ts； refugees； and fighting men of the Hindus； beaten and driven out of their old strongholds by the advancing Muhammadans。
The first rulers of Vijayanagar； however； did not dare to call themselves kings； nor did even the Brahmans do so who composed the text of their early inscriptions。 It is for this reason that I have spoken of Harihara I。 and Bukka I。 as 〃Chiefs。〃 The inscription referred to of Harihara in 1340 calls him 〃Hariyappa VODEYA；〃 the former name being less honourable than 〃Harihara；〃 and the latter definitely entitling him to rank only as a chieftain。 Moreover； the Sanskrit title given him is MAHAMANDALESVARA； which may be translated 〃great lord〃 not king。 And the same is the case with his successor； Bukka； in two inscriptions；＇32＇ one of which is dated in 1353。 Already in 1340 Harihara is said to have been possessed of very large territories； and he was the acknowledged overlord of villages as far north as the Kaladgi district； north of the Malprabha； a country that had been overrun by Muhammad Taghlaq。 That this was not a mere empty boast is shown by the fact that a fort was built in that year at Badami by permission of Harihara。
And thus we see the first chief of Vijayanagar quietly； and perhaps peacefully； acquiring great influence and extensive possessions。 These so rapidly increased that Bukka's successor； Harihara II。； styles himself RAJADHIRAJA； 〃king of kings；〃 or emperor。
But to revert to the first king Harihara； or； as Nuniz calls him； 〃Dehorao；〃 for DEVA RAYA。 He reigned； according to our chronicle； seven years； 〃and did nothing therein but pacify the kingdom； which he left in complete tranquillity。〃 His death； if this be so； would have taken place about the year 1343。 Nuniz relates that he founded a temple in honour of the Brahman hermit； his protector。 This was the great temple at Hampe close to the river； which is still in full preservation and is the only one among the massive shrines erected at the capital in which worship is still carried on； the others were remorselessly wrecked and destroyed by the Muhammadans in 1565。 As already stated； the traveller Ibn Batuta refers to this king under the name of 〃Haraib〃 or 〃Harib〃 in or about the year 1342。 If the traditions collated by Nuniz； according to which Harihara I。 lived at peace during the seven years of his reign； be true； his death must have occurred before 1344； because in that year； as we learn from other sources； Krishna； son of Pratapa Rudra of Warangal； took refuge at Vijayanagar； and； in concert with its king and with the surviving Ballala princes of Dvarasamudra； drove back the Muhammadans； rescued for a time part of the Southern Dakhan country； and prepared the way for the overthrow of the sovereignty of Delhi south of the Vindhyas。 I take it； therefore； that Harihara died in or about the year A。D。 1343。
As to his having reigned quietly； I know of only one statement to the contrary。 An inscription of Samgama II。 recording a grant in 1356； and referred to below； states that Harihara I。 〃defeated the Sultan；〃 but perhaps this only alludes to the fact that Muhammad Taghlaq had to abandon his hold on the country。
The next king was Harihara's brother； Bukka I。 （〃Bucarao〃）； and according to Nuniz he reigned thirty…seven years； conquering in that time all the kingdoms of the south； even including Orissa （Orya）。 Without laying too much stress on conquests by force of arms； it seems certain that most if not all Southern India submitted to his rule； probably only too anxious to secure a continuance of Hindu domination in preference to the despotism of the hated followers of Islam。＇33＇ According to the chronicle； therefore； the death of Bukka I。； as we must call him； took place about the year A。D。 1380。 As to inscriptions of his reign； Dr。 Hultzsch＇34＇ mentions that they cover the period from about 1354 to 1371； while the first inscription of his successor； Harihara II。； is dated in 1379。＇35＇ If； then； we assume that Bukka I。 reigned till 1379； we find the chronicle so far accurate that Bukka I。 did in fact reign thirty…six years； though not thirty…seven A。D。 1343 to 1379。
But meanwhile we have another story from an inscription on copper…plates which is to be seen preserved in the Collector's office at Nellore。＇36＇ It has been carefully edited by Mr。 H。 Krishna Sastri。 According to this it would appear that Bukka I。； who undoubtedly was a man of war； usurped the throne。 It asserts that the father of Harihara I。； who was named Samgama； had five sons。 The eldest was Harihara himself； the second Kampa； and the third Bukka。 We want to know who succeeded Harihara。 There is extant an inscription of Bukka dated in 1354； and there is this Nellore inscription dated in 1356。 The latter comes from a far…off country near the eastern coast； and it relates that Kampa succeeded Harihara； and that Samgama II。； son of Kampa； succeeded his father； and granted a village in the Nellore district to the Brahmans on a date which corresponds to May 3； A。D。 1356。 It implies that Samgama had succeeded his father Kampa exactly a year previous to the grant。 Thus it claims that Kampa was king from 1343 to 1355。 