Battle of Talikota
Vijaynagar was only Hindu kingdom in India when all other ruling kingdoms were Muslim. The
Deccan sultanates were always looking for an opportunity to defeat the Vijaynagar empire. After the fall of Vijaynagar, there was no other Hindu ruling kingdom in entire India, but after nearly 300 years later in late seventeen century the Marathas rose to the power under Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaja and till eighteen they almost captured entire India. The Battle of Talikota (23 January 1565) was battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates. The battle took place at Talikota, today a town in northern Karnataka, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the southeast from the city of Bijapur. The defeat of the Vijayanagara Empire followed subsequent destruction and looting which became short-lived before the successors of Rama Raya. Rama Raya of the Aravidu family married the daughter of Krishnadevaraya and became famous as Aliya Ramaraya. He became a “de facto” ruler during the reign of Achyutaraya and Sadashivaraya. He interfered in the internal disputes of the Shahis. He followed the policy of divide and rule with the Shahis of Bijapur and Ahmadnagar. The Shahis forgot their enmity and united through various alliances and matrimonial relations. All these events led to the formation of the Grand Shahi confederacy, consisting of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golkonda and Bidar. The Muslim Sultanates to the north of Vijayanagara united and attacked Aliya Rama Raya's army, on 23 January 1565, in an engagement known as the Battle of Talikota. The armies clashed on the plains near the villages of Rakkasagi
and Tangadigi (The battle is also known as the Battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi) The Vijayanagara army was winning the battle, but suddenly two Muslim generals of the Vijayanagara army switched sides and joined to the united Sultanates. They captured Aliya Rama Raya and beheaded him on the spot, with Sultan Hussain on the Sultanates side joining them. The beheading of Rama Raya created confusion and in the still loyal portions of the Vijayanagara army, which were then completely routed. The Sultanates' army plundered Hampi and reduced it into ashes. If the two generals had been loyal to there king Aliya Rama Raya the united sultanates couldn't defeat the Vijaynagar empire.
Outcome
The greatest factor was the betrayal of the Vijaynagara Army by two Muslim commanders (Gilani Brothers). At the critical point of the war, Muslim officers in the Vijayanagara army launched a subversive attack. Suddenly Aliya Rama Raya found himself surprised when the two Muslim divisions in his ranks turned against him. The battle itself marked the end of the wealthiest empire of south India.
Robert Sewell, in his book The Forgotten Empire, concludes thus –
"With fire and sword, with crowbars and axes, they carried on day after day their work of
destruction. Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been
wrought, and wrought so suddenly, on so splendid a city; teeming with a wealthy
and industrious population in the full plenitude of prosperity one day, and on the
next seized, pillaged, and reduced to ruins, amid scenes of savage massacre and
horrors beggaring description."
Deccan sultanates were always looking for an opportunity to defeat the Vijaynagar empire. After the fall of Vijaynagar, there was no other Hindu ruling kingdom in entire India, but after nearly 300 years later in late seventeen century the Marathas rose to the power under Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaja and till eighteen they almost captured entire India. The Battle of Talikota (23 January 1565) was battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates. The battle took place at Talikota, today a town in northern Karnataka, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) to the southeast from the city of Bijapur. The defeat of the Vijayanagara Empire followed subsequent destruction and looting which became short-lived before the successors of Rama Raya. Rama Raya of the Aravidu family married the daughter of Krishnadevaraya and became famous as Aliya Ramaraya. He became a “de facto” ruler during the reign of Achyutaraya and Sadashivaraya. He interfered in the internal disputes of the Shahis. He followed the policy of divide and rule with the Shahis of Bijapur and Ahmadnagar. The Shahis forgot their enmity and united through various alliances and matrimonial relations. All these events led to the formation of the Grand Shahi confederacy, consisting of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golkonda and Bidar. The Muslim Sultanates to the north of Vijayanagara united and attacked Aliya Rama Raya's army, on 23 January 1565, in an engagement known as the Battle of Talikota. The armies clashed on the plains near the villages of Rakkasagi
and Tangadigi (The battle is also known as the Battle of Rakkasa-Tangadi) The Vijayanagara army was winning the battle, but suddenly two Muslim generals of the Vijayanagara army switched sides and joined to the united Sultanates. They captured Aliya Rama Raya and beheaded him on the spot, with Sultan Hussain on the Sultanates side joining them. The beheading of Rama Raya created confusion and in the still loyal portions of the Vijayanagara army, which were then completely routed. The Sultanates' army plundered Hampi and reduced it into ashes. If the two generals had been loyal to there king Aliya Rama Raya the united sultanates couldn't defeat the Vijaynagar empire.Outcome
The greatest factor was the betrayal of the Vijaynagara Army by two Muslim commanders (Gilani Brothers). At the critical point of the war, Muslim officers in the Vijayanagara army launched a subversive attack. Suddenly Aliya Rama Raya found himself surprised when the two Muslim divisions in his ranks turned against him. The battle itself marked the end of the wealthiest empire of south India.
Robert Sewell, in his book The Forgotten Empire, concludes thus –
"With fire and sword, with crowbars and axes, they carried on day after day their work of
destruction. Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been
wrought, and wrought so suddenly, on so splendid a city; teeming with a wealthy
and industrious population in the full plenitude of prosperity one day, and on the
next seized, pillaged, and reduced to ruins, amid scenes of savage massacre and
horrors beggaring description."
Comments
Post a Comment