Travellers to the City

TRAVELLERS TO THE CITY

Several travellers visited the city and wrote about it. Notable among their accounts are those of an Italian trader named Nicolo de Conti, an ambassador named Abdur Razzaq sent by the ruler of Persia, a merchant named Afanasii Nikitin from Russia, all of whom visited the city in the fifteenth century, and those of Duarte Barbosa, Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz from Portugal, who came in the sixteenth century.

Abu Abdullah/Ibn Batuta: A Moroccan explorer who extensively travelled across Asia, Ibn Battuta documented Harihara I’s reign in his book “Rihala,” providing insights into Vijayanagara.

Nicolo Conti: An Italian traveller who visited Vijayanagara around 1420 during

Devaraya I’s rule, noting the city’s fortifications and the substantial military force employed by the rulers.

Althanasius Nikitin: A Russian merchant who visited the Bahamani kingdoms from 1470 to 1474 during Muhammad Shah III’s reign, providing comprehensive details about India’s social, economic, and political aspects.

Abdul Razzaq: A Persian Timurid chronicler and scholar, Razzaq, visited Vijayanagara as an envoy of Shah Rukh, offering insights into the city’s fortifications, royal ceremonies, and the Mahanavami festival.

Duarte Barbosa: A Portuguese

explorer who provided vivid descriptions of Vijayanagara’s governance under Krishna Deva Raya in his book, detailing the city’s structures and the Mahanavami festival.

Domingo Paes: Another Portuguese visitorwhowasinVijayanagaraduring Krishnadevaraya’s reign (1520-22), offering valuable information about the city’s architecture, temples, markets, and elaborate details about the Mahanavami festival.

Fernao Nuniz: A Portuguese horse-trader who composed his account around 1536-37, providing insights into Vijayanagara’s history, dynasties, battles with Deccan sultans, and the Mahanavami festival.

Cesare Frederici: An Italian traveler who visited Vijayanagara in 1567, two years post the city’s sack. Frederici suggested that the capital was partly destroyed, and there was an attempt to re-establish it by Tirumala of the Aravidu dynasty.