| Battle of Raichur | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Deccani–Vijayanagar wars | |||||||
 Raichur Fort | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Vijayanagara Empire | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Krishnadevaraya[4] Timmarusu Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayaka Hande Mallaraya Timmappa Nayaka Adapa Nayaka Kumara Virayya Ganda Raya | Ismail Adil Shah  [4]Mirza Jahangir † Salabut Khan (POW)  [5]Asada Khan[6] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
Contemporary sources:
| |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 16,000 soldiers | Unknown but heavy[citation needed] | ||||||
TheBattle of Raichur was fought between theVijayanagara Empire and theSultanate of Bijapur in 1520[7] in the town ofRaichur,India. It resulted in a decisive victory for Vijayanagara forces, and the Bijapur ruler was defeated and pushed across the riverKrishna.[8]
The fort ofRaichur was built byKakatiya kingPrataparudra in 1294, and passed on to theVijayanagara Kingdom after the decline ofKakatiyas. Ever since, the fort had been under dispute for nearly two centuries. The fort, along with other areas of the northern Deccan, was captured byMuhammad Bin Tughluq in 1323. The Bahmani Sultanate captured the fort in 1347.[9]Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya attempted to recapture the city ofRaichur from the Bahmanis, but failed. The immediate prelude to the Battle of Raichur began in the year 1520. In that year,Krishnadevaraya sent Seyed Maraikar, a Muslim in his service, toGoa with a large sum of money to buy horses. Maraikar betrayed Krishnadevaraya's cause and went to Adil Khan with the money and offered his services. Krishnadevaraya's demand that Maraikar be returned along with the money was duly refused. During the period of peace Krishnadevaraya made extensive preparations for a grand attack onRaichur Doab.
The battle was fought inRaichur between the armies ofKrishnadevaraya and theSultanate of Bijapur.[7] The main commander of the Vijayanagara army was SaluvaTimmarusu also known as Saluva Timma.[10] The Vijayanagara Empire had a force consisting of 32,600 cavalry and 551 elephants according to contemporary sources. Initially,Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayaka led the vanguard with 30,000infantry, 1,000cavalry, and fewwar elephants.[11][citation needed] He was followed by commanders like Hande Mallaraya, Timmappa Nayaka, Adapa Nayaka, and Ganda Raya, other notable leaders included Jagadeva, Rayachuri Rami Nayudu, and Kumara Virayya.[11][citation needed] The Bijapur Sultanate had a force consisting of 7,000 cavalry and 250 elephants. Modern and contemporary writers disagree on the number of infantry personnel that each side had. The contemporary sources say that Krishnadevaraya had an infantry force consisting of a bit over 700,000 soldiers.[12]Adil Shah, with a 120,000 foot, 18,000 horses and 150 elephants strong army, moved to relieveRaichur. Despite being outnumbered, his artillery advantage was significant. Upon reaching theKrishna River, he found it blocked byVijayanagar troops. He then crossed the river and advanced towards Krishna's camp. Both armies prepared for battle and spent a night armed and ready. The next morning,Krishnadeva ordered an attack on the Musalmans, initially making progress but facing heavy artillery fire from the Bijapuris. The Hindu forces retreated in disorder, and Krishnadevaraya rallied his troops to counter-attack, ultimately leading to the enemy's panic and retreat.[13][14]Krishnadeva, the Vijayanagar leader, encouraged his remaining troops, vowing to die as soldiers instead of fleeing. He called for loyal officers, and together, they charged the enemy. This unexpected counter-attack caused theBijapuris to retreat, leading to chaos and many casualties on both sides. TheVijayanagar army suffered over 16,000 dead, while theBijapuris lost many, including Mirza Jehangir, and five important captains including Salabut Khan taken prisoners.[14] Upon seeing the enemy retreat, Krishna's generals sought permission to continue the battle. However, prioritizing peace, he ordered his troops to withdraw. After capturing the Bijapuris' camp, Krishna counted the spoils: 100 elephants, 400 cannons, tents, horses, oxen, and other animals. He released captured women, honored the fallen with funeral rites, and distributed alms. With the battle concluded, Krishna returned to the siege ofRaichur.