Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms PYQs – Medieval History, SSC & Railway

Answer: Option 2 — Muhammad Shah II
Muhammad Shah II (reigned 1378–1397) was a scholar-sultan who avoided wars, patronised learning and relief works, and was called "Aristotle" by contemporary chroniclers for his intellect.
His reign is remembered as the most peaceful in Bahmani history — he built mosques and madrasas and organised famine relief.
Revision note — The Bahmani Sultanate
• Founded in 1347 by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu), a rebel officer of Muhammad bin Tughlaq; first capital Gulbarga.
• Muhammad Shah I (1358–1375) organised the administration into four tarafs (provinces) and fought the first wars against Vijayanagara.
• Firoz Shah Bahmani (1397–1422) was a learned ruler who knew several languages and married a daughter of Deva Raya I of Vijayanagara after defeating him in the 1406 war (sparked by a goldsmith's daughter of Mudgal); his later defeat at Pangal (1420) broke his power.
• Ahmad Shah Wali shifted the capital from Gulbarga to Bidar (about 1425–1429).
• Mahmud Gawan, a Persian-born minister of Muhammad Shah III, was the real power for two decades; he built the famous madrasa at Bidar and was executed in 1481 through a forged letter — his death began the decline.
• After 1518 the kingdom split into the five Deccan Sultanates: Bijapur (Adil Shahi), Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahi), Berar (Imad Shahi), Bidar (Barid Shahi) and Golconda (Qutb Shahi).
Do not mix these up
• Muhammad Shah II vs Firoz Shah Bahmani — both were scholar-sultans, but the title "Aristotle" belongs to Muhammad Shah II; Firoz Shah is remembered for the Vijayanagara marriage alliance.
• Mahmud Gawan vs the Sultans — Gawan was a wazir (prime minister), never a sultan.
Also asked from this topic: the kingdom Mahmud Gawan served as prime minister (Bahmani); the founder and year of the Bahmani kingdom (Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, 1347); the event that weakened the Sultanate (Mahmud Gawan's execution, 1481).

Answer: Option 3 — Bijapur – Yusuf Adil Shah; Ahmadnagar – Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah; Golconda – Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk
All three pairs are right: Yusuf Adil Shah began the Adil Shahi line at Bijapur, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah the Nizam Shahi line at Ahmadnagar, Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk the Qutb Shahi line at Golconda.
Malik Ambar, who appears in two of the other pairings, founded nothing — he was the Abyssinian regent of Ahmadnagar a century later.
Revision note — The Bahmani kingdom and its five successor states
• The Bahmani Sultanate was founded in 1347 by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu), capital Gulbarga (Ahsanabad), moved to Bidar in 1425.
• Its great minister Mahmud Gawan built the madrasa at Bidar; his execution in 1481 began the break-up of the kingdom.
• Bijapur — Adil Shahi, Yusuf Adil Shah, 1490. Ahmadnagar — Nizam Shahi, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah, 1490. Berar — Imad Shahi, Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk, 1490.
• Bidar — Barid Shahi, Qasim Barid I. Golconda — Qutb Shahi, Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk, 1518.
• Four of them — Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar — joined to defeat Vijayanagara under Rama Raya at the Battle of Talikota, 1565.
• The Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur is the tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah; the Charminar at Hyderabad was built in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah.
• Chand Bibi defended Ahmadnagar against Akbar. Mughal annexations: Berar 1600, Ahmadnagar 1636, and under Aurangzeb Bijapur 1686 and Golconda 1687.
Do not mix these up
• Malik Ambar vs Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah — Malik Ahmad founded Ahmadnagar in 1490; Malik Ambar was its regent and general, who died in 1626.
• Bidar vs Berar — Bidar is the Barid Shahi state of Qasim Barid; Berar is the Imad Shahi state of Fathullah Imad-ul-Mulk.
Also asked from this topic: who beat Vijayanagara at Talikota (the Deccan Sultanates); the empire that fell after 1565 (Vijayanagara); the kingdom that split into the five sultanates (Bahmani).

