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Chaos at Vijayanagar Narasimha seizes the throne。
I have already stated that the period following the reign of Deva Raya II。 is one very difficult to fill up satisfactorily from any source。 It was a period of confusion in Vijayanagar a fact that is clearly brought out by Nuniz in his chronicle。
A。D。 1449 is the last date in any known inscription containing mention of a Deva Raya； and Dr。 Hultzsch＇148＇ allots this to Deva Raya II。 It may be； as already suggested； that there was a Deva Raya III。 on the throne between A。D。 1444 and 1449； but this remains to be proved。 Two sons of Deva Raya II。； according to the inscriptions； were named Mallikarjuna and Virupaksha I。 respectively。 There are inscriptions of the former dated in A。D。 1452 53 and 1464 65；＇149＇ and one of the latter in 1470。＇150＇ Mallikarjuna appears to have had two sons； Rajasekhara； of whom we have inscriptions in the years A。D。 1479 80 and 1486 87； and Virupaksha II。； mentioned in an inscription dated A。D。 1483 84； three years earlier than the last of Rajasekhara。
Dr。 Hultzsch； in the third volume of the EPIGRAPHIA INDICA； p。 36； gives these dates； but in the fourth volume of the same work （p。 180） he notes that an inscription of Rajasekhara exists at Ambur in North Arcot； which is dated in the year corresponding to A。D。 1468 69。 I have also been told of an inscription on stone to be seen at the village of Parnapalle （or Paranapalle） in the Cuddapah district； of which a copy on copper…plate is said to be in the possession of one Narayana Reddi of Goddamari in the Tadpatri Taluq of the Anantapur district。 This is reported to bear the date Saka 1398 （A。D。 1476 77）； and to mention as sovereign 〃Praudha Deva Raya of Vijayanagar。〃
Rajasekhara's second inscription must have been engraved very shortly before the final fall of the old royal house； for the first certain date of the usurper Narasimha is A。D。 1450。
Amid this confusion of overlapping dates we turn for help to Nuniz； but though his story； gathered from tradition about the year 1535； is clear and consecutive； it clashes somewhat with the other records。 According to him； Deva Raya II。 had a son； Pina Raya； who died six months after his attempted assassination； but we have shown that Abdur Razzak conclusively establishes that this unfortunate monarch was Deva Raya II。 himself； and that the crime was committed before the month of April 1443。 Pina Raya left a son unnamed； who did nothing in particular； and was succeeded by his son 〃Verupaca；〃 by which name Virupaksha is clearly meant。 Virupaksha was murdered by his eldest son； who in turn was slain by his younger brother； 〃Padea Rao；〃 and this prince lost the kingdom to the usurper Narasimha。
The period was without doubt a troublous one； and all that can be definitely and safely stated at present is that for about forty years prior to the usurpation of Narasimha the kingdom passed from one hand to the other； in the midst of much political agitation； discontent； and widespread antagonism to the representatives of the old royal family； several of whom appear to have met with violent deaths。 The usurpation took place at some period between A。D。 1487 and 1490。
Leaving the Hindu and Portuguese records； we must turn to the Muhammadan historians in order to see what were the political relations existing at this time between Vijayanagar and its hereditary enemies to the north。 Firishtah tells us of no event occurring between the year 1443 and 1458 A。D。 to disturb the peaceful conditions then existing。 Kulbarga was itself in too troubled a condition to venture on further national complications。 Internal disputes and civil war raged in the Dakhan； and the country was divided against itself。 The trouble had begun which ended only with the extinction of the Bahmani monarchy； and the establishment of five rival Muhammadan kingdoms in the place of one。
Ala…ud…din died February 13； A。D。 1458； （？）＇151＇ and was succeeded by his son Humayun； a prince of 〃cruel and sanguinary temper。〃 In the following year Humayun waged war against the country of the Telugus and besieged Devarakonda； which made so stout a resistance that the Dakhani armies were baffled； and retired。 He died on the 5th September 1461；＇152＇ to the great relief of all his subjects。 Mallikarjuna appears to have been then king of Vijayanagar。
Nizam Shah succeeded to the throne； being then only eight years old； but his reign was of short duration。 He was succeeded by his brother Muhammad on July 30； A D。 1463；＇153＇
In the middle of the year 1469； while either Rajasekhara or Virupaksha I。 was the king of Vijayanagar； Mahmud Gawan； Muhammad's minister； marched towards the west； and after a fairly successful campaign attacked Goa； then in the possession of the Raya of Vijayanagar； both by sea and land。 He was completely victorious and captured the place。
The war was probably undertaken in revenge for a cruel massacre of Muhammadans which took place in this Year A。D。 1469； according to Barros。＇154＇ At this period the coast trade was altogether in the hands of the Muhammadans； and they used to import large numbers of horses； principally for the use of the great contending armies in the Dakhan and Vijayanagar。 The Hindu king depended on this supply to a large extent。 In 1469 the Moors at Batecala （Bhatkal） having sold horses to the 〃Moors of Decan；〃 the king of Vijayanagar ordered his vassal at Onor （Honawar） 〃to kill all those Moors as far as possible； and frighten the rest away。〃 The result of this was a terrible massacre； in which 10；000 Musulmans lost their lives。 The survivors fled and settled themselves at Goa； thus founding the city that afterwards became the capital of Portuguese India。 Nuniz alludes to the loss of 〃Goa； Chaull； and Dabull〃 by Vijayanagar in the reign of 〃Verupaca。〃＇155＇ （Purchas states that the massacre took place in 1479 A。D。）
Shortly afterwards there arose to power under the Sultan Muhammad one Yusuf Adil Khan； a slave； who before long grew to such power that he overthrew the Bahmani dynasty； and became himself the first independent sovereign of Bijapur the first 〃Adil Shah。〃 In 1470； says the BURHAN…I MAASIR； the Sultan took Rajahmundry and Kondavid from the king of Orissa。 An inscription at Kondapalle； a fine hill…fort beautifully situated on a range of hills； gives the date as 1470 or 1471； my copy is imperfect。
Firishtah tells us that
〃In the year 877 （A。D。 1472 73） Perkna； roy of the fortress of Balgoan； at the instigation of the prince of Beejanuggur； marched to retake the island of Goa。。。。 Mahummud Shaw； immediately upon intelligence of this irruption； collected his forces and moved against Balgoan； a fortress of great strength； having round it a deep wet ditch； and near it a pass； the only approach； defended by redoubts。〃
The attack ended in the reduction of the place； when the Sultan returned to Kulbarga。
The BURHAN…I MAASIR CALLS the chief of Belgaum 〃Parkatapah；〃 and Major King； the translator of the work； gives a large variety of spellings of the name； viz。： 〃Birkanah；〃 〃Parkatabtah；〃 〃Parkatiyah；〃 〃Parkitah；〃 〃Barkabtah。〃＇156＇ Briggs gives it as 〃Birkana。〃 It has been supposed that the real name was Vikrama。
About the year 1475 the