h occurs the following passage：
〃The mainland which Ruy de Mello； who was captain of this city； conquered； was entered by the Moors； who used to possess it； in the month of April of five hundred and twenty…four； and they hold it as theirs； and the first Thanadar's district which they took was that of Perna； which is by the seaside。 There they captured two Portuguese； and one of them was the Thanadar； these are prisoners in the fortress of Bylgan （Belgaum）； of which the Suffilarim is captain。〃＇254＇
It is evident； therefore； that 〃the Moors〃 were successful； and yet it is curious that very little mention is made of this circumstance by other historians。 Firishtah does not mention it； and it may therefore be reasonably inferred that the 〃Moors〃 in question were not the royal troops acting under the orders of the Sultan； but belonged to the local levies of Asada Khan； then chief of Belgaum。
According to Firishtah； the defeat at Raichur was followed by Ismail Adil Shah's marrying his sister to Burhan Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar； quarrelling and fighting with him （A。D。 1523）； again fighting with him （1528）； marrying another sister to Ala…ud…Din Ummad of Birar； and fighting with and entirely defeating Sultan Amir Barid of Bidar； then an old man； whom he captured。 On the death of Krishna Deva； Ismail took advantage of the confusion of the Hindus to retake possession of Mudkal and Raichur。
Firishtah gives no dates for the two last of the event above noted； but the submission of Amir Barid to the Adil Shah apparently did not take place till 1529； for Barros＇255＇ implies that it occurred after an event which cannot have happened earlier than 1529 namely； an attack on Ponda by three Hindu chiefs； which led to the inhabitants appealing for help to the then governor of Goa； Nuno da Cunha。 Da Cunha was not governor till 1529。 〃AT THIS TIME；〃 writes the historian； 〃Melique Verido＇256＇ submitted to the Hidalchan； by advice of Madre Maluco and Cota Maluco； and came to his camp in poor clothes； and flung himself at his feet。〃 This evidently refers to what occurred after the Barid's capture by the Adil Shah； if Firishtah's story is true。＇257＇
Let it be remembered； though the fact has no bearing on the history of Vijayanagar at this date； that in 1526 the Emperor Babar captured Delhi； and established himself as the first monarch of the great Moghul dynasty。 He was succeeded in 1530 by Humayun； and on the latter's death in 1556 the great Akbar attained the throne。
CHAPTER 12
The Buildings； Works； and Inscriptions of Krishna Deva
Temples Irrigation works Statue of Narasimha Kamalapuram Inscriptions。
Were it not that the description given us by Nuniz and Paes of the condition of the great city of Vijayanagar at this period is so graphic； so picturesque； and so detailed as positively to require no addition； I should have deemed it my duty to attempt to supply the want； but with their narrative before us in all its original freshness； it would be useless to attempt anything further。 Both of these writers were on the spot at the time of the city's greatest grandeur and prosperity； though in the time of Nuniz the period of its political decay had set in。 With their descriptions I shall not venture to interfere。
I cannot； however； pass on to the reign of Achyuta without calling attention to some of the works carried out at the capital by Krishna Deva； and to a few of the inscribed records of his reign。
At the beginning of his reign Krishna built a GOPURA or tower； and repaired another； at the Hampe temple； which had been built by the first kings in honour of Madhavacharya； the founder of the fortunes of Vijayanagar。 The great KRISHNASVAMI temple was built by him in 1513； after his return from the successful campaign in the east。 In the same year he commenced the temple of HAZARA RAMASVAMI at the palace； the architecture of which leads Mr。 Rea＇258＇ to think that it was not finished till a later period。
Later in his reign the king busied himself in improving the irrigation of the dry lands about Vijayanagar。 He constructed in 1521 the great dam and channel at Korragal； and the Basavanna channel； both of which are still in use and of great value to the country。＇259＇
Another great work of his was the construction of an enormous tank or dammed…up lake at the capital； which he carried out with the aid of Joao de la Ponte； a Portuguese engineer； whose services were lent to him by the governor…general of Goa。 Both Paes and Nuniz mention this lake； and as the former actually saw it under construction it may have been begun in A。D。 1520。 I think that this is the large lake； now dry； to be seen at the north…western mouth of the valley entering into the Sandur hills south…west of Hospett； the huge bank of which has been utilised for the conveyance of the highroad from Hospett to the southern taluqs。 If so； the fact of its original failure is interesting to us； because for many years past this vast work has been entirely useless。 