We know nothing more of this； and there is only one other document at present known to exist which was executed in the reign either of Kampa or of Samgama This is alluded to by Mr。 Krishna Sastri； who refers us to the colophon of the MADHAVIYA DHATUVRITTI； according to which its author； Sayanacharya； uterine brother of the great Madhavacharya； was minister to king Samgama； son of Kampa。 The only possible inference is that the succession to Harihara was disputed； and that somehow Bukka got the upper hand and at least as early as 1354 declared himself king； afterwards claiming to have immediately succeeded Harihara。 It will be seen farther on that in almost every case the kingdom was racked with dissension on the demise of the sovereign； and that year after year the members of the reigning family were subjected to violence and murder in order that one or other of them might establish himself as head of the State。
On the assumption； therefore； that the reign of Bukka I。 lasted from 1343 to 1379； we turn to Firishtah to learn what were this king's relations with the followers of Islam； now supreme on the north of the Krishna。
Just after his accession； as it would appear； occurred the successful campaign alluded to above； in which a combination of Hindus from different States drove back the invaders。 Here is Firishtah's account of what took place。＇37＇ He is speaking of the year A。H。 744； which lasted from May 26； A。D。 1343； to May 15； 1344； and he says that Krishna Naik； son of Rudra Deva of Warangal； went privately to Ballala Deva and urged him to join a combination of Hindus with the view of driving out the Muhammadans from the Dakhan。 The Ballala prince consented； and Krishna Naik promised； when the preparations were complete； to raise all the Hindus of Telingana and place himself at their head。
Ballala Deva then built the city of Vijayanagar；＇38＇ raised an army； and the war began。 Warangal； then in the hands of the Muhammadans； was reduced； and its governor； Imad…ul…Mulkh； retreated to Daulatabad or Devagiri。 The two chiefs then induced other Rajahs of the Malabar and Kanara countries to join them； and the joint forces seized the whole of the Dakhan and expelled the Muhammadans there； 〃so that within a few months Muhammad Taghlak had no possessions in that quarter except Daulatabad。〃
So far the Muhammadan historian。 It is necessary to observe that this success of the Hindus was only temporary； for their enemies still swarmed in the Dakhan； and immediately after this contest the Hindus appear to have retired south of the Krishna； leaving the distracted country a prey to temporary anarchy。 This； however； was of short duration； for though the domination of the Sultan of Delhi in that tract was completely destroyed； yet three years later； viz； on Friday the 24th Rabi…al…akhir A。H。 748； according to Firishtah； a date which corresponds to Friday； August 3； A。D。 1347； Ala…ud…din Bahmani was crowned sovereign of the Dakhan at Kulbarga； establishing a new dynasty which lasted for about 140 years。
A few years after this there was a successful invasion of the Carnatic country by Ala…ud…Din； but though the army returned with some booty Firishtah does not claim for him a decisive victory。 He does； however； claim that the new Sultan extended his territory as far south as the river Tungabhadra； 〃the vicinity of the fortress of Adoni。〃 Ala…ud…din died at the age of sixty…seven on Sunday； February 2； A。D。 1358；＇39＇ and was succeeded by Muhammad Shah。 The Raya of Vijayanagar had presented Ala…ud…din with a ruby of inestimable price； and this； set in a bird of paradise composed of precious stones； the Sultan placed in the canopy over his throne； but some say that this was done by Muhammad； and that the ruby was placed above his umbrella of State。
Early in the reign of Muhammad it was discovered that the gold and silver coins of the Bahrami Sultans were being melted down in large quantities by the Hindus of Vijayanagar and Warangal； and numbers of the merchants were put to death。 At the same time Bukka I。； supported by his friend at Warangal； demanded the restoration of certain territories；＇40＇ and as the Sultan was not ready for war； he 〃during a year and a half kept the ambassadors of the Raies at his court； and sent his own to Beejanugger to amuse his enemies。〃 Finally he resolved on war； and made extravagant counter…demands on the Hindus。 Bukka joined forces with Warangal； and Muhammad waged war on the latter state； plundering the country up to the capital； and retiring only on receipt of a large indemnity。 Firishtah does not relate that any further campaign was at that time initiated； and we are therefore free to suppose that the Muhammadans were unable to press their advantage。 Warangal was not long left in peace； and it may be well to glance at its subsequent history before returning to the events of the reign of Bukka at Vijayanagar。
After an interval； enraged at an insult offered or supposed to have been offered by the Rajah of Warangal； Muhammad made a rapid advance to the former's city of 〃Vellunputtun；〃 as it is spelt by Firishtah； or 〃Filampatan；〃 acco