Vijayanagar

The capital of the last extensive Hindu empire in India between the 14th and 17th centuries, situated on the River Tungabhadra, southern India. The empire attained its peak under the warrior Krishna Deva Raya (reigned 1509–65), when the city had an estimated population of 500,000. Thereafter it came under repeated attack by the Deccani Muslim kingdoms of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, and Golconda.

The empire was established by Harihara I (reigned 1336–57), a warrior chief from the Sangama dynasty, and was extended to the south and northeast by his brother Bukka (reigned 1344–77) and by Devaraya II (reigned 1422–46). The Sangama dynasty was overthrown 1485 by provincial governor Saluva Narasimha (reigned 1486–91), and the Saluvas were replaced by the Tiluvas (c. 1505–65). The city was destroyed after defeat at the Battle of Talikota 1565.