Battle of Talikota
The
Battle of Talikota (or, Tellikota) (
January 26,
1565) fought between the
Vijayanagara Empire and the
Deccan sultanates, resulted in a rout for Vijayanagar, and ended the last great
Hindu kingdom in
South India. Talikota is situated in northern
Karnataka, about 80 km to the southeast of the city of
Bijapur.
The throne of the Vijayanagara Empire had passed from
Achyuta Raya, upon his death, to
Rama Raya. Rama Raya was known to be very manipulative, and interfered in the affairs of the neighbouring
Muslim sultanates. Though this tactic worked initially to his favor, Rama Raya took the game too far and finally the sultanates decided to band together and destroy the Hindu kingdom.
On January 26th, 1565 the Deccan sultanates of
Ahmednagar,
Berar,
Bidar,
Bijapur and
Golconda who had formed a grand alliance, met the Vijayanagar army at
Talikota, on the banks of the
Krishna River, in present day
Karnataka state. It was one of the few times in
medieval Indian history that a joint strategy was employed. The sultanates were also aided by some minor Hindu kingdoms who held grudges against the Vijayanagara Empire. The Deccan kings had a grand total of 80,000
infantry and 30,000
cavalry. Vijayanagara, on the other hand, had a 140,000 foot soldiers, with another 10,000 on horseback. The armies also had large numbers of
war elephants. The decisive battle was brief and bitter. Fighting in a rocky terrain, the invading troops launched a classic offensive strategy. First they softened up the primary lines of the Vijayanagar army using
cannon fire. The concentrated
artillery took its toll, and the massive frontal attack by the combined armies finished the job. The battle ended in a complete victory for the sultanates, with the raja being
beheaded and put on display as a trophy. What followed was pillaging and the destruction of
Vijayanagara.
The battle spelt the death knell for the large Hindu kingdoms in
India, and it also ended the last great southern empire in India. However, even for the sultanates and Muslim rulers of the south, victory seemed
pyrrhic, as they continued to engage in squabbling and fighting amongst themselves, which would ultimately result in their capitulation to the
Mughals and later the
British Empire.
*
India Today Collector's edition of History
*
The Fall of Hampi*
Hampi - A Guide To History And Tourism
