The reign legacy of Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire

Timeline

1. 1451–1455Vijayanagara capital · IndiaDeva Raya II had reformed the army, built hydraulic works, and campaigned in Sri Lanka before his death, leaving behind a strong military and fiscal foundation. In the 1450s, the nayaka (standing army) system and the local nayaka (governor) institution he had established were still functioning, maintaining the empire's control over the Tamil and Malabar coasts.
2. 1453–1458Raichur doab · Deccan PlateauVijayanagara and the Bahmani repeatedly fought back and forth over frontier fortress zones such as Raichur. Although Deva Raya II had dealt heavy blows to the Bahmani army in his lifetime, the conflict continued unabated in the 1450s, and the empire had to keep committing forces to defend its northern frontier.
3. 1456–1460Tamil region · Tamil NaduThe local military governors (nayakas) appointed under Deva Raya II grew ever more powerful in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, and elsewhere, while central control over the provinces weakened. Mallikarjuna's weak rule failed to check this trend, planting the seeds of the empire's fragmentation in the sixteenth century.