Veera Ballala III
Encyclopedia
Veera Ballala III was the last great king of the Hoysala Empire
that ruled over what is now the South India
n state of Karnataka
. Veera Ballala's commanders, Harihara (popularly known as Hakka
) and Bukkaraya (popularly known as Bukka
) are perhaps better known in Kannada folklore
as the founders of the Vijayanagar Empire. He ruled during a time of tremendous political and cultural uncertainty, when all other major Hindu kingdoms of the Deccan and South India
had fallen to the Muslim invasion from the north.
, commander of Sultan of Delhi, All-ud-din-Khilji. Halebidu
was attacked and plundered. Veera Ballala had to accept defeat to the Delhi Sultan and his son Veera Virupaksha Ballala was sent to Delhi as an act of peace. His son returned in 1313.
The tiny kingdom of Kampili, on the banks of Tungabhadra with its capital at Kummata (close to present day Hampi
) became the focus of attention. Veera Ballala III fought to bring Kampili under control but with no gains. Ballala III had also withdrawn support to the Delhi Sultan, who with an intent of teaching Ballala III a lesson launched a campaign against Halebidu in 1327. By 1336 all Hindu
kingdoms of the south with the exception of the Hoysala Empire
had been defeated and large areas annexed by the Sultan of Delhi. The Madurai Sultanate
was also formed. With Tiruvannamalai
as his new capital, Veera Ballala III summoned his last reserves of strength to launch an offensive against the rule of a foreign power over the Hindu
south India. With an intention of meeting the Muslim invasion, Ballala III founded a second capital Hosapattna on the banks of Tungabhadra river, later to be renamed Vijayanagara
.
Veera Ballala was said to have been ably assisted by his chief council, Sangama. Sangama was custodian of parts of the Hoysala empire in the proximity of the town of Hampi
on the banks of river Tungabhadra. The eldest of Sangama's sons, Harihara I, was appointed a "Mahamandaleshwara", a chief of several smaller rulers, in the northern part of the Hoysala empire.
In 1336, the Hoysala Empire, under the military leadership of Hakka and Bukka were able to repulse the attacks and encroachments of the Sultan
of Delhi
, to the north of the kingdom. Veera Ballala himself lead a military expedition to Madhurai to attack the Sultan's assets in that region. After the Hoysala victory over the Sultanate of Delhi, Bukka was appointed Crown Prince
of the Reunited Kingdom.
. A century later, the Vijayanagara empire would gain prominence for its political, military
, music
al and literary
progress under the reign of King Krishnadevaraya
. After the founding of the Empire of Vijayanagar, Veera Ballala III returned to Madhurai to counter attempts of invasion by the Sultan of Delhi. Veera Ballala was killed in one of the series of skirmishes that ensued against the Sultanate in 1343. Thus ended the life of the last great Hoysala king.
Hoysala Empire
The Hoysala Empire was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga empire that ruled most of the modern day state of Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu....
that ruled over what is now the South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n state of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. Veera Ballala's commanders, Harihara (popularly known as Hakka
Harihara I
Harihara I , also called Hakka ಹಕ್ಕ and Vira Harihara I, was the founder of the Vijayanagara empire. He was Bhavana Sangama’s eldest son, belonged to the Kuruba clan and was founder of the Sangama dynasty, the first among the four dynasties that ruled Vijayanagara...
) and Bukkaraya (popularly known as Bukka
Bukka
Bukka was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from the Sangama Dynasty. Bukka patronised Telugu poet Nachana Soma....
) are perhaps better known in Kannada folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
as the founders of the Vijayanagar Empire. He ruled during a time of tremendous political and cultural uncertainty, when all other major Hindu kingdoms of the Deccan and South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
had fallen to the Muslim invasion from the north.
Pandya affairs
Ballala III successfully arbitered in the affairs of Tamil country by appointing Sundara Pandya as the Pandya king as opposed to his competitor, Vira Pandya. This was during 1311. However his focus on Tamil affairs laid open the northern boundaries of his territories to the invasion of Malik KafurMalik Kafur
Malik Kafur, General , or Chand Ram as his name was originally, was a slave who became a head general in the army of Alauddin Khilji, ruler of the Delhi sultanate from 1296 to 1316 AD. He was originally seized by Alauddin's army after the army conquered the city of Khambhat...
, commander of Sultan of Delhi, All-ud-din-Khilji. Halebidu
Halebidu
Halebidu is located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Halebidu was the regal capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. It is home to one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture in the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples. Halebidu literally means ruined city...
was attacked and plundered. Veera Ballala had to accept defeat to the Delhi Sultan and his son Veera Virupaksha Ballala was sent to Delhi as an act of peace. His son returned in 1313.
Invasion from Delhi
By 1318, the Seuna kingdom had been completely destroyed and Devagiri occupied by the Delhi Sultan.The tiny kingdom of Kampili, on the banks of Tungabhadra with its capital at Kummata (close to present day Hampi
Hampi
Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other...
) became the focus of attention. Veera Ballala III fought to bring Kampili under control but with no gains. Ballala III had also withdrawn support to the Delhi Sultan, who with an intent of teaching Ballala III a lesson launched a campaign against Halebidu in 1327. By 1336 all Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
kingdoms of the south with the exception of the Hoysala Empire
Hoysala Empire
The Hoysala Empire was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga empire that ruled most of the modern day state of Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu....
had been defeated and large areas annexed by the Sultan of Delhi. The Madurai Sultanate
Madurai Sultanate
The Madurai Sultanate or the Ma'bar Sultanate was a short lived independent Muslim kingdom based in the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India during the 14th century CE. It lasted from 1335 until 1378...
was also formed. With Tiruvannamalai
Tiruvannamalai
Thiruvannamalai is a pilgrimage Temple city and special grade municipality in Thiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Thiruvannamalai district. Thiruvannamalai is home to the Annamalaiyar Temple located at the foot of the Annamalai hill and...
as his new capital, Veera Ballala III summoned his last reserves of strength to launch an offensive against the rule of a foreign power over the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
south India. With an intention of meeting the Muslim invasion, Ballala III founded a second capital Hosapattna on the banks of Tungabhadra river, later to be renamed Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
.
Veera Ballala was said to have been ably assisted by his chief council, Sangama. Sangama was custodian of parts of the Hoysala empire in the proximity of the town of Hampi
Hampi
Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other...
on the banks of river Tungabhadra. The eldest of Sangama's sons, Harihara I, was appointed a "Mahamandaleshwara", a chief of several smaller rulers, in the northern part of the Hoysala empire.
In 1336, the Hoysala Empire, under the military leadership of Hakka and Bukka were able to repulse the attacks and encroachments of the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, to the north of the kingdom. Veera Ballala himself lead a military expedition to Madhurai to attack the Sultan's assets in that region. After the Hoysala victory over the Sultanate of Delhi, Bukka was appointed Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of the Reunited Kingdom.
Vijayanagar
The Hoysala empire, along with the new territories conquered during battle in 1336, came to be known as the Vijayanagara EmpireVijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
. A century later, the Vijayanagara empire would gain prominence for its political, military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
al and literary
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
progress under the reign of King Krishnadevaraya
Krishnadevaraya
Śrī Kriṣhṇa Devarāya , , , and also known as Krishna Devarayulu in some inscriptions was the famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529 CE.He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians...
. After the founding of the Empire of Vijayanagar, Veera Ballala III returned to Madhurai to counter attempts of invasion by the Sultan of Delhi. Veera Ballala was killed in one of the series of skirmishes that ensued against the Sultanate in 1343. Thus ended the life of the last great Hoysala king.