Answer: Option 2 — Rival claims over the fertile Raichur Doab and tensions over economic practices like the levy on prostitution
The Raichur Doab — the fertile tract between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra — was the standing bone of contention between Vijayanagara and the Bahmani Sultanate.
It was rich in soil, diamonds and trade routes, so border friction over it repeatedly grew into full war.
Revision note — Vijayanagara and the Bahmani Sultanate
• Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka I of the Sangama dynasty, with its capital at Hampi on the south bank of the Tungabhadra.
• The Bahmani kingdom was founded in 1347 by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, with its capital first at Gulbarga and later at Bidar.
• The Raichur Doab lies between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers and formed the Bahmani kingdom's southern frontier; both states claimed it for nearly two centuries.
• Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty (1509–1529) defeated Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur in the Battle of Raichur, 1520, and captured the Raichur fort.
• The Bahmani state broke into five Deccan Sultanates — Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda, Bidar and Berar — whose combined armies destroyed Vijayanagara at the Battle of Talikota, 1565.
• In Vijayanagara usage the kings were called Narapati (lord of men), the Deccan Sultans Ashvapati (lord of horses) and the Odisha rulers Gajapati (lord of elephants).
Do not mix these up
• Battle of Raichur (1520) vs Battle of Talikota (1565) — Vijayanagara won at Raichur under Krishnadeva Raya; it was destroyed at Talikota by the allied Sultanates.
• Bahmani Sultanate vs Delhi Sultanate — the Bahmani was an independent Deccan kingdom founded in 1347 after a revolt against Muhammad bin Tughlaq, not a province of Delhi.
Also asked from this topic: the founder of the Bahmani kingdom in 1347 (Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah); the ruler defeated in the Battle of Raichur (Adil Shah of Bijapur); the title Narapati used for the Vijayanagara Rayas.

Answer: Option 3 — Initially military and administrative chiefs under Vijayanagara, Palegars gained semi-independence after its decline and resisted Mysore and British consolidation efforts
The Palegars grew out of the Vijayanagara amara-nayaka system of armed chiefs holding fortified tracts.
When the empire broke up they kept their forts as near-independent lords and fought first Mysore and then the English East India Company.
Revision note — Palegars (Palaiyakkarars or Poligars)
• The word comes from Tamil palaiyam, a camp or fortified settlement; a palaiyakkarar held such a tract in return for tribute and troops.
• The office grew out of Vijayanagara's amara-nayaka arrangement, in which a commander held an amaram (a military fief), collected its revenue and maintained cavalry for the Raya.
• After the defeat at Talikota (1565) the Palegars of the Tamil country and the Deccan became semi-independent.
• They kept mud forts and armed retainers and levied kaval, a protection due, on the villages around them.
• They resisted Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore and then the British; the Poligar Wars (1799-1805) of Tirunelveli and the southern districts were the result.
• Veerapandiya Kattabomman of Panchalankurichi refused tribute and was hanged at Kayathar in 1799; the Marudhu brothers of Sivaganga were executed in 1801.
• The Company then extended the Permanent Settlement to the Madras Presidency, turning the surviving Palegars into zamindars and disarming the rest.
Do not mix these up
• Palegar vs zamindar — a Palegar was first of all a military chief holding a fort and a body of retainers; a zamindar under the Permanent Settlement (1793) was only a revenue intermediary, with no army.
• Amara-nayaka vs iqta vs mansabdari — the amara-nayaka system was Vijayanagara's; iqta belonged to the Delhi Sultanate and mansabdari to the Mughals.
Also asked from this topic: what "amaram" meant (a military fief); who managed its territories under royal authority (nayaka chiefs); the empire that used neither iqta nor mansabdari (Vijayanagara).

Hampi - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Capital ofVijayanagara Empire(1336-1646 CE)
Located in Karnataka, on banks of Tungabhadra River
Famous for temples, monuments, and ruins
Answer: Option 1 → Vijayanagara Empire

Topic: Telugu Literature - Prabandha Works
Rajashekharacharitrais a famous Prabandha (narrative poem) in Telugu literature.
It deals with the wars and romantic adventures of King Rajashekhara of Avanti.
Composed byMadayagari Mallana, a prominent Telugu poet of the medieval period.
Note: Allasani Peddana was author of Manucharitram; Nachana Somanatha wrote Basava Purana.
Answer: Option 4 → Madayagari Mallana

Option 2 is correct. Mahmud Gawan (1411–1481 CE) was the most able minister (wakil-us-saltanat) of the Bahmani Sultanate, instrumental in its administrative efficiency and military expansion. His execution in 1481 by Sultan Muhammad Shah III on false charges of treason proved catastrophic — it alienated the Deccani nobles, fueled factional conflicts between Deccanis and Afaqis (foreigners), and accelerated the fragmentation of the Sultanate into five successor states (the Deccan Sultanates).
• Option 1 is wrong: The Bahmani Sultanate was founded in 1347 when Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah declared independence from the Delhi Sultanate; rulers were not appointed by Delhi.
• Option 3 is wrong: The capital was originally at Gulbarga (1347–1425) but was later shifted to Bidar by Ahmad Shah Wali in 1425.
• Option 4 is wrong: The Sun Temple at Konark was built by Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty (c. 1250 CE), not the Bahmanis.

