SSC
The Battle of Talikota (Rakshasi-Tangadi) in 1565, which led to the destruction of the city of Vijayanagara, was fought between Vijayanagara and:
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Answer: Option C — An alliance of the Deccan Sultanates
Detailed Solution
The Battle of Talikota (also called Rakshasi-Tangadi or Banihatti), fought on 23 January 1565, was fought between the Vijayanagara empire and an alliance of the Deccan Sultanates.
The alliance:
- Four of the Deccan Sultanates joined together against Vijayanagara: Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar.
- Berar did not take part.
Background:
- Rama Raya, the regent and real ruler of Vijayanagara, had followed a policy of playing one Sultanate against another, sometimes allying with one against the others.
- NCERT notes that Rama Raya tried to play off one Sultan against another, but the Sultans combined together and decisively defeated him.
- His arrogant behaviour and the plundering of Sultanate territories by Vijayanagara armies united the Sultans against him.
The battle:
- The battle was fought near the villages of Rakshasi and Tangadi, on the banks of the Krishna river, north of Vijayanagara.
- At first, the Vijayanagara army seemed to be winning.
- However, according to some accounts, two Muslim commanders in the Vijayanagara army deserted, and Rama Raya was captured and killed.
- The Vijayanagara army fled.
The destruction of Vijayanagara:
- The victorious armies entered the city of Vijayanagara and plundered and destroyed it for several months.
- NCERT notes that the city was sacked and within a few years was totally deserted.
- The ruins of Hampi are the remains of this destruction.
Results:
- The Vijayanagara empire continued for some time from new capitals in the south (Penukonda and Chandragiri), but its power was greatly reduced.
- The Nayakas became increasingly independent.
- The Deccan Sultanates soon returned to fighting each other.
NCERT on Vijayanagara-Sultanate relations:
NCERT points out that relations between the Sultans and the rayas were not always hostile, and that the armies of Vijayanagara and the Sultanates included soldiers of different religions.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Mughals, the Gajapatis and the Portuguese did not fight this battle.
Quick tip
Remember: Battle of Talikota (Rakshasi-Tangadi), 1565 = Vijayanagara (Rama Raya) vs alliance of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar; city of Vijayanagara destroyed.
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Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Vijayanagara Empire, founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336, and the Bahmani Sultanate, founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah in 1347, along with the Deccan sultanates that followed. It includes their rulers, administration, architecture and the accounts of foreign travellers. The most tested ruler is Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty, a patron of Telugu literature and author of Amuktamalyada. Other common questions cover the Battle of Talikota (1565), the Vijayanagara capital Hampi, and the foreign travellers who visited, such as Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razzaq and Domingo Paes. Practise the Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.