[14] Moreover, the use of a Portuguese contingent[15] commanded by Cristovão de Figueiredo[4] with the use of fireweapons helped to conquer the fortress.[16] There is a high probability thatmatchlocks, which were obtained through contact with thePortuguese, were used as well by the army of the Vijayanagara Empire.[17] Additionally, the Portuguese with theirarquebuses picked off the defenders from the walls, and thus enabled the besiegers to approach close to the lines of fortification and pull down the stones. Driven to desperation, and their governor being slain, the garrison surrendered.[13] Portuguese accounts state that cannons were used extensively by theBijapur Sultanate; theVijayanagara Empire used them minimally, at best.[18] TheVijayanagara Empire emerged victorious despite theBijapur Sultanate having superior firepower.[19]
When the city ofRaichur surrendered, Krishnadevaraya made a triumphal entry into it.[20] Krishnadevaraya was brutal towards Bijapuri generals ofRaichur. ManyBijapuri generals lost their lands. He declared that if Adil Shah would come to him, do obeisance, and kiss his foot, his lands would be restored to him. The submission never took place. Krishnadevaraya then led his army as far north asBijapur and occupied it.[3] Upon returning toVijayanagara, Krishnadevaraya receivedIsma'il Adil Khan's ambassador, who requested the return of captured items, includingRaichur fort.Krishnaraya agreed on the condition thatAdil Khan would pay homage.[3][13] The meeting was scheduled atMudgal, but when Krishnadevaraya arrived,Adil Khan was absent. Enraged, he advanced onBijapur,Adil Shah fled and Krishnadevaraya occupied the royal palace. Although not intending to sack the city,Bijapur suffered damage.[21][13]
Adil Shah tried to negotiate, but his ambassador,Asad Khan Lari, betrayed him, claiming Salabat Khan's interference for the failed meeting. Believing the lie, Krishnadevaraya ordered Salabat's execution. Asad Khan accomplished his goal and fled.[21][13]
Infuriated by the ambassador's deceit, Krishnadevaraya invadedBijapur, causing destruction and capturing some cities. At Sagar, he faced a large army and won a decisive battle with heavy casualties on both sides. Krishnaraya also won battles at Shorapur and Kemba inKalaburagi district.[21][22][13] He took prisoner three sons of a former king of theBahmani dynasty, who had been held captive by theAdil Shah and he proclaimed the eldest as king of theDeccan.[23] This attempt to subvert the rule of the fiveSultans who had established themselves on the ruins of the singleDeccan sovereignty only resulted in stiffening their hostility towards their common foe.[24] Krishnadevaraya began to make preparations for an attack onBelgaum, which was in Adil Shah's possession. Soon after, he fell seriously ill to carry out his project and died at the age of forty-five years, in the year 1530. He was succeeded byAchyuta Deva Raya.
Orientalist andnationalist historians claimed the battle as part of aclash of civilizations between Hindus and Muslims.[13][25] Contemporary scholars reject such characterizations as flawed.[26][27] The battle of Raichur had far-reaching effects. TheVijayanagara victory weakened the power and prestige of the Adil Shah. He turned his attention to making alliances with the other Muslim neighbours. The victory also caused other Sultans inDeccan to form an alliance to defeat the Vijayanagara Empire. The war also affected the fortunes of thePortuguese on the west coast. Goa rose and fell simultaneously with the rise and fall of the Vijayanagara dynasty because their entire trade depended on Hindu support.[4]
Richard Eaton argues that Vijayanagara's victory at Raichur ultimately led to its downfall.[28] Because Krishna Raya was able to overcome an army with technologically superior weapons, he underestimated the value of investment in military technology. The Sultans of the Deccan, on the other hand, continued to improve their arms and learned the tactics necessary to deploy them well.
The Raya then crossed the river and seized the Shah's camp, while the Shah himself, by the counsel and help of Asada Khan, a man who afterwards became very famous, escaped only with his life, and fled from the field on an elephant.
There is also a strong likelihood of the adoption of European matchlocks in the Vijayanagara Empire at around the same time [1517], through contact with the Portuguese.
The city of Raichur surrendered and Krishnadevaraya made triumphal entry into it.
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