The Vijayanagara Empire used the Nayankara system in which Nayaka chiefs were granted administrative territories (amaram) to manage on behalf of the king. They maintained local control while rendering military service and tribute to the central royal authority — a form of decentralized feudal governance.
(1) The Vijayanagara empire had a decentralized structure through the Nayankara system, not fully centralized rule.
(2) The Vijayanagara economy was diverse — it included flourishing trade, crafts, and agriculture, not just subsistence farming.
(3) Slavery existed in Vijayanagara society and was never completely banned.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Krishnadevaraya was a celebrated patron of art and literature
Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529 CE) was the most powerful ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. He was a great warrior and an outstanding patron of art, literature, and culture. He himself was a poet and authored 'Amuktamalyada' in Telugu. His court had the 'Ashtadiggajas' — eight celebrated Telugu poets. His reign is considered the golden age of Telugu literature.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 1 (Vijayanagara avoided maritime trade): This is incorrect. Vijayanagara actively engaged in maritime trade, especially through ports like Bhatkal, which were crucial for importing Arabian horses for their cavalry.
Option 2 (Bahmani rule remained centralized and stable): The Bahmani Sultanate was frequently politically unstable and eventually fragmented into five Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, Berar) by the early 16th century.
Option 4 (Battle of Talikota revived unified Bahmani state): The 1565 Battle of Talikota destroyed Vijayanagara, not revived the Bahmani state. The Bahmani kingdom had already broken up by then.

The correct answer is (c) Krishnadevaraya .
Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529 CE) of the Tuluva dynasty is widely regarded as the greatest ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. During his reign, the empire reached its territorial and cultural zenith. He was a great patron of arts and literature (Telugu literature flourished with his court having Ashtadiggajas — eight great poets), a skilled military commander, and a devout Vaishnava.
(a) Deva Raya I: Ruled 1406-1422; expanded the empire and introduced Islamic cavalry; significant but overshadowed by Krishnadevaraya .
(b) Deva Raya II: Ruled 1424-1446; known as ' Gajabetegara ' (elephant hunter); made significant military and administrative contributions; not considered the greatest.
(d) Achyuta Deva Raya: Ruled 1529-1542, after Krishnadevaraya ; the empire began to weaken during his reign.

The correct answer is (b) Vijayanagara Empire.
The Battle of Talikota (January 23, 1565) was fought between the Vijayanagara Empire (under Rama Raya) and a coalition of four Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Ahmadnagar , Bidar, and Golconda). The Vijayanagara army was decisively defeated; Rama Raya was killed, and the capital Vijayanagara ( Hampi ) was sacked and destroyed. This marked the effective end of the Vijayanagara Empire's dominance.
(a) Bahmani Kingdom: Had already fragmented into five successor Deccan Sultanates before 1565; it FOUGHT AGAINST Vijayanagara in the Talikota coalition.
(c) Chola Empire: Had declined centuries earlier (by 13th century); not involved in the 1565 Battle of Talikota .
(d) Mughal Empire: Was in its consolidation phase in north India in 1565 under Akbar; not involved in the Talikota battle.

The correct answer is (b) Bahmani Kingdom.
Mahmud Gawan (1411-1481) was a brilliant Persian-origin statesman, prime minister (Wazir-ul-Mamalik), and military commander of the Bahmani Sultanate of the Deccan. He extended the kingdom significantly and built a madrasa at Bidar. He was later falsely accused of treason and executed.
(a) Vijayanagara Empire: A Hindu empire of South India; Mahmud Gawan served the rival Bahmani Sultanate.
(c) Sultanate of Gujarat: A separate sultanate; not where Mahmud Gawan served.
(d) Sultanate of Malwa: Another separate sultanate; not associated with Mahmud Gawan.

Harihara I and Bukka I (two brothers) founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 CE on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. They were originally ministers in the Hoysala and Kampili kingdoms and established the capital at Vijayanagara (modern Hampi , Karnataka).
(a) Incorrect: Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509–1529 CE) was the greatest ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire but not its founder.
(b) Incorrect: Deva Raya II (r. 1424–1446 CE) was a powerful king of the Vijayanagara Empire but not its founder.
(c) Incorrect: Ramadevaraya (Rama Raya) was a regent/minister who dominated the empire in the early 16th century; he was not the founder.

The correct answer is Harihara and Bukka (Option 2).
The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 CE by two brothers, Harihara I (Hakka) and Bukka Raya I. They were former officers of the Hoysala and Kakatiya kingdoms who established the empire on the banks of the Tungabhadra river . The Vijayanagara Empire became one of the greatest empires of medieval India, lasting until 1646 CE.
Option 1 - Alauddin Hasan and Hasan Gangu: These are associated with the Bahmani Sultanate, the rival kingdom to Vijayanagara , not its founders.
Option 3 - Krishnadevaraya and Achyuta Raya: Krishnadevaraya was the greatest ruler of Vijayanagara (r. 1509-29) and Achyuta Raya was his successor; neither founded the empire.
Option 4 - Narasimha and Saluva Narasimha: Saluva Narasimha founded the Saluva dynasty of Vijayanagara (third dynasty) in the late 15th century; he did not found the Vijayanagara Empire itself.

