An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara

About this unit

This unit studies Vijayanagara, the "city of victory", capital of an empire founded in the fourteenth century in the Krishna–Tungabhadra region of south India. Today its ruins are known as Hampi. The chapter shows how historians combine very different sources to rebuild the past of a city: the ruins themselves, inscriptions, the accounts of foreign travellers, and the maps and drawings made by colonial surveyors. It looks at the rulers and their military chiefs, the way the city was supplied with water and defended, and the meaning of its palaces and temples.

Key ideas

• Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka.
• Four dynasties ruled: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu.
• Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty is the best-known ruler.
• The amara-nayaka system gave military chiefs the right to collect revenue.
• The city had massive fortifications, tanks and canals fed by the Tungabhadra.
• The royal centre and the sacred centre show how kings used architecture to display power.

How to prepare

Memorise the founding date, the four dynasties and the 1565 battle that led to the sacking of the city. Learn the names of the foreign travellers and what they described. Be able to identify the main buildings (Mahanavami Dibba, Lotus Mahal, Hazara Rama, Virupaksha, Vitthala) from a short description.