按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
s the following account of what occurred。 This has been already alluded to； but is now given in full：
〃In this interval Heemraaje； having settled his dissensions；＇178＇ advanced with the young roy at the head of a great army to Roijore； which struck terror into the army of Adil Shaw； for whose recovery earnest prayers were offered up by his subjects。〃 。。。 （The prayers were answered and the Sultan recovered。）
〃Intelligence arriving that Heemraaje had crossed the Tummedra and was advancing by hasty marches； Eusuff Adil Shaw ordered a general review of his army 。。。 （and advanced； entrenching his camp a short distance from the Hindus）。 Several days passed inactively； till on Saturday in Regib 898＇179＇ both armies drew out； and in the beginning of the action near five hundred of Adil Shaw's troops being slain； the rest were disordered and fell back； but were rallied again by the sultan。 One of the officers； who had been taken prisoner and made his escape； observed that the enemy were busily employed in plunder； and might be attacked with advantage。 The sultan relished this advice and proceeded； when Heemraaje； not having time to collect his whole army； drew out with seven thousand horse and a considerable number of foot； also three hundred elephants。 Adil Shaw charged his center with such fury； that Heemraaje was unable to stand the shock。 Victory waved the royal standard； and the infidels fled； leaving two hundred elephants； a thousand horses； and sixty lacs of OONS；＇180＇ with many jewels and effects； to the conquerors。 Heemraaje and the young roy fled to Beejanuggur； but the latter died on the road of a wound he had received by an arrow in the action。 Heemraaje seized the government of the country； but some of the principal nobility opposing his usurpation； dissensions broke out； which gave Adil Shaw relief from war for some time from that quarter。〃
The disputed territory between the two rivers once more passed into the hands of the Muhammadans。 Goa also remained in the Bijapur Sultan's possession。
The last historical event in the reign of Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur； as narrated by Firishtah； is as follows：
〃In the year 915；＇181＇ the Christians surprised the town of Goa； and put to death the governor with many mussulmauns。 Upon intelligence of which； Adil Shaw； with three thousand chosen men； Dekkanees and foreigners； marched with such expedition； that he came upon the Europeans unawares； retook the fort； and put many to death； but some made their escape in their ships out to sea。〃
These Christians were the Portuguese under Albuquerque； and the date of their entry into Goa was March 1； A。D。 1510。
At this period there was a complete change in the PERSONNEL of the chief actors on our Indian stage。 Ahmad Nizam Shah； who had declared himself independent at Ahmadnagar in A。D。 1490； died in 1508； and was succeeded by his son； a boy of seven years of age named Burhan； with whom the traveller Garcia da Orta＇182＇ afterwards became very friendly。 Da Orta calls him 〃my friend。〃＇183＇ Yusuf Adil Shah died in A。D。 1510； and his successor on the throne of Bijapur was his son Ismail。 Krishna Deva Raya became Raya of Vijayanagar in 1509。 The two last…mentioned monarchs were frequently in contact with one another； and in the end； according to our chronicles； the Hindu king was completely victorious。 Even Firishtah admits that he dealt Ismail a crushing blow at the great battle of Raichur； a full description of which is given by Nuniz。
But before dealing with the history of the reign of Krishna Deva Raya it is necessary that we should learn how it came about that these Portuguese Christians who seized Goa came to be living in India； and some of them even resident at the Hindu capital。
The Portuguese Arrive in India。
King John of Portugal had acquired some knowledge of India in A。D。 1484； and after causing inquiries to be made as to the possibility of discovering the rich and interesting country in the Far East； had begun to fit out three ships； but he died before they were ready。 His successor； Dom Manuel； took up the matter warmly； and sent these ships out under Vasco da Gama and his brother Paulo； with orders to try and double the Cape of Good Hope。 The full account of the extraordinary voyage made by them is given in the 〃Three Voyages of Vasco da Gama；〃 translated and published in the Hakluyt edition； being a translation of certain portions of Correa's LENDAS DA INDIA。 Da Gama sailed on July 8； A。D。 1497； and arrived close to Calicut on August 26； 1498。＇184＇ The Samuri； or king； of Calicut was at first friendly； but there were misunderstandings on the part of the Portuguese； and they made little or no progress either in trade or in establishing amicable relations with the Hindus。 Da Gama returned shortly after to Portugal。 Early in 1500 A。D。 Cabral took out another and larger fleet； and arrived at Calicut on September 13th。 He at once quarrelled with the Samuri； and instead of peaceful commerce we read of attacks and counter…attacks conducted in such sort by the Portuguese as irretrievably to alienate the natives of the country。 A few Europeans； however； settled in that tract； and amongst them Duarte Barbosa； the celebrated chronicler of the time。
