foundation of the empire, the Hindu Empire of Vijayanagaram in the South.”14 In the same article Dr. Krishnaswamy remarks “South India declined to be swept away by the advancing tide of Islam, and what was more to stand up positively for Hinduism for all that it was beginning in the 14th century.” With the establishment of the Vijayanagar Empire, Telugu influence in the South was inevitable. This empire extended far down South to include the previous Muslim-captured Pandya country of Madura, Tanjore and even Mysore. This empire reached its pinnacle of power and fame during the reign of the famous King Krishnadevaraya. Krishnadevaraya ascended the throne in 1509. At this time the aggressive activity of the Portuguese was well under way. The distant province of Madura was full of warring chieftains, each struggling to oust and overthrow the other. Krishnadevaraya suppressed these rebellions systematically, and brought the provinces under his complete control. With the Portuguese he came to an understanding and agreed to such terms that would keep them within the bounds of commercial requirements. Vira Narasimha was appointed as Viceroy of the Chola Country and Nagamma was ordered to organise the province of Madura. The former rebelled during the last years of Krishnadevaraya’s reign and fled to Travancore, when his efforts failed. The Madura Viceroy set the imperial authority at difiance. We see here the repeated struggle of the Madura Viceroys to set themselves up as independent powers. In Madura the foundation of a quasi-independent rule under the Nayaks was accomplished between 1558-59. Soon after the death of Krishnadevaraya, Achuta started to rule. His very first act was to subdue the rebelling viceroys of Madura and the Chola countries. After successfully completing this he rearranged the territories between Tanjore and Madura. The territories of the warring Pandya Chieftains were in close contact with Travancore. The coast region was open to Portuguese enterprise and the chief ports of the South contained Portuguese factories and the chief ports of the South contained Portuguese factories and were also otherwise accessible to Portuguese commercial enterprise. “This enterprise involved, in respect of the
14. Ibid. P. 12. |