Vijayanagar Empire - Vijayanagar (English spelling)

A kingdom in South India. Four dynasties took turns ruling the peninsula south of the Krishna River from the mid-14th century to the mid-17th century. In the early 14th century, South India was thrown into chaos by the invasion of the Delhi Sultanate's army, but Harihara, who was entrusted with governing the area along the Tungabhadra River by the Sultan, rebelled and, together with his brother, built Vijayanagara on the south bank of the river, where he was crowned in 1336 and founded the Sangama dynasty. During the reign of his younger brother Bukka, who succeeded him, he also overthrew the Muslim government in Madurai to the south, unifying the southern part of the peninsula, and in the first half of the 15th century his influence extended to the northwestern Orissa region. During the Sarva dynasty at the end of the 15th century, conflict with the Bahmani dynasty to the north intensified, and the son of the general Narasa Nayaka, who put a stop to this, usurped the throne in the early 16th century and founded the Turba dynasty. His younger brother Krishnadevaraya, who succeeded him, fought and won against the Muslim forces in the north after the Bahmani dynasty split up, and expanded his territory to the north bank of the Krishna River. He maintained friendly relations with the Portuguese, who had advanced to the western coast of the peninsula at that time, and brought the kingdom to its peak. After his death, Ramaraja became regent and wielded power, but in 1565 he was defeated in a battle with the Muslim coalition forces from the north at Talikota, and as a result Vijayanagara also fell, and the kingdom fell into chaos. Ramaraja's younger brother Tirumala retired to Benugonda in the southeast and ascended to the throne, and the kingdom survived for about 100 years under the Aravidu dynasty that he founded. However, with successive invasions from Bijapur and Golgonda from the north, the power of local rulers known as Nayakas grew in various parts of the kingdom, and it was finally destroyed in the mid-17th century.

The 14th to 17th centuries were a time when East-West trade flourished via sea routes, and travelers from China, Persia, Europe, and other places visited the kingdom and left records of their visits. In particular, the Portuguese authors Nunes and Pais, who lived in the first half of the 16th century, wrote a detailed account of the kingdom, praising its capital, Vijayanagara, as the most prosperous city in the world at the time. This can be seen in the vast ruins that remain in Hampi today. The Nayakas' local rule has also been pointed out as being similar to the feudal system in Western Europe. The kings were devout followers of Hinduism, and gave strong protection to the Vaishnavite sect in particular. The architectural style of temples from this period is characterized by ornately decorated columns and towering gate towers (gopurams).

[Noboru Karashima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南インドの王国。四つの王朝が交替し、14世紀中葉から17世紀中葉にかけてクリシュナ川以南の半島部を支配した。14世紀初頭の南インドは、デリー・サルタナット軍の侵入によって混乱に陥ったが、スルタンからトゥンガバドラー河畔の地の統治をゆだねられたハリハラは反旗を翻し、弟と協力して同川南岸にビジャヤナガラを建設し、1336年その地で戴冠(たいかん)しサンガマ朝を創始した。彼を継いだ弟のブッカの時代には、南方のマドゥライのムスリム政権をも倒し、半島南部を統一し、15世紀前半にはその勢力は北西方オリッサ地方にも伸張した。15世紀末のサールバ朝の時代には、北方のバフマン朝との抗争が激化し、それを食い止めた将軍ナラサ・ナーヤカの子が、16世紀初頭に王位を簒奪(さんだつ)し、トゥルバ朝を創始した。それを継いだ弟のクリシュナデーバラーヤはバフマン朝分裂後の北方のムスリム諸勢力と戦って勝利を得、クリシュナ川北岸にまで領土を拡大した。彼は、当時半島西岸部に進出してきたポルトガル人とも友好関係を保ち、王国に最盛期をもたらした。彼の死後ラーマラージャが摂政(せっしょう)となって権力を振るったが、1565年北方のムスリム連合軍と戦ってターリコータの地で大敗し、その結果ビジャヤナガラも落ち、王国は混乱した。ラーマラージャの弟ティルマラは、南東方のベヌゴンダに退いて王位につき、王国は彼の創始したアーラビードゥ朝の下に約100年の余命を保つが、北方からのビジャープール、ゴールゴンダの侵入が相次ぎ、王国各地方ではナーヤカとよばれる地方統治者の勢力が伸び、17世紀中葉ついに滅亡した。

　14～17世紀は海上ルートによる東西貿易の栄えた時代で、中国、ペルシア、ヨーロッパなどの各地からの旅行者が王国を訪れて記録を残している。なかでも16世紀前半のポルトガル人ヌーネスとパイスは、王国のありさまを詳細に記述し、首都ビジャヤナガラを当時世界でいちばん繁栄した都市として称賛している。そのようすは今日ハンピに残る広大な遺跡からもうかがうことができる。ナーヤカによる地方統治については、西欧の封建制度との類似についても指摘されている。王たちはヒンドゥー教を信奉し、とくにそのビシュヌ派に厚い保護を与えた。寺院建築様式としては、柱の装飾が華美になり、門塔（ゴープラム）が高くそびえるのがこの時代の特徴である。

［辛島　昇］

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