भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

882A. Round about A.D. 1460, there was a bitter struggle for power in the
royal family of Vijaynagar in the reign of Virupaksha. Availing himself of
this opportunity, a mighty Vijaynagar Chieftain, Shalva Narsingh by name,
dethroned Virupaksha and thus ended the original Sangam dynasty by
assuming sovereignty and establishing order throughout the kingdom.
Advent of Western Nations in India
883. During this very period, the European, Portuguese discovered a sea
route to India and entered the Indian political arena. Their first entry was
not effected in Vijaynagar; it was the coastal Prince Samudrin (Zamorin), to
the southern corner of India who was their first host. This seemingly
insignificant event is recorded here merely for keeping up the time-
sequence. The new locust-like aggression of the western powers that
followed it, will have to be reviewed in a separate chapter.
Maharaja Naresh
884. Following the thread of the history of Vijaynagar, it must be said that
during one or two generations, this second royal dynasty of Shalva
Narsingh was in its turn overthrown when another military commander,
Naresh by name, assassinated the then ruling monarch, and established the
third ruling dynasty of Vijaynagar in A.D. 1507. In all these three political
revolutions, one remarkable thing is noticeable that even when the Muslim
States were waiting most anxiously to destroy this Hindu Empire, and even
when these Hindu-Muslim states were constantly at war, these political
revolutions took place amongst the Hindus themselves. The surrounding
Muslim states got no opportunity to lend a helping hand to one contending
Hindu side against the other and thus force their grip on it, nor had they the
courage to do it.
The Break-up of the Bahamani Kingdom
885. Before the third political revolution in Vijaynagar was effected, the
Bahamani Kingdom of the Muslim was broken up into five. The Bahamani
Sultans first of all extended their boundaries from the Narmada to the
Tungabhadra, but as its boundaries reached those of Vijaynagar, there was
constant warfare between the Hindu-Muslim States. The many victories that
the Vijaynagar kings won over the Muslims effected the annexation of
Gomantak to the Hindu Kingdom and the extension of its boundaries right
up to Orissa. As a natural consequence of these Hindu victories, the
Bahamani power weakened considerably. Moreover, the last of its monarchs
were absolutely worthless. Mohammed Gawan, the last Bahamani Vazir,