a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第42章

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　and　threw　them　overboard。　In　these　ways　he　massacred　2000　men。

This　resulted　in　a　serious　war　in　Malabar；　as　the　wretched　inhabitants　of　the　country；　driven　to　desperation；　determined　at　all　hazards　to　destroy　the　ruthless　invaders　of　their　land。　The　Portuguese　were　attacked　at　Cannanore；　and　a　series　of　desperate　struggles　took　place；　in　the　course　of　which　Noronha；　the　commandant；　desolated　the　country　and　ruined　many　people　by　cutting　down　forty　thousand　palm　trees。　At　last；　however；　peace　was　made。



CHAPTER　15

Destruction　of　Vijayanagar　（A。D。　1565）

Arrogance　of　Rama　Raya　　Ahmadnagar　attacked　　Muhammadans　combine　against　Vijayanagar　　The　league　of　the　five　kings　　Their　advance　to　Talikota　　Decisive　battle；　1565；　and　total　defeat　of　the　Hindus　　Death　of　Rama　Raya　　Panic　at　Vijayanagar　　Flight　of　the　royal　family　　Sack　of　the　great　city　　Its　total　destruction　　Evidence　of　Federici；　1567　　Downfall　of　Portuguese　trade；　and　decay　of　prosperity　at　Goa。

Meanwhile　affairs　were　advancing　rapidly　in　the　interior。　After　the　Nizam　Shah's　dominions　had　been　wasted；　as　already　described；　by　the　Adil　Shah　and　Rama　Raya；　peace　was　made　by　the　restoration　of　Kallian　to　Bijapur；＇320＇　but　as　soon　as　the　allies　had　retired；　Hussain　entered　into　an　alliance　with　Ibrahim　Qutb　Shah　and　again　marched　to　attack　Ali　Adil。　Again　Ali　called　in　the　aid　of　Vijayanagar；　and　again　Rama　Raya　marched　to　his　aid；　this　time　with　50；000　horse　and　an　immense　force　of　infantry。　The　opposing　forces　met　at　Kallian；　when　the　Qutb　Shah　deserted　to　Ali　Adil；　and　Hussain　was　compelled　to　withdraw　to　Ahmadnagar。　Attacked　in　his　own　capital；　he　retreated。

〃The　three　sovereigns　laid　siege　to　Ahmednuggur；　and　despatched　detachments　various　ways　to　lay　waste　the　country　round。　The　Hindoos　of　Beejanuggur　committed　the　most　outrageous　devastations；　burning　and　razing　the　buildings；　putting　up　their　horses　in　the　mosques；　and　performing　their　idolatrous　worship　in　the　holy　places；　but；　notwithstanding；　the　siege　was　pushed　with　the　greatest　vigour；　the　garrison　held　out　with　resolution；　hoping　that　at　the　approach　of　the　rainy　season；　the　enemy　would　be　necessitated　to　raise　the　siege。

〃when　the　rains　had　set　in；　from　the　floods；　damp；　and　want　of　provisions；　distress　began　to　prevail　in　the　camp　of　the　allies；　and　Kootub　Shaw　also　secretly　corresponded　with　the　besieged；　to　whom　he　privately　sent　in　grain。〃＇321＇

The　siege　was　raised；　therefore；　and　before　long　the　allies　separated；　and　the　Hindu　army　returned　home。

〃In　the　first　expedition　on　which　Ali　Adil　Shaw；　pressed　by　the　behaviour　of　Houssein　Nizam　Shaw；　had　called　Ramraaje　to　his　assistance；　the　Hindoos　at　Ahmednuggur　committed　great　outrages；　and　omitted　no　mark　of　disrespect　to　the　holy　religion　of　the　faithful；　singing　and　performing　their　superstitious　worship　in　the　mosques。　The　sultan　was　much　hurt　at　this　insult　to　the　faith；　but；　as　he　had　not　the　ability　to　prevent　it；　he　did　not　seem　to　observe　it。　Ramraaje　also；　at　the　conclusion　of　this　expedition；　looking　on　the　Islaam　sultans　as　of　little　consequence；　refused　proper　honours　to　their　ambassadors。　When　he　admitted　them　to　his　presence；　he　did　not　suffer　them　to　sit；　and　treated　them　with　the　most　contemptuous　reserve　and　haughtiness。　He　made　them　attend　when　in　publick　in　his　train　on　foot；　not　allowing　them　to　mount　till　he　gave　orders。　On　the　return　from　the　last　expedition　to　Nuldirruk；　the　officers　and　soldiers　of　his　army　in　general；　treated　the　mussulmauns　with　insolence；　scoffing；　and　contemptuous　language；　and　Ramraaje；　after　taking　leave；　casting　an　eye　of　avidity　on　the　countries　of　Koottub　Shaw　and　Adil　Shaw；　dispatched　armies　to　the　frontiers　of　each。〃

Both　the　great　Shahs；　therefore；　abandoned　certain　territories　to　the　Hindus；　and　from　Golkonda　Rama　obtained　Ghanpura　and　Pangul。　It　was　the　last　Hindu　success。

