The Vijayanagar and Bahmani Kingdoms
ICSE Class 7 · History & Civics · Chapter 6
What this chapter covers
- Disintegration of the Tughlaq empire
- Rise of Vijayanagar
- Krishnadeva Raya
- Rise of the Bahmani kingdom
- Mahmud Gawan
- Administration and achievements
- Art and architecture
Key definitions
Disintegration is the breaking up of a large state into smaller parts that no longer obey a single ruler.
Nayakas were military chiefs who held land from the Vijayanagar king in return for keeping soldiers ready for war.
Hampi is the village in Karnataka where the ruins of the Vijayanagar capital stand today.
The Gol Gumbaz is the tomb of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah of Bijapur, completed around 1656 CE.
Key points
- The Tughlaq empire broke up because it was too large, the Sultan's experiments failed, provinces revolted and later rulers were weak.
- Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara and Bukka south of the Tungabhadra; four dynasties ruled it.
- The Bahmani kingdom was founded in 1347 CE by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah north of the Krishna, with its capital at Gulbarga and later Bidar.
- The two kingdoms fought for about two hundred years over the Raichur Doab and the trade in horses.
- Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529 CE) was Vijayanagar's greatest ruler: a winning general, a careful ruler and a Telugu poet who honoured the Ashtadiggajas.
- Mahmud Gawan, the Bahmani chief minister, made smaller provinces, surveyed the land, won Goa and built the madrasa at Bidar; he was executed in 1481 CE.
- Vijayanagar was run through provinces, nadus and villages, with nayakas holding amaram land in return for soldiers.
- The Bahmani kingdom split into five Deccan Sultanates, four of which defeated Vijayanagar at Talikota in 1565 CE.
- Hampi's temples, with gopurams, carved pillars and the stone chariot, show the Vijayanagar style; the Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur shows the Deccan Indo-Islamic style at its grandest.
Questions answered
Give three causes of the disintegration of the Tughlaq empire.
Any three of: the empire was too large to control from Delhi; the transfer of the capital to Daulatabad caused hardship; failed experiments such as the token currency; revolts in the provinces; weak successors after Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Who founded the Vijayanagar kingdom, and in which year?
The brothers Harihara and Bukka, sons of Sangama, in 1336 CE.
What was the Raichur Doab, and why did both kingdoms want it?
The land between the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra. It had fertile soil and mineral wealth, and its position between the two kingdoms made it valuable for defence and attack.
Name two military successes of Krishnadeva Raya.
He captured Raichur from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1520 CE, and he defeated the Gajapati kings of Odisha.
Who were the Ashtadiggajas?
The eight famous Telugu poets honoured at the court of Krishnadeva Raya, led by Allasani Peddana.
Who founded the Bahmani kingdom, and what was its first capital?
Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah founded it in 1347 CE; its first capital was Gulbarga.
Describe two reforms of Mahmud Gawan.
Any two of: he divided four tarafs into eight; he kept royal land in each province; he placed most forts under the Sultan's officers; he had the land surveyed to fix revenue fairly.
What was the nayaka system?
Military chiefs called nayakas held land, called amaram, from the king and kept soldiers ready for him in return.