The description given by Nuniz accords with the position of this tank； which was doubtless intended partly for irrigation purposes； and partly for the supply of water to the 〃new city；〃 Nagalapura； the king's favourite residence； now known as Hospett。 The chronicler mentions the existence of lofty ridges on each side； strong gates and towers guarding the entrance； and states that this was the principal approach to the capital from the south； all which data coincide with the position of the tank and road in question。 It is through these gates that the Portuguese travellers entered Vijayanagar。 This view is supported by the account given by Paes。 Writing of the approach to Vijayanagar from the western coast； and describing the 〃first range；〃 I。E。 the first that is seen on passing upwards from the plains； he states that in these hills was the principal entrance from that side。 He alludes to the gates and wall； and the city； Nagalapur； constructed by King Krishna。 Then he writes； 〃the king made a tank THERE；〃 I。E。 close to Hospett； at the mouth of two hills； and in order to this end 〃broke down a hill。〃 He saw innumerable people at work on the tank。 He confirms the story of Nuniz as to the sixty human beings offered in sacrifice to ensure the security of the dam。 Both writers are therefore describing the same tank； and； taking the chronicles together； I can have no doubt as to the soundness of my identification。
Prior to 1520； Krishna Deva built the outlying town of Nagalapur； to which allusion has just been made。 It was constructed in honour of his favourite wife； the quondam courtesan； Nagala Devi； and the king made it his favourite residence。
He also appears to have begun the construction of the temple of Vitthalasvami on the river…bank； the most ornate of an the religious edifices of the kingdom。 〃It shows；〃 writes Mr。 Rea in the article already referred to； 〃the extreme limit in florid magnificence to which the style advanced。〃 The work was continued during the reign of Krishna Deva's successors； Achyuta and Sadasiva； and was probably stopped only by the destruction of the city in 1565。 An inscription records a grant to the temple in 1561。
In 1528 was constructed one of the most curious and interesting monuments to be seen in the city。 This is an enormous statue of the god Vishnu in his AVATARA as Narasimha； the man…lion。 It was hewn out of a single boulder of granite； which lay near the south…western angle of the Krishnasvami temple； and the king bestowed a grant of lands for its maintenance。 Though it has been grievously injured； probably by the iconoclastic Muhammadans in or after the year 1565； it is still a most striking object。
I have already alluded to the grants made by Krishna Deva to the great Virupaksha temple at Hampe； on the occasion of the festival of his coronation。 There is an inscription of his reign on the base of the inner side of the front tower （GOPURA） of the temple at Virinchipuram； dated in the year A。D。 1513 14； and one dated Tuesday； September 20； 1513； at Sankalapura； close to the capital； recording a grant of the lands of that village to the temple of Ganapati in the palace enclosure。＇260＇ Mr。 Fleet＇261＇ mentions others of his reign in A。D。 1509 10； 1512 13； 1514 15； 1522 23； and 1527 28。
The last inscription of the reign at present known is one which bears a date corresponding to Friday； April 23； A。D。 1529。＇262＇ It stands in front of the great statue of Ugra Narasimha； described above。
CHAPTER 13
The Reign of Achyuta Raya
Achyuta Raya Fall of Raichur and Mudkal Asada Khan and Goa Disturbances at Bijapur Ibrahim Shah at the Hindu capital Firishtah on Vijayanagar affairs Rise of Rama Raya and his brothers 〃Hoje〃 Tirumala Varying legends Venkatadri defeated by Asada Khan near Adoni Asada Khan's career Belgaum and Goa Asada's duplicity Portuguese aggressions Religious grants by； and inscriptions relating to； Achyuta。
Achyuta； according to Nuniz and some other authorities； was a brother of the late king；＇263＇ and； in company with two other brothers and a nephew； had been confined by Krishna Deva in the fortress of Chandragiri； in order to prevent dissensions in the kingdom。 The new monarch is said by Nuniz to have been specially selected by Krishna Deva。 If so； the choice was singularly unfortunate； for Achyuta was a craven and under him the Hindu empire began to fall to pieces。
His minister was one of the powerful Saluva family； to which also had belonged Timma； the minister of King Krishna。 Nuniz calls him 〃Salvanay。〃 The earliest known date of Achyuta's reign is gathered from an inscription bearing a date corresponding to Monday； August 15； A。D。 1530。＇264＇
The beginning of his reign was ominously signalised by the loss of the frontier fortresses Mudkal and Raichur。 Firishtah＇265＇ states that the Adil Shah had； some time before the death of Krishna Deva； made preparations to recover possession of these cities； and proceeds：
〃The Sultan 。。。 put his army in motion； attended by Ummad Shaw and Ameer Bereed with their forces； and the affairs of Beejanuggur being in confusion owing to the death of Heemraaje； who was newly succeeded by his son Ramraaje；＇266＇ against whom rebellions had arisen by several roles； met with no interrupt