| Hampi is situated on the Southern bank of the Tungabhadra river, in Hospet Taluk, in Bellary District of Karnataka State, India(lat. 15ο-20', long. 76ο-25'). With the blessings and guidance of Sri Vidyaranya Swamy,the Jagadguru of the Sri Sarada Peetham, Sringeri, on Saturday, 4th May 1336 (corresponding to S.S. 1258, Dhatri, Vaisakha, Su, 7, Pusya, Hari), Vira Harihara, at Hampi, celebrated his coronation as the king of the just founded kingdom. Simultaneously the construction of a new capital city began with the name of Vijayanagara- Victory City. The kingdom came to be called after its capital city. The idea that a new city built around the Hemakuta hill originated in the mind of Sage Vidyaranya. He commanded his royal disciples, Harihara and Bukka, to give material shape to the idea. |  |
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They obeyed his command. Harihara entrusted to his younger brother Bukkaraya, whom he appointed as Yuvaraja the task of constructing the city. Accepting the orders of his Guru and his Sovereign, Bukka erected the new city. Vidyaranya supplied the idea; Harihara gave the necessary sanction and Bukka carried it into execution. It took seven years to complete the construction. In the year 1343A.D. the capital was shifted from Anagondi to the newely built city. Anegondi was the mother-city of Vijayanagara city. Just nine years earlier, in the year 1327 A.D., the Hindu kingdom of Kampila (with its capitals Kummata about 12kms northwest of Hampi and Hosamaledurga about 22kms south of Hampi) fell. | |
| Its king Kampilaraya and his son Kumararama died in the battlefield safeguarding the land from Muslim invasions. This sacrifice did not go waste. From the ashes of Kummatta and Hosamaledurga arose the mighty empire of Vijayanagara in 1336A.D just after nine years. Foundation of Vijayanagara took place on the same soil amidst the two capitals of the erstwhile Kampila kingdom. The people connected with the governence of the old kingdom might have actively helped in the formation of the new. | ||
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Varaha was the Raja-Lanchana (State emblem) of the kingdom. The emblem was the picture of a boar facing a sword with the Sun and the Moon above. On the national flags the varaha figures were displayed and were known as Panni Kodi(Tamil)/Varaha Dwaja(Sanskrit). The highest denomination gold coins were named after the varaha and was called as such. As one among the ten Avatharas of Lord Sri Mahavishnu, Lord Varaha Swami was, since the days of the Chalukyas of Badami, Symbolically portrayed in the form of an animal of a boar. | |
| A constitutional concept of those times was the use of sign manual. The Vijayanagara monarchs never affixed their personal signatures to the state documents. Instead they used the sign manual of 'Sri Virupaksha'. Sri Virupaksha(by which name Lord Siva is worshiped at Hampi) is the tutelary God of the kings of Viajayanagara. |  |
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This kingdom became the mighty Viajayanagara Empire (1336-1672) which ruled for 336 years the whole of peninsular India, South of the Tungabhadra- Krishna rivers with its influence, at times, extending to Sri Lanka. However the extent of territory depended largely on the personality of sovereign. Areas were added under strong kings and were lost under week ones. Goa was captured in 1369 during the reign of King Bukka I and was lost in | |
| 1471 during the reign of King Virupakasha II. Progressive reduction of territories began in 1565 when in that year the seat of government was shifted southwards from the Tungabadra banks to the Pennar valley and in 1592 when it was once again shifted further south to the Swarnamukhi valley and once again sifted after some time still further south to the Palar river bank. The longest extra-territorial influence can be seen in an inscription of King Krishnadevaraya dated July 2nd of 1521 at the Vishnupada Temple, Gaya, Bihar. | |||
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THE CAPITAL CITIES OF THE
VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
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| 1. Sringeri, Dwarasamudra and Hospatna | Mobile Capitals |
| 2. Anegundi | 1336- 1343 |
| 3. Vijayanagara | 1343- 1565 |
| 4. Penukonda | 1567- 1592 |
| 5. Chandragiri | 1592- 1606 |
| 6. Vellore | 1606- 1672 |
| The name 'VIJAYA'- City of Victory- Survived the fatal shock of A.D. 1565 and the capital of the monarchs was always called 'VIJAYA' whether at Anegundi, Hampi, Penukonda or Chandragiri. | |
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CENSUS |
| The populaton of the kingdom during the reign of King Krishnadevaraya was estimated at 18 millions. The capital city with one lakh houses had population of five lakhs. Army of six lakh soldiers fought at Raichur in 1520. |
| MONARCHS |
| The aim of the kings was the preservation and protection of Hindu dharma and tradition against the onslaughts of Islam. Over this vast territory 26 monarchs belonging to 4 dynasties- the Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu- reigned with regal splendor. |
| The empire was divided for the purposes of administration into a number of provinces called Rajyas. They were also known as Mandalams. A governer was appointed over each province by the central government at Vijayanagara. They enjoyed a good measure of local autonomy within their jurisdiction without interference from the central government as long as they discharged their obligation to it regularly. They held their own coarts and maintained their own armies. Besides there were areas which were adminsrtred through feudal vassals who claimed to enjoy a semi-independent status. They had the same status and powers of Governers. These high officers were known by different names like Samantas, Nayakas, Dandanayakas, Mandaleswaras et cetra. |  |
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| THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE VIJAYANAGARA KINGS | ||
| No. | Name of the King | Reign Period A.D. |
| Sangama Dynasty | ||
| 1. | VIRA HARIHARA I | 1336-1354 |
| 2. | BUKKA RAYA I | 1354-1377 |
| 3. | VIRA HARIHARA RAYA II | 1376-1404 |
| 4. | VIRUPAKSHA RAYA I | 1404-1405 |
| 5. | BUKKA RAYA II | 1405-1406 |
| 6. | DEVA RAYA I | 1406-1422 |
| 7. | BUKKA RAYA III | 1422-1423 |
| 8. | DEVARAYA II | 1423-1446 |
| 9. | VIRA DEVARAYA | 1446-1447 |
| 10. | MALLIKARJUNA RAYA | 1447-1465 |
| 11. | VIRUPAKSHA RAYA II | 1465-1486 |
| Saluva Dynasty | ||
| 12. | SALUVA NARASINGA RAYA I | 1486-1493 |
| 13. | SALUVA NARASINGA RAYA II | 1493-1501 |
| Tuluva Dynasty | ||
| 14. | VIRA NARASIMHA RAYA I | 1501-1502 |
| 15. | VIRA NARASIMHA RAYA II | 1502-1509 |
| 16. | KRISHNADEVARAYA | 1509-1530 |
| 17. | ACHUTHADEVARAYA | 1530-1542 |
| 18. | VENKATADEVARAYA I | 1542-1543 |
| 19. | VIRA SADASIVARAYA | 1543-1568 |
| Aravidu Dynasty | ||
| 20. | TIRUMALA DEVARAYA II | 1568-1572 |
| 21. | SRI RANGA DEVARAYA I | 1572-1586 |
| 22. | VENKATAPATI DEVARAYA II | 1586-1614 |
| 23. | SRI RANGA DEVARAYA II | 1614-1615 |
| 24. | RAMA DEVARAYA | 1615-1633 |
| 25. | VENKATA DEVARAYA III | 1633-1646 |
| 22. | SRI RANGA DEVARAYA III | 1646-1672 |
| Apart from the above mentioned monarchs Narasa Nayaka and Alia Rama Raya were the two karyakartas (regents) who virtually ruled as co-rulers. |