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
He describes the large trade of the seaport of Bhatkal on its western
coast, the exports from which consisted of iron, spices, drugs,
myrabolans, and the imports of horses and pearls; but as regards
he last two items he says, "They now go to Goa, on account of the
Portuguese." The governor of Bhatkal was a nephew of King Krishna
Deva. "He lives in great state and calls himself king, but is in
obedience to the king, his uncle."
Leaving the sea-coast and going inland, Barbosa passed upwards through
the ghats.
"Forty-five leagues from these mountains there is a very large city
which is called BIJANAGUER, very populous, and surrounded on one side
by a very good wall, and on another by a river, and on the other
by a mountain. This city is on level ground; the king of Narsinga
always resides in it. He is a gentile, and is called Raheni.[203]
He has in this place very large and handsome palaces, with numerous
courts.... There are also in this city many other palaces of great
lords, who live there. And all the other houses of the place are
covered with thatch, and the streets and squares are very wide. They
are constantly filled with an innumerable crowd of all nations and
creeds.... There is an infinite trade in this city.... In this city
there are many jewels which are brought from Pegu and Celani (Ceylon),
and in the country itself many diamonds are found, because there is
a mine of them in the kingdom of Narsinga and another in the kingdom
of Decani. There are also many pearls and seed-pearls to be found
there, which are brought from Ormuz and Cael ... also silk-brocades,
scarlet cloth, and coral....
"The king constantly resides in the before-mentioned palaces, and
very seldom goes out of them....
"All the attendance on the king is done by women, who wait upon him
within doors; and amongst them are all the employments of the king's
household; and all these women live and find room within these palaces,
which contain apartments for all....
"This king has a house[204] in which he meets with the governors and
his officers in council upon the affairs of the realm.... They come in
very rich litters on men's shoulders.... Many litters and many horsemen
always stand at the door of this palace, and the king keeps at all
times nine hundred elephants and more than twenty thousand horses,
all which elephants and horses are bought with his own money.... This
king has more than a hundred thousand men, both horse and foot,
to whom he gives pay....
"When the king dies four or five hundred women burn themselves with
him.... The king of Narsinga is frequently at war with the king of
Dacani, who has taken from him much of his land; and with another
gentile king of the country of Otira (apparently Orissa), which is
the country in the interior."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account