The Vijayanagar Empire ruled southern India for over 300 years, from 1336 to 1646. Domingo Paes, a P
The Vijayanagar Empire ruled southern India for over 300 years, from 1336 to 1646. Domingo Paes, a Portuguese chronicler, marveled at how its capital was “as large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight; the palace of the king is larger than the castle at Lisbon.” Another Portuguese traveler, Duarte Barbosa, was astonished at how tolerant its rulers were of people of other faiths. Barbosa explained that Vijayanagar “allowed such religious freedom that every man may come and go, and live according to his own creed—whether Christian, Jew, Moor, or Hindu.” Unfortunately this was the high point under the rule of Krishnadevaraya. His (clearly idiotic) son-in-law Ramaraja usurped the throne and then tried to stir up trouble among the Deccan Sultanates. The idea was they would be weakened, and Ramaraja could attack. Instead, they ended their differences, banded together, and wiped out the Vijayanagar army in 1565. -- source link
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