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 all these things (feasts) had passed the king betook himself to
the new city, of which I have already told you that he delights in it
much because it was made and peopled by him, of which I have already
told you. In two years the king built this city. The king was received
by the citizens with great feasts, and the streets were hung with rich
cloths, and with many triumphal arches under which he passed. In this
city the king held another review of the troops of his guard, and
he distributed pay to all because it was the beginning of the year,
and it is their custom to pay salaries year by year. An inspection is
held by the officers of his house, and they write down the name of each
one, and the marks that he has on his face or body. There are men of
the guard who have a thousand PARDAOS pay, and others eight hundred,
others six hundred and more, and a little more or less; there is a
difference, and also a difference in the persons. Some men of them who
are of higher rank than others have two horses or three, and others
have no more than one. These troops have their captains, and each
captain goes with his guard to mount guard at the palace according
to order and custom; the king has in his guard five hundred horse,
and these watch outside the palace armed with their weapons. There
are two watches inside, and people with swords and shields.
The king, then, being in his new city, as I have said, Christovao de
Figueiredo begged him of his kindness that he would permit him to be
shown the palace of the city of Bisnaga, forasmuch as there had come
with him many Portuguese who had never been in Bisnaga, and they would
rejoice to see it, in order to have somewhat to tell of on their return
to their own lands, whenever God should take them there. The king at
once commanded that they should be shown certain of his residences,
for that of his wives no one ever sees. As soon as we had returned
to the city of Bisnaga, the governor of that place, who is called
Gamdarajo, and is brother of Salvatinica,[457] showed us the palace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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