Krishnadevaraya

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Map of Vijayanagara empire

Sri Krishnadevaraya (Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣದೇವರಾಯ, Telugu: శ్రీకృష్ణదేవరాయలు, 1509-1529 CE) was the most famous king of Vijayanagara Empire. He ruled the Vijayangara empire at the most important time. He is considered to be one of the great kings of India. Emperor Krishnadevaraya also earned the titles Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana (ಕನ್ನಡರಾಜ್ಯರಮಾರಮಣ), Moorurayaraganda (ಮೂರುರಾಯರಗಂಡ) (what means King of three kings) and Andhra Bhoja (ఆంధ్రభోజ). Much of our information about his reign comes from the accounts of Portuguese travelers Domingos Paes and Nuniz. King krishnadeva Ray and was the 3rd and the greatest ruler of the Tulava empire

Paes describes the king's attitude to law and order by the sentence, "The king maintains the law by killing." Offences against property (designed to maintain stability) and for murder ranged from cutting of a foot and hand for theft and beheading for murder (except for those occurring as a result of duel). Paes could not estimate the size of Vijaynagar as his view was obscured by the hills but estimated the city to be at least as large as Rome. Furthermore, he considered Vijaynagar to be "the best provided city in the world" with a population of not less than a half a million.

Paes praises Krishnadevaraya as, “the most feared and perfect King… a great ruler and a man of much justice”.

The rule of Krishnadevaraya was an age of good literature in many languages. But it is known as a golden age of Telugu literature. Many Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada and Tamil poets enjoyed the patronage of the emperor. Emperor Krishnadevaraya was fluent in many languages.

Vijayanagara royal insignia

Krishnadevaraya Media

Kannada inscription, dated 1513 CE, of Krishnadevaraya at the Krishna temple in Hampi describes his victories against the Gajapati Kingdom of Odisha.
Kannada inscription dated 1524 A.D., of Krishnadeva Raya at the Anathasayana temple in Anathasayanagudi near Hampi. The temple was built in memory of his deceased son^[source?]
Vitthala temple with musical pillars, Hoysala style multigonal base Hampi
Kannada inscription describing the coronation of Krishnadevaraya at the entrance to Virupaksha temple, Hampi
Sculpture of Ranganayaka (Ranganatha) at Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam.
Ashtadiggajas in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya.
w:Tamil langauge inscriptions written in w:Grantha script - Sevarapoondi, near w:Devikapuram, w:Tamil Nadu, India.
Tirumala Temple and Vaikuntam Queue Complex (semicircular building in the foreground) as seen from Srivari Padalu on Narayanagiri hill

References

Smith, Vincent, Oxford History of India, Fourth Edition, pgs. 306-307, and 312-313.
Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat, Concise history of Karnataka, 2001, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002).
Prof K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002)

Other websites

The Golden Era of Telugu Literature from the Vepachedu Educational Foundation
(Krishnadevaraya's complex at Tirupati) Archived 2013-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
Statutes of Krishnadevaraya and his wives at Tirupati. Archived 2006-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
http://www.vijayanagaracoins.com/htm/krishna.htm Archived 2012-09-20 at the Wayback Machine (gold coins during his reign.)
Hampi - History and Tourism
Incredible India Hampi Guide Archived 2010-11-11 at the Wayback Machine
A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): a contribution to the history of India (Translation of the "Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga" written by Domingos Paes and Fernão Nunes about 1520 and 1535, respectively, with a historical introduction by Robert Sewell).available freely at Project Gutenberg

Preceded by Viranarasimha Raya	Vijayanagara empire 1509 –1529	Succeeded by Achyuta Deva Raya