Page:Madras District Gazetteers - Anantapur.pdf/38

In 1347, however, the Musalman Viceroy of Daulatabad had revolted against the authority of Delhi, and proclaimed himself inde- pendent and founded the Bahmini line of kings whose capital was at Kulburga in what is now the Nizam’s Dominions. He soon extended his sway as far south as the Kistna river and for the next 135 years his dynasty constantly and strenuously opposed any northern expansion of the power of Vijayanagar. The details of the many struggles which occurred between these two rivals helong rather to the history of Bellary, in which district many of them took place, than to that of Anantapur, They are related in Ferishta’s history and Mr. Sewell’s Forgotien Empire.

It is in Bellary, too, that are to be found the chief permanent traces of the rule of the Vijayanagar kings, such as the remains of their capital and the irrigation channels they led from the Tungabhadra river. In Anantapur—except that they built some portions, not now separately distinguishable, of the fortifications at Gooty and Penukonda and that inscriptions show that here and there (at Tadpatri for example) they endowed or beautified temples—there is little that can be pointed to as their handiwork.

Between 1489 and 1527 the Bahmini kingdom at Kulburga fell to pieces. Several of the most powerful nobles revolted against the Bahmini dynasty and established themselves as independent rulers, and though the representatives of the line continued during this period to be sovereigns in name, their power rapidly declined and. was eventually divided between the five Muhammadan kingdoms of Bijapur, Ahmadabad, Berar, Ahmadnagar and Golconda, These five nevertheless continued the relentless opposition to Vijayanagar which their predecessors had always maintained and that kingdom continued constantly at war with one or other of them.

Vijayanagar perhaps reached the height of its power and magnificence under king Krishna Deva, who ruled from 1508 to 1530. His successor, his brother Achyuta Raya (1530-1542), was, however, a coward and at the same time a tyrant, and from his reign may be dated the beginning of the end of the empire. He alienated his best friends by his violent despotism and at length his nobles combined against him and took all real power into their own hands.

The leaders of this combination were three brothers named Rama R4ja, Tirumala and Venkatadri, of whom the two first were married to daughters of king Krishna Deva. Rama Raja was virtually king of Vijayanagar during the last part of Achyuta’s reign and throughout that of the next ruler Saddsiva. He was a strong man and did much to repair the damage to the prestige of the dynasty