Home Region: Southern India (South Asia)

Vijayanagara Empire

1336 CE 1646 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 in_vijayanagara_emp / InVijay

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1206 CE 1526 CE Delhi Sultanate (in_delhi_sultanate) [absorption]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Displayed:

Learn more about polity border choices. Map Modern Map only Opacity Year Play rate (y/s)
Hit enter after changing the year or setting the play rate.

General Description

The Vijayanagara Empire ruled over southern India: specifically, it comprised an area roughly equivalent to the modern-day Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. ^[1] This polity could be said to have been founded with the establishment of the fortified city of Vijayanagara itself in 1340, and it fragmented into many smaller polities roughly three hundred years later, due to both civil wars and incursions from Islamic polities to the North. ^[2] Under Vijayanagara rule, architecture flourished (many temples were built or rebuilt, and the first permanent non-religious buildings, including royal palaces, were constructed), trade and agriculture boomed, new towns were founded, and new notions of legal rights emerged. ^[3]
Population and political organization
As with most preceding South Indian polities, the Vijayanagara ruler sat at the top of both administrative and military hierarchies. ^[4] He was assisted at court by several ministers, and in the provinces by governors. ^[5]
Assuming that the entire population of the Indian subcontinent at this time equalled 150 million, it seems reasonable to estimate that the population of the Vijayanagara empire was about 25 million. ^[6] Burton Stein estimates that the city of Vijayanagara at its height in the 16th century had over 100,000 inhabitants, ^[7] while Carla Sinopoli believes the population could have been over 250,000. ^[8]

[1]: (Kamath 1980, 329) Suryanath Kamath. 1980. A Concise History of Karnataka: From Pre-historic Times to the Present. Bangalore: Archana Prakashana.

[2]: (Stein 1990, 2, 13) Burton Stein. 1990. The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[3]: (Stein 1990, xii, 2) Burton Stein. 1990. The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[4]: (Majumdar, Raychaudhuri and Datta 1974, 373) R. C. Majumdar, H. C. Raychaudhuri, Kalikinkar Datta. 1974. An Advanced History of India. Delhi: Macmillan India.

[5]: (Majumdar, Raychaudhuri and Datta 1974, 373-74) R. C. Majumdar, H. C. Raychaudhuri, Kalikinkar Datta. 1974. An Advanced History of India. Delhi: Macmillan India.

[6]: (Stein 1990, 44) Burton Stein. 1990. The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[7]: (Stein 1990, 75) Burton Stein. 1990. The New Cambridge History of India: Vijayanagara. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[8]: (Sinopoli 2000, 370) Carla Sinopoli. 2000. ’From the Lion Throne: Political and Social Dynamics of the Vijayanagara Empire’. Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 43 (3): 364-98.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

3 Capital

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

3 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

4 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

2 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

1 Entertainment Building

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

34 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp) was in:
(1337 CE 1646 CE)	Deccan

Home NGA: Deccan

General Variables

Identity and Location Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	43 P	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Original Name	Vijayanagara Empire	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Capital	Vijayanagara	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Capital	Penukonda	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Capital	Chandraigiri	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1505 CE ➜ 1542 CE]
Loading...

Duration	[1336 CE ➜ 1646 CE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	sl_jaffa_k vassalage to in_vijayanagara_emp	1385 CE 1500 CE
Loading...

Suprapolity Relations	none	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Mughal Empire	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Relationship to Preceding Entity	cultural assimilation	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Preceding Entity 1206 CE 1526 CE	Delhi Sultanate (in_delhi_sultanate) [absorption]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	loose	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	confederated state	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	nominal	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Language Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Linguistic Family	Dravidian	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Language	Telugu	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Language	Tamil	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Language	Kannada	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Language	Sanskrit	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Religion Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Hinduism	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Religion Family	Saivist Traditions	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Religion Family	Vaisnava Traditions	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	100,000 people	1337 CE 1499 CE
Loading...

Population of the Largest Settlement	[150,000 to 250,000] people	1500 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Polity Territory	[350,000 to 370,000] km²	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Polity Population	25,000,000 people	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 4]	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Religious Level	[0 to 2]	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Military Level	[5 to 6]	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Administrative Level	[4 to 5]	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Professions Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Professional Priesthood	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Professional Military Officer	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Bureaucracy Characteristics Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Uncoded Undecided	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Examination System	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Law Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Judge	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Court	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Entertainment Building	Uncoded Undecided	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Port	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Canal	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Bridge	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Script	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sacred Text	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Philosophy	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

History	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Fiction	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Calendar	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Information / Money Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Uncoded Undecided	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Article	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Courier	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moat	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Ditch	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Iron	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Copper	Present Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Bronze	Present Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Projectiles Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Sling	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Javelin	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Crossbow	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Atlatl	Absent	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Sword	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Spear	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Polearm	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Elephant	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Donkey	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Dog	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Camel	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Armor Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Shield	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Helmet	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Chainmail	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Naval technology Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	1336 CE 1646 CE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Vijayanagara Empire (in_vijayanagara_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More