Understanding Vijayanagara Fortifications Through Travellers' Accounts

Many foreign travellers visited the mighty Vijayanagara Empire and left detailed accounts of its grandeur, including its impressive military defenses. The question asks about a specific traveller who was particularly impressed by the fortification system and mentioned seven lines of defense.

Abdur Razzaq and the Seven Lines of Defense

Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi was an ambassador from Persia who visited the Vijayanagara Empire during the reign of Devaraya II in the 15th century. His account is a valuable source of information about the city. Abdur Razzaq was indeed highly impressed by the scale and strength of the fortifications of Vijayanagara. He specifically described the city as being protected by seven lines of circumvallation or defense walls. These walls not only enclosed the core urban area but also included agricultural tracts, forests, and water reservoirs within the fortified zone, indicating a comprehensive defensive strategy.

• Abdur Razzaq noted the vastness of the city and the layers of walls protecting it.
• His description highlights the military strength and strategic planning of the Vijayanagara rulers.
• The inclusion of agricultural land within the fortifications ensured the city could withstand long sieges.

Other Travellers' Perspectives on Vijayanagara

While Abdur Razzaq focused significantly on the fortifications, other travellers also provided important insights into Vijayanagara:

• Duarte Barbosa: A Portuguese writer who visited in the early 16th century. He described the city's layout, markets, and social customs, noting its prosperity.
• Domingo Paes: Another Portuguese traveller who visited during the reign of Krishnadevaraya (early 16th century). His account is considered one of the most detailed descriptions of Vijayanagara, focusing on the royal court, festivals, irrigation systems, and the physical appearance of the city, including some aspects of its defenses, but without the specific mention of seven lines of defense like Abdur Razzaq.
• Nicolo de Conti: An Italian merchant who visited Vijayanagara in the early 15th century. He provided one of the earliest European accounts, describing the city's size and wealth, and mentioning its strong fortifications and large army, but not specifically detailing the number of defensive lines.

Comparing the accounts, it is clear that Abdur Razzaq is the traveller most renowned for detailing the seven lines of defense of the Vijayanagara fortifications.

Conclusion on Vijayanagara Fortifications

Based on the historical accounts, Abdur Razzaq was the traveller who was most impressed by the extensive fortifications of Vijayanagara and explicitly mentioned the presence of seven lines of defense. This detailed observation provides crucial information about the defensive planning and scale of the Vijayanagara capital.

Revision Table: Vijayanagara Travellers

Let's quickly revise the key figures and their contributions:

Additional Information: Vijayanagara's Defensive Structure

The fortification system of Vijayanagara was a remarkable feature of the city and empire. It wasn't just a single wall but a series of concentric rings. This multi-layered defense system:

• Included natural barriers like hills and rivers.
• Integrated agricultural lands and forests within the protected zones, ensuring food and resources during sieges.
• Featured massive stone walls with watchtowers and gateways.
• Was designed to make the city virtually impregnable to attacks at the time.

Abdur Razzaq's account provides valuable archaeological clues that align with the remains found at the site of Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, helping historians understand the layout and defensive strategy of this great medieval city.