The political condition of India in the fourteenth century gave great opportunities for new kingdoms to rise in the south. The repressive measures of the Delhi sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq led to the rise of many new independent states. In the south, Vijayanagar and Gulbarga or Bahmani emerged as two great kingdoms. The Bahmani kingdom, ruled by 18 monarchs, lasted for nearly 180 years; Vijayanagar flourished for nearly 200 years until it was crushed at the battle of Talikota in 1565.
1. The Two Kingdoms – An Overview
- The Bahmani kingdom spread all over the Maharashtra region and partly over Karnataka.
- Early in the sixteenth century it collapsed and split into five sultanates – Bijapur, Ahmednagar, Golconda, Bidar and Berar.
- Vijayanagar's wealth and prosperity led the Muslim Deccan kingdoms to launch a combined war against it.
2. Foundation of the Vijayanagar Empire
- Vijayanagara means the 'city of victory'. It was established by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka.
- According to one tradition, Vidyaranya, head of the Saivite Sringeri mutt, told them to abandon their service to the Tughluqs and rescue the country from Muslim authority.
- For a time the new kingdom was called Vidyanagara, in honour of Vidyaranya, before it came to be called Vijayanagara.