Sketches of Rulers of India (Volume 4) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1908. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI THE STRUGGLE WITH THE MUHAMMADAN POWERS OF THE SOUTH Haidar Ali, 1717-1782, And Tipu Sultan, 1753-1799 In his Brief History of the Indian Peoples, Sir W. W. Hunter has said: 'Authentic history in southern India begins with the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, or Narsingha, from 1118 to 1565 A.d. The capital can still be traced within the Madras district of Bellary, on the right bank of the Tunga-bhadra river--vast ruins of temples, fortifications, tanks and bridges haunted by hyenas and snakes. For at least three centuries, Vijayanagar ruled over the southern part of the Indian peninsula. Its Hindu Rajas waged war and made peace on equal terms with the Muhammadan States of the Deccan. These States, however, eventually combined against it, and, aided by a rebellion within Vijayanagar itself, overthrew it at Talikot in 1565. The battle of Talikot marks the final downfall of Vijayanagar as a great Hindu kingdom. But its local Hindu chiefs or Nayaks kept hold of their respective fiefs. From these Nayaks are descended the well-known Palegars of the Madras Presidency and the Maharajas of Mysore.' Some of these southern Hindu chieftains, however, were not indigenous to the country where they had established themselves, and were practically foreigners. Such was the case with the founders of the dynasty, known as the Woodiars, or princes, the ancestors of the Maharajas of Mysore. They had originally come south from Kathiawar on the west of India, and having conquered some of the smaller States, gradually, as the Vijayanagar dynasty became weaker and weaker, absorbed them, and establishing their head quarters at Seringapatam, practically founded the kingdom of Mysore. The whole of their territories did OSWEli IV L not comprise more than half of the present M...