Portuguese, a certain amount of missionary enterprise as well. The advent of Francis Xavier in the Southern coastal region created a new and powerful influence. The Paravas, the fisherfolk along the coast, were being rapidly converted to Christianity and such conversion was interpreted as involving a change of allegiance of the inhabitants from their Indian rulers to the King of Portugal. This wholesale conversion of a class of industrious inhabitants of the coast including among them those engaged in pearl fishing, made them ipso facto subjects of the King of Portugal”.¹⁵ This could not be left unnoticed and a special officer was deputed by the Vijayanagar Emperor to end these troubles. The Viceroy of Madura remained obedient to this superior officer, slowly waiting for an opportunity to cast off the yoke.

The Battle of Talikotta between the Muslims and Vijayanagar was the first stage in the decline of the latter empire and this decline ushered in the Maratta power in the South. The Vijayanagar empire apart from having perpetual trouble from her Viceroys in the South was threatened by Muslim invaders. By 1612 the Vijayanagar king who had been dealt a staggering blow by the combined Muslim attack had been to acknowledge Mysore as a separate Kingdom. In 1614, a domestic war of succession was fought and the Portuguese allied themselves with the rebel usurper. This was the final blow to the great empire-the Viceroys exerted their individual influences and stood independent of the centre. The last Vijayanagar Emperor Sri Ranga III was the one who gave the charter for the foundation of Fort St.George at Madras. As the Vijayanagar empire was slowly disintegrating the Marattas gained control of Tanjore and the foundations of the Maratta power in the South were laid by Shahji - a Hindu soldier who served the Muslim Sultan of Bijapur. Shahji’s son was the famous Sivaji who consolidated the Maratta power. Much gold form the Madras coast went to replenish his treasury.

Shahji captured Gingee on behalf of his master - the Sultan of Bijapur - but he finally made it a part of his own jahir; in

15. Sathianatha Iyer, R. History of the Nayaks of Madura; 1924; Intro.; P. 13.