyada
- 7The Ashtadiggajas of KDR's Court
- 8Urban Expansion: Nagalapuram
- 9Architectural Contributions to Virupaksha
- 10The Term 'Yavana' in Inscriptions
- 11Royal Portraiture and Self-Projection
- 12The Fall: Battle of Talikota (Rakshasi-Tangadi)
- 13Administration: The Amara-Nayaka System
- 14Administrative Distinctions: Nayakas and Amara-Nayakas
- 15Strategic Commerce: The Horse Trade
- 16Urban Markets: Observations by Fernao Nuniz
- 17Foreign Accounts: 15th-Century Travellers
- 18Foreign Accounts: 16th-Century Travellers
- 19Paes's Vision of the Capital
- 20Fortifications: Abdur Razzaq's Account
- 21The Logic of Fortified Agriculture
- 22Masonry of the Fortifications
- 23Irrigation Infrastructure: The Hiriya Canal
- 24Water Storage: Kamalapuram Tank
- 25The Human Cost of Infrastructure
- 26Housing of the Ordinary People
- 27Wealth Indicators in the Urban Core
- 28Cultural Synthesis in Urban Mosques
- 29Indo-Islamic Architectural Influence
- 30Questioning the 'Royal Centre' Designation
- 31The Mahanavami Dibba (House of Victory)
- 32Political Significance of the Mahanavami Festival
- 33The Lotus Mahal
- 34The Elephant Stables
- 35The Hazara Rama Temple
- 36Mythical Geography of the Sacred Centre
- 37Defining Raya Gopurams
- 38Defining the Kalyana Mandapa
- 39The Vitthala Temple Complex
- 40Urban Planning: Chariot Streets
- 41The Modern Discovery of Hampi
- 42Early Photographic Documentation
- 43Epigraphical Studies at Hampi
- 44The Shift to Conservation
- 45Modern Archaeological Mapping
- 46UNESCO Recognition
- 47The Illusion of Stone
- 48The Silent Majority in History
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12th Themes in Indian History
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