Home › Free notes › Class 12 History › An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara

An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara – Class 12 History notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 History, chapter 7. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

The Vijayanagara empire was founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara and Bukka and became one of the great empires of South India. Its capital, Vijayanagara (Hampi), on the banks of the Tungabhadra, was a large, fortified city with palaces, temples, markets and water systems. Under Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty the empire reached its height. After the battle of Talikota (Rakshasi-Tangadi) in 1565, the city was sacked and abandoned. Its ruins were surveyed by Colin Mackenzie in 1800.

The empire

Four dynasties ruled: Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu; Krishnadeva Raya (1509–29) expanded the empire and was known for building and literature.
The rulers were called rayas; they competed with the Bahmani and later Deccan Sultanates and the Gajapatis of Odisha for control of fertile lands and trade.
Nayakas were military chiefs who received territories (amara) in return for maintaining troops and paying tribute; this was called the amara-nayaka system.

The city

The city had seven lines of fortification enclosing agricultural land, according to the traveller Abdur Razzaq.
The royal centre included the Mahanavami Dibba, a platform used for the Mahanavami festival, the Lotus Mahal and the Hazara Rama temple.
The sacred centre had the Virupaksha temple and the Vitthala temple; temples had large gopurams (gateways) and mandapas; tanks such as the Kamalapuram tank and the Hiriya canal supplied water.

Trade and decline

Vijayanagara controlled ports and traded in horses from Arabia and Central Asia, spices, textiles and precious stones; the Portuguese were important traders.
Foreign travellers such as Abdur Razzaq, Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz described the city's wealth.
In 1565 a confederacy of Deccan Sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara army at the battle of Talikota; the city was sacked and abandoned, though the empire continued in a reduced form.

Key terms

Raya: title of Vijayanagara rulers
Amara-nayaka system: a system in which military chiefs received territory to maintain troops
Gopuram: a tall gateway of a South Indian temple
Mahanavami Dibba: a large platform in Vijayanagara used for royal festivals
Hampi: the name of the site of Vijayanagara's ruins

Important questions with answers

What was the amara-nayaka system?2 marks

The amara-nayaka system was a political and military arrangement in Vijayanagara in which military commanders called nayakas were given territories (amaras) to govern; they collected taxes, maintained a fixed number of soldiers and horses for the king, and sent part of the revenue as tribute.

Describe the water resources of Vijayanagara.3 marks

Vijayanagara was located near the Tungabhadra river, and water from streams was stored in tanks with embankments. The Kamalapuram tank irrigated fields and supplied water to the royal centre, and the Hiriya canal drew water from a dam across the Tungabhadra to irrigate the valley. These arrangements were essential in a semi-arid region.

Describe the main features of the city of Vijayanagara.5 marks

Vijayanagara, the capital of the empire founded in 1336, was located on the banks of the Tungabhadra in a rocky landscape. The city was heavily fortified; according to the Persian ambassador Abdur Razzaq, there were seven lines of walls, which enclosed not only the city but also agricultural land, forests and hills, so that the city could withstand a siege. The city had a royal centre with more than sixty temples, palaces, the Mahanavami Dibba, a large platform from which the king watched the Mahanavami festival processions, the Lotus Mahal, which may have been a council chamber, and the Hazara Rama temple, decorated with scenes from the Ramayana. The sacred centre on the banks of the river included the Virupaksha temple, associated with the guardian deity of the kingdom, and the Vitthala temple, with its musical pillars and stone chariot. Temples had huge gopurams and mandapas, signalling royal authority and patronage. Water was managed through tanks such as the Kamalapuram tank and canals such as the Hiriya canal. The city had markets where horses, spices, textiles and precious stones were traded, described by travellers such as Domingo Paes. After the defeat at Talikota in 1565, the city was sacked and abandoned, and its ruins at Hampi were first surveyed by Colin Mackenzie in 1800.

Quick revision

Founded 1336 by Harihara and Bukka.
Krishnadeva Raya; amara-nayaka system.
Fortifications, royal centre, sacred centre, water.
Horse trade; travellers; 1565 Talikota.

Exam tips

Make a sketch map of the royal centre and sacred centre.
Remember: 1336 founding; 1509–29 Krishnadeva Raya; 1565 Talikota.

Practice MCQs

The Vijayanagara empire was founded in
1. 1206
2. 1336
3. 1526
4. 1565
Show answer
Answer: (b) 1336. Harihara and Bukka founded it.
The ruins of Vijayanagara are known as
1. Hampi
2. Badami
3. Halebidu
4. Aihole
Show answer
Answer: (a) Hampi. They lie on the Tungabhadra.
The most famous ruler of Vijayanagara was
1. Harihara
2. Krishnadeva Raya
3. Rama Raya
4. Bukka
Show answer
Answer: (b) Krishnadeva Raya. He ruled from 1509 to 1529.
The battle that led to the sack of Vijayanagara in 1565 was
1. Panipat
2. Plassey
3. Talikota
4. Haldighati
Show answer
Answer: (c) Talikota. It is also called Rakshasi-Tangadi.
A tall temple gateway in South India is called a
1. shikhara
2. gopuram
3. mandapa
4. garbhagriha
Show answer
Answer: (b) gopuram. Vijayanagara temples had large ones.
Vijayanagara imported horses mainly from
1. China
2. Arabia and Central Asia
3. Africa only
4. Sri Lanka
Show answer
Answer: (b) Arabia and Central Asia. Horses were vital for cavalry.
Under the amara-nayaka system, nayakas
1. owned no land
2. received territories in return for maintaining troops and paying tribute
3. were Portuguese traders
4. were temple priests only
Show answer
Answer: (b) received territories in return for maintaining troops and paying tribute. It was a military-administrative arrangement.
The first survey of the Vijayanagara ruins was conducted in 1800 by
1. Colin Mackenzie
2. James Prinsep
3. John Marshall
4. Alexander Cunningham
Show answer
Answer: (a) Colin Mackenzie. He was a surveyor in the East India Company.

All chapters of Class 12 History

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.