Vijayanagara Capital

Timeline

1. 1336–1343Vijayanagara (Hampi) · KarnatakaHarihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara Empire on the north bank of the Tungabhadra River and established the capital there to counter pressure from the northern Deccan sultanates; the capital grew rapidly on temple donations and trade networks.
2. 1341–1350Vijayanagara (Hampi) · KarnatakaIn the 1340s Bukka Raya I continued to expand the empire's territory, the capital's role as administrative and military command center strengthened, religious complexes such as the Virupaksha Temple became the city's core, attracting merchants, artisans, and pilgrims.
3. c. 1420–1565Vijayanagara (Hampi) · KarnatakaFrom the mid-to-late 15th century to the early 16th century, the capital's population is estimated to have reached several hundred thousand, with stone architecture, markets, and water systems at their peak. After the defeat at Talikota in 1565, a coalition including Bijapur sacked and burned the capital, and the empire's political center moved elsewhere.