Battle of Talikota - Causes of Defeat

Causes of Defeat

Historians have debated over the cause of the defeat with much enthusiasm. Apart from epigraphal analysis, historians also have at their disposal writings of European travellers to the kingdom around the time of the war.

• It has been suggested that while the Vijayanagara armies had fewer number of cavalry on horseback and depended on commanders riding war elephants making them slower on battlefield, the Sultanate armies had many more swift Persian horses used by key sections of the army and commanders. This gave them an edge.
• It is also well known that all the three main commanders of the Vijayanagara army including Aliya Rama Raya were aging compared to the young commanders of the Sultanate armies.
• While the Vijayanagara infantry depended on bows made of bamboo, the Sultanate armies used crossbows made of metal which were much more effective in accuracy and distance. Also, the Vijayanagara army used 7 feet (2.1 m) long spears and javelins while the Sultanate armies used 15 feet (4.6 m) long spears while riding horse back. This gave them a clear advantage.
• The unpopular acts of placing family members by Aliya Rama Rayas at key public posts, led to civil unrest.
• The Vijayanagara armies had pillaged their neighbor empires and had formed alliance with imperial forces, also sowed dissident.
• The Sultanate armies had a much better prepared artillery division manned by mercenary gunners from Turkestan, who were at that time considered the best at artillery warfare while Vijayanagara depended on European mercenaries who were not as well trained.

Despite all these disadvantages the greatest reason of loss was betrayed by two Muslim commanders ( Gilani Brothers) of Vijaynagara Army.At the critical point of war Moslem officers in the Vijayanagaran army to launch a subