CHAPTER 3

The First Kings (A.D. 1336 to 1379)

Rapid acquisition of territory -- Reign of Harihara I. -- Check to
Muhammadan aggression -- Reign of Bukka I. -- Kampa and Sangama? --
The Bahmani kingdom established, 1347 -- Death of Nagadeva of Warangal
-- Vijayanagar's first great war -- Massacres by Muhammad Bahmani --
Battle at Adoni, 1366 -- Flight of Bukka -- Mujahid's war, 1375 --
He visits the Malabar coast -- Siege of Vijayanagar -- Extension of
territory -- Death of Mujahid, 1378.

The city of Vijayanagar, thus founded about the year 1335, speedily
grew in importance and became the refuge of the outcasts, refugees,
and fighting men of the Hindus, beaten and driven out of their old
strongholds by the advancing Muhammadans.

The first rulers of Vijayanagar, however, did not dare to call
themselves kings, nor did even the Brahmans do so who composed the text
of their early inscriptions. It is for this reason that I have spoken
of Harihara I. and Bukka I. as "Chiefs." The inscription referred to of
Harihara in 1340 calls him "Hariyappa VODEYA," the former name being
less honourable than "Harihara," and the latter definitely entitling
him to rank only as a chieftain. Moreover, the Sanskrit title given
him is MAHAMANDALESVARA, which may be translated "great lord" --
not king. And the same is the case with his successor, Bukka, in
two inscriptions,[32] one of which is dated in 1353. Already in 1340
Harihara is said to have been possessed of very large territories,
and he was the acknowledged overlord of villages as far north as the