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Vijayanagara Capital

Type Object Region India Time 1336–1565

Capital of the Vijayanagara Empire at present-day Hampi, Karnataka, India, one of South Asia's largest cities in the fifteenth century.

Timeline

  1. 1336Hampi · KarnatakaHarihara I and Bukka I chose Hampi on both banks of the Tungabhadra River as the imperial capital, building palace and temple districts on the river valley terraces and establishing the urban layout of Vijayanagara.
  2. 1424–1446Hampi · KarnatakaDuring the reign of Deva Raya II (1424–1446), walls, canals and palaces were built on a large scale; the capital's population and market size grew markedly, with frequent dealings with Persian and Arab merchants, in a phase of mid-imperial prosperity.
  3. 1509–1529Hampi · KernatakaUnder Krishnadevaraya, Hampi reached its zenith; foreign envoys and travelers recorded its magnificent palaces, bustling markets and sophisticated irrigation systems, with the city's area and population ranking among the foremost in South Asia at the time.
  4. 1565–1600Hampi · KarnatakaAfter the Battle of Rakkili-Tunga in 1565 the empire fell; Hampi was sacked and gradually abandoned, its palaces and temples reduced to ruins, until modern archaeology and tourism development revived awareness of its historical value.

Sources