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
Seeing that the dawn of Saturday was now breaking, the drums and
trumpets and other music in the King's camp began to sound and the
men to shout, so that it seemed as if the sky would fall to the earth;
then the neighing and excitement of the horses, and the trumpeting of
the elephants, it is impossible for any one to describe how it was. But
even if told in simple truth it would hardly be believed the great fear
and terror that struck those who heard it, so that even those very
men that caused the noise were themselves frightened at it. And the
enemy on their part made no less noise, so that if you asked anything
you could not hear yourself speak and you had to ask by signs, since
in no other manner could you make yourself understood. When all in the
camp had gone to the front it was already two hours after sunrise, and
the King ordered an advance of his two forward divisions, with command
so to strike home that they should leave not one of the enemy alive;
and this was forthwith done. They attacked the enemy so hotly that many
of the King's troops found themselves on the tops of the trenches[554]
that the Moors had constructed in the fields. The Moors were disposed
as if they expected that the King would engage them all at once
with all his forces, and so it appeared to the Ydallcao and to his
officers; and for that reason he held ready all his artillery, waiting
for the time when, owing to the adventurousness of their main body,
his men must of necessity cause much slaughter in their ranks. Then
he intended to bring up his artillery and destroy them. But as soon
as he saw the manner of their attack the Ydallcao had to abandon the
plan that had seemed to him best for their safety, and he commended
the whole of the artillery at once to open fire; which discharge,
as it was very great, did much damage to the enemy, killing many of
the horse and foot and many elephants, and it compelled the King's
troops to retire. As soon as the Moors saw their enemies beginning to
leave the field they charged all amongst them, so that there did not
remain one man in the saddle nor one who kept his face to the foe;
but all the King's troops began to fly, and the Moors after them,
slaughtering them for about half a league. When the King saw the way
in which his troops fled he began to cry out that they were traitors,
and that he would see who was his side; and that since they all had
to die they should meet their fate boldly according to custom.[555]
"Who ranges himself with me?" he cried. Immediately there thronged
about him all those lords and captains that were ready to side with
him, and the King said that the day had arrived in which the Ydallcao
would boast that he had slain in it the greatest lord in the world,
but that he should never boast that he had vanquished him. Then he
took a ring from his finger and gave it to one of his pages, so that
he might show it to his queens in token of his death, that they might
burn themselves according to custom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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