A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of IndiaSewell, Robert
History
A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India
Sewell, Robert
Vijayanagar (Empire) -- History
After the capture of the fortress the Sultan, according to Ibn Batuta,
pursued Baha-ud-din southwards and arrived near the city of the prince
with whom he had taken refuge. The chief abandoned his guest to the
tender mercies of the tyrant, by whom he was condemned to a death of
fiendish barbarity.
"The Sultan ordered the prisoner to be taken to the women his
relations, and these insulted him and spat upon him. Then he ordered
him to be skinned alive, and as his skin was torn off his flesh was
cooked with rice. Some was sent to his children and his wife, and the
remainder was put into a great dish and given to the elephants to eat,
but they would not touch it. The Sultan ordered his skin to be stuffed
with straw, to be placed along with the remains of Bahadur Bura,[26]
and to be exhibited through the country."
To continue briefly the story given by Nuniz. After the capture
of Anegundi in 1334 the Sultan left Malik Naib (whom Nuniz calls
"Enybiquymelly" in his second chapter, and "Mileque neby," "Meliquy
niby," and "Melinebiquy" in the third) as his local governor, and
retired northwards. The country rose against the usurpers, and after a
time the Sultan restored the principality to the Hindus, but made a new
departure by raising to be Raya the former chief minister Deva Raya,
called "Deorao" or "Dehorao" by Nuniz. He reigned seven years. During
his reign this chief was one day hunting amongst the mountains south of
the river when a hare, instead of fleeing from his dogs, flew at them
and bit them.[27] The king, astonished at this marvel, was returning
homewards lost in meditation, when he met on the river-bank the sage
Madhavacharya, surnamed VIDYARANYA or "Forest of Learning," -- for so
we learn from other sources to name the anchorite alluded to -- who
advised the chief to found a city on the spot. "And so the king did,
and on that very day began work on his houses, and he enclosed the
city round about; and that done, he left Nagumdym, and soon filled
the new city with people. And he gave it the name VYDIAJUNA, for so
the hermit called himself who had bidden him construct it."[28]
Thus, in or about the year A.D. 1336, sprung into existence the great
city which afterwards became so magnificent and of such wide-spread
fame.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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