Da Gama returned to India in 1504； proclaiming the king of Portugal lord of the seas； and wantonly destroying with all hands a large vessel having several hundred people on board near the Indian coast。 He reached Calicut on October 29th； and immediately bombarded the city； seizing the inoffensive native fishermen in the port； eight hundred of whom he massacred in cold blood under circumstances of brutal atrocity。 In 1503 he again left for Europe； after establishing a factory at Cochin。 In consequence of his violence a war ensued between Cochin and Calicut。 In 1504 Lopo Soares came out with a fleet of fourteen caravels； and proclaimed a blockade of the port of Cochin； in spite of the fact that the Rajah of that place had always shown great kindness and hospitality to the Portuguese。
The next year； 1505； Almeida was appointed viceroy of the king of Portugal on the Indian coast； and took out with him a large fleet and 1500 soldiers。 After some preliminary fighting at Honawar； Almeida began for the first time to perceive that the true interests of the Portuguese lay in peaceful commerce； and not in sanguinary and costly attacks on the natives； and he also learned from an influential native of the existence of the great kingdom of Vijayanagar and the power of its king； Narasimha （or Narasa）。 At Cannanore the viceroy's son； Lourenco； in 1506； received further information as to the state of the country from the Italian traveller Varthema； and in consequence of this Almeida asked King Narasa to allow him to erect a fortress at Bhatkal； but no answer was returned。
Varthema has left behind him a valuable account of his experiences＇185＇ at this period。 He speaks of Goa as being then under the 〃Savain；〃 which is this writer's form of expressing the ruler known to the Portuguese as the 〃Sabayo；〃＇186＇ who was the governor of the place under the Adil Shah of Bijapur。 The Sabayo was then at war with Narasimha of Vijayanagar。
He describes Vijayanagar as a great city； 〃very large and strongly walled。 It is situated on the side of a mountain；＇187＇ and is seven miles in circumference。 It has a triple circlet of walls。〃 It was very wealthy and well supplied； situated on a beautiful site； and enjoying an excellent climate。 The king 〃keeps up constantly 40；000 horsemen〃 and 400 elephants。 The elephants each carry six men； and have long swords fastened to their trunks in battle a description which agrees with that of Nikitin and Paes。 〃The common people go quite naked； with the exception of a piece of cloth about their middle。 The king wears a cap of gold brocade two spans long。。。。 His horse is worth more than some of our cities on account of the ornaments which it wears。〃＇188＇ Calicut； he says； was ruined in consequence of its wars with the Portuguese。
Varthema saw forty…eight Portuguese traders massacred at Calicut by the 〃Moors；〃 and in consequence of the dangerous state of things existing there he left the city and pursued his journey southwards round the coast。 Here we may leave him。
In March 1505 a Portuguese fleet destroyed； with immense loss of life； a large flotilla of small boats belonging to the Rajah of Calicut。 In the next year an outrage committed by the Portuguese led to a siege of their factory at Cannanore； but the timely arrival of Tristan da Cunha with a new fleet from home relieved the beleaguered garrison。 At the end of 1507 Almeida and Da Cunha joined forces and again attacked Calicut； with some measure of success。
Afonso d'Albuquerque was now in the Persian seas fighting with all the 〃Moors〃 he could meet。 At the end of 1509 he became 〃Governor of India；〃 I。E。 of Portuguese India； in succession to Almeida； Diogo Lopes de Sequeira receiving the governorship under the king of Portugal of the seas east of Cape Comorin。
From the accession of Krishna Deva Raya to the throne of Vijayanagar in A。D。 1509 we once more enter a period when the history of the country becomes less confused； and we are able to trace the sequence of events without serious difficulty。 This