Hampi derives its name from Pampadevi (Pampa), the local mother goddess associated with the Tungabhadra River. ' Hampi ' is a Kannada corruption of 'Pampa' — the ancient name of the Tungabhadra River and of the goddess Pampadevi , who is also known as Parvati (Shiva's consort) in local tradition. Option 3 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: Harihar I was a co-founder of the Vijayanagara Empire (along with his brother Bukka) in 1336, but Hampi's name is derived from the goddess Pampadevi , not from Harihar.
Option 2 is wrong: Bukka I (Bukka Raya) was the co-founder and later ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire; Hampi's name is not derived from Bukka — it comes from the goddess Pampa.
Option 4 is wrong: Krishna Dev Raya (reigned 1509-1529) was the greatest ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire who patronized arts and literature, but Hampi's name derives from the ancient goddess Pampadevi, predating Krishna Dev Raya.

Correct Answer: Military fief (Option 2)
In the Vijayanagara Empire, 'Amaram' referred to a military fief — a grant of land given to military commanders (called Nayakas or Amaranayakas) in exchange for military service. These commanders were obligated to maintain troops and supply them to the king during wars. This system was similar to the feudal system of medieval Europe.
Tax exemption refers to 'Brahmadeya' or similar grants, not Amaram.
Land redistribution and merchant guilds were not associated with this specific administrative term.

The correct answer is Deccan Sultanates . The Battle of Talikota (1565) was a decisive turning point in South Indian history. The Vijayanagara Empire, under the leadership of Rama Raya, faced a coalition of the Deccan Sultanates— Bijapur, Ahmadnagar , Golconda, and Bidar . These Sultanates, once part of the Bahmani kingdom, had formed an alliance to curb the growing power of Vijayanagara . The battle ended with a crushing defeat of Vijayanagara ; Rama Raya was captured and executed, and the magnificent city of Hampi was looted and destroyed. This battle marked the decline of Vijayanagara’s political and military power, though remnants of the empire survived in a weakened form for a few decades.

Amuktamalyada is a Telugu epic poem composed by Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya in praise of Lord Vishnu (Andal's union with Vishnu).
It is famous for its poetic richness, devotion and political insights.

In Vijayanagara traditions, the Rayas (the kings of Vijayanagara) were called "narapati" or "lord of men", emphasising their dominance over their human (military) forces.
The Gajapati of Odisha was "lord of elephants" and the Ashvapati of Bahmani were "lords of horses".

- Vijayanagara rulers (Rayas) were titled 'Narapati' (Lord of Men).
- The Bahmanid and Deccan Sultans were called 'Ashvapati' (Lord of Horses).
- Gajapati (Lord of Elephants) was the title of Odisha rulers.

The Lotus Mahal at Hampi is a famous example of Indo-Islamic architecture in the Vijayanagara empire, showing clear Persian influence.
The Hazara Rama temple was the royal chapel (not public).
The Mahanavami Dibba is a stepped platform without a stone super-structure.
The sacred centre lay south of the Tungabhadra.
Hence, Option 2 is correct.

Harihara I founded the Vijayanagara empire in 1336 (Sangama dynasty).
Devaraya II reigned in the 15th century (1424–1446).
Krishnadeva Raya (Tuluva dynasty) reigned 1509–1529, the empire's peak.
Chronological order: Harihara I → Devaraya II → Krishnadeva Raya.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Vijayanagara Empire
The Battle of Talikota (January 23, 1565) — also called the Battle of Rakshasi -Tangadi — was fought between the Vijayanagara Empire (under Aliya Rama Raya) and a confederacy of four Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Ahmadnagar , Bidar, and Golconda). Aliya Rama Raya was captured and beheaded during the battle; the Vijayanagara army was routed. The victorious Sultanates then sacked and destroyed the magnificent capital city Hampi ( Vijayanagara ), one of the largest cities in the medieval world. This battle effectively ended the Vijayanagara Empire as a major power.
Option 1 (Mughal Empire): The Mughal Empire was not involved in the Battle of Talikota ; Mughal expansion was concentrated in North India during this period.
Option 3 (Chola Dynasty): The Chola Dynasty had already declined by the 14th century — well before the 1565 Battle of Talikota .
Option 4 (Maratha Empire): The Maratha Empire rose to prominence in the 17th century under Chhatrapati Shivaji — about a century after the Battle of Talikota .