〃Ramraaje　daily　continuing　to　encroach　on　the　dominions　of　the　mussulmauns；　Adil　Shaw　at　length　resolved；　if　possible；　to　punish　his　insolence　and　curtail　his　power　by　a　general　league　of　the　faithful　against　him；　for　which　purpose　he　convened　an　assembly　of　his　friends　and　confidential　advisers。〃

Some　of　these　urged　that　the　Raya　was　too　wealthy　and　powerful；　by　reason　of　his　immense　revenues；　which　were　collected　from　no　less　than　sixty　seaports　in　addition　to　very　large　territories　and　dependencies；　and　the　number　of　his　forces　was　too　vast；　for　any　single　Muhammadan　monarch　to　cope　with　him。　They　therefore　pressed　the　Sultan　to　form　a　federation　of　all　the　kings　of　the　Dakhan　and　wage　a　joint　war。　Ali　Adil　heartily　concurred　in　their　opinion；　and　began　by　despatching　a　secret　embassy　to　Ibrahim　Qutb　Shah。

Ibrahim　eagerly　accepted；　and　offered　his　services　as　mediator　between　Ali　Adil　and　his　great　rival　at　Ahmadnagar。　An　envoy　was　sent　to　the　latter　capital；　and　the　sovereign；　Hussain　Shah；　warned　beforehand　of　the　important　proposals　to　be　made；　received　him　in　private　audience。　The　ambassador　then　laid　before　the　king　all　the　arguments　in　favour　of　the　Bijapur　plan。

〃He　represented　to　him　that　during　the　times　of　the　Bhamenee　princes；　when　the　whole　strength　of　the　mussulmaun　power　was　in　one　hand；　the　balance　between　it　and　the　force　of　the　roles　of　Beejanuggur　was　nearly　equal；　that　now　the　mussulmaun　authority　was　divided；　policy　demanded　that　all　the　faithful　princes　should　unite　as　one；　and　observe　the　strictest　friendship；　that　they　might　continue　secure　from　the　attacks　of　their　powerful　common　enemy；　and　the　authority　of　the　roles　of　Beejanuggur；　who　had　reduced　all　the　rajas　of　Carnatic　to　their　yoke；　be　diminished；　and　removed　far　from　the　countries　of　Islaam；　that　the　people　of　their　several　dominions；　who　ought　to　be　considered　the　charge　of　the　Almighty　committed　to　their　care；　might　repose　free　from　the　oppressions　of　the　unbelievers；　and　their　mosques　and　holy　places　be　made　no　longer　the　dwellings　of　infidels。〃

These　arguments　had　their　full　weight；　and　it　was　arranged　that　Hussain　Nizam　Shah　should　give　his　daughter　Chand　Bibi　in　marriage　to　Ali　Adil　with　the　fortress　of　Sholapur　as　her　DOT；　and　that　his　eldest　son；　Murtiza；　should　espouse　Ali's　sister　　the　two　kingdoms　coalescing　for　the　conquest　and　destruction　of　Vijayanagar。　The　marriages　were　celebrated　in　due　course；　and　the　Sultans　began　their　preparations　for　the　holy　war。

〃Ali　Adil　Shaw；　preparatory　to　the　war；　and　to　afford　himself　a　pretence　for　breaking　with　his　ally；　dispatched　an　ambassador　to　Ramraaje；　demanding　restitution　of　some　districts　that　had　been　wrested　from　him。　As　he　expected；　Ramraaje　expelled　the　ambassador　in　a　very　disgraceful　manner　from　his　court；　and　the　united　sultans　now　hastened　the　preparations　to　crush　the　common　enemy　of　the　Islaam　faith。〃

Ibrahim　Qutb　Shah　had　also　joined　the　coalition；　and　the　four　princes　met　on　the　plains　of　Bijapur；　with　their　respective　armies。　Their　march　towards　the　south　began　on　Monday；　December　25；　A。D。　1564。＇322＇　Traversing　the　now　dry　plains　of　the　Dakhan　country；　where　the　cavalry；　numbering　many　thousands；　could　graze　their　horses　on　the　young　crops；　the　allied　armies　reached　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Krishna　near　the　small　fortress　and　town　of　Talikota；　a　name　destined　to　be　for　ever　celebrated　in　the　annals　of　South　India。＇323＇

It　is　situated　on　the　river　Don；　about　sixteen　miles　above　its　junction　with　the　Krishna；　and　sixty…five　miles　west　of　the　point　where　the　present　railway　between　Bombay　and　Madras　crosses　the　great　river。　The　country　at　that　time　of　the　year　was　admirably　adapted　for　the　passage　of　large　bodies　of　troops；　and　the　season　was　one　of　bright　sunny　days　coupled　with　cool　refreshing　breezes。

Here　Ali　Adil；　as　lord　of　that　country；　entertained　his　allies　in　royal　fashion；　and　they　halted　for　several　days；　attending　to　the　transport　and　commissariat　arrangements　of　the　armies；　and　sending　out　scouts　to　report　on　the　best　locality　for　forcing　the　passage　of　the　river。

At　Vijayanagar　there　was　the　utmost　confidence。　Remembering　how　often　the　Moslems　had　vainly　attempted　to　injure　the　great　capital；　and　how　for　over　two　centuries　they　had　never　succeeded　in　penetrating　to　the　south；　the　inhabitants　pursued　their　daily　avoca