SSC
The Vijayanagara kingdom was established by Harihara and Bukka in:
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Answer: Option C — 1336
Detailed Solution
The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 CE by two brothers, Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, of the Sangama dynasty. According to tradition, they had earlier served the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal and later the Kampili kingdom. When Muhammad bin Tughlaq's armies conquered these areas, the brothers were taken to Delhi and are said to have converted to Islam. They were later sent back to the south to put down rebellions, but they reconverted to Hinduism, reportedly under the influence of the sage Vidyaranya (Madhava) of the Sringeri math, and founded an independent kingdom.
Their capital, Vijayanagara ("City of Victory"), was built on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river, at the site now called Hampi, in the Vijayanagara (earlier Bellary) district of Karnataka. The ruins of Hampi were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Vijayanagara was ruled by four dynasties:
- Sangama dynasty (1336-1485): founded by Harihara I and Bukka I; Deva Raya II was a great ruler.
- Saluva dynasty (1485-1505): founded by Saluva Narasimha.
- Tuluva dynasty (1505-1570): founded by Vira Narasimha Raya; Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529), the greatest Vijayanagara emperor, belonged to it.
- Aravidu dynasty (1570-1646): founded by Tirumala Raya, with later capitals at Penukonda and Chandragiri.
The empire was a great centre of Hindu culture, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit literature, and architecture, with temples such as the Virupaksha and Vitthala temples at Hampi (famous for its stone chariot and musical pillars). Foreign travellers such as Niccolò de' Conti (Italy), Abdur Razzaq (Persia), Domingo Paes and Fernão Nuniz (Portugal) described its wealth.
Vijayanagara fought continual wars with the Bahmani Sultanate, founded in 1347, mainly over the fertile Raichur Doab between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers. In 1565, the combined armies of the Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara in the Battle of Talikota (Rakshasa-Tangadi), and the capital was destroyed.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1347 is when the Bahmani Sultanate was founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah.
- ✗1206 is when the Delhi Sultanate was established.
- ✗1526 is when the Mughal Empire was founded.
Quick tip
Remember: Vijayanagara = 1336 (Harihara and Bukka, Sangama dynasty, guru Vidyaranya), capital Hampi on the Tungabhadra; four dynasties: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, Aravidu; Talikota 1565; Bahmani = 1347.
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Ask a doubtMore Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms Questions
View all ›- Q1.Which Vijayanagara ruler married his daughter to the Bahmani Sultan Firuz Shah?
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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.