Bahmani–Vijayanagara War (1362–1367)
The Bahmani–Vijayanagar war,[4] also known as the First Bahmani–Vijayanagar War,[5] spanning from 1362 to 1367, was a significant period of conflict between the Bahmani Sultanate and the Vijayanagar empire in the Deccan plateau of India during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It began due to disputes over the acceptance of coins in both states, with Bahmani ruler Muhammed Shah I banning Vijayanagar coins in his dominions. This move prompted Vijayanagar's Bukka Raya I to forge an alliance with Musunuri Nayakas, the then rulers of Warangal, Kanhayya, and local bankers, resulting in the destruction of Bahmani coins and the escalation of tensions leading to outright war. This was the first war in India where the Europeans fought at the Deccan and the infantry was used.
| First Bahmani–Vijayanagar War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Bahmani–Vijayanagar Wars | |||||||||
 Fort of Mudgal, which was captured by Bukka Raya, and then recaptured by Muhammed Shah I | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Bahmani Sultanate |
Vijayanagara empire Musunuri Nayakas | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Muhammed Shah I (WIA) Safdar Khan Sistani Azam-i Humayun Khan Muhammed Musa Khan † Isa Khan † |
Bukka Raya I  Kanhayya Vinayak Deva  Mallinatha † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
At Mudgal: At Kauthal: |
At Mudgal: At Kauthal: | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
|
| ||||||||
  The location where the Battle of Kauthal occurred  Bahmani–Vijayanagara War (1362–1367) (India) | |||||||||
The conflict intensified with the execution of Warangal's prince by the Bahmanis, a consequence of disputes over horse trading. This event ultimately led to the vassalization of Warangal, further fueling animosity between the two powers. As the war progressed, Bahmani victories over Vijayanagar forces at Mudgal and Kauthal resulted in heavy casualties among the civilian population. In 1367, Muhammed Shah laid siege to Vijayanagar, where Bukka Raya had shut himself after two consecutive defeats, and massacred the Vijayanagar population, prompting Bukka Raya I to seek peace. However, the conflict continued, with subsequent battles further decimating Vijayanagar's resources and population. Kanhayya, the ruler of Warangal gave the famous Turquoise Throne to the Bahmani Sultan during these campaigns.
Ultimately, both parties signed a treaty aimed at preventing civilian massacres in future conflicts, marking a pivotal moment in the military history of fourteenth-century Deccan India. The war highlighted the complex dynamics between regional powers and the devastating impact of conflict on civilian populations in the region.
Background
After the fall of the Hoysala dynasty in South India following the death of Veera Ballala III, who was defeated by the Madurai Sultanate in the Battle of Kannanur, the state was succeeded by some of his officers. Among them, the most prominent were three brothers named Harihara I, who governed the Maratha region, and Bukka Raya I, who ruled over Hampi and Dwarasamudra. Their two younger brothers held minor posts, while Bukka's son Kampana served as the doorkeeper of the Hoysala king. These five brothers and their nephew were the founders of the Vijayanagar empire in the fourteenth century. Meanwhile, the Bahmanis had consolidated their power in the Deccan and were closely monitoring the situation in Delhi. The last mention of Harihara coincides with Bahman Shah's declaration of independence. Harihara I was the first king of the Vijayanagar. By the time of Harihara's death, Bukka appears to have been the sole survivor among the five brothers. When Firuz Shah Tughlaq of Delhi Sultanate announced that he would not endeavour to bring the South back under the rule of Delhi, the rulers of Vijayanagar and of Bahmani, relieved of this concern, were able to engage in hostilities independently.[3] At the same time, a ruler named Kanhayya, also known as Kanhaiya Nayak,[6] or Kanya Nayak,[1] who hailed from the Kakatiya dynasty, established himself within the Vijayanagar realm as the Musunuri Nayaka chief.[7]
Map of the Bahmani Sultanate (Peak)
Following the demise of Alauddin Bahman Shah, his son Muhammed Shah I succeeded to the throne of the Bahmani Sultanate.[8] During the reign of Muhammad Shah I, the conflicts between the Bahmanis and Vijayanagar commenced.[9] Typically, their conflicts were interpreted as religious wars because of the religious disparities between the two states, leading to the assumption that Vijayanagar had been subjugated to the vassal status of the Bahmanis. However, this notions were the exaggerations during the medieval era. In reality, the wars between the Bahmanis and Vijayanagar were not religious in nature, but rather secular competitions for the acquisition of wealth and territory. Despite the victories of the Bahmanis in these conflicts, Vijayanagar never succumbed to vassalage at any point in time.[10]
The stretch of land between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers became a point of contention among various dynasties, including the Western Chalukyas and Cholas, as well as the Yadavas and Hoysalas, who previously ruled over the territories later claimed by the Bahmanis and Vijayanagar. When the Bahmanis and Vijayanagar emerged from the remnants of these empires, history repeated itself. Moreover, the unique circumstances surrounding the formation of these two states made frequent warfare between them a common occurrence. During their inception, each state acquired only certain parts of the Raichur Doab, yet as the political successors of their predecessors, both aspired to control the entire region.[10]
Reference
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:3 - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Allan, John (1964). The Cambridge Shorter History of India. S. Chand. p. 172.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:5 - ↑ Watson, Adam (1964). The War of the Goldsmith's Daughter. Chatto & Windus. p. 5.
- ↑ Gibb, Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen (1993). The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill. p. 458. ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
- ↑ Allan 1964, p. 277.
- ↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013-03-15). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Ratna Sagar P. Limited. pp. 106–108. ISBN 978-93-80607-34-4.
- ↑ Sinha, Narendra Krishna; Banerjee, Anil Chandra (1963). History of India. A. Mukherjee. p. 293.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nizāmī, Khāliq Aḥmad; Habib, Muhammad (1982). A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanate, A.D. 1206-1526. People's Publishing House. pp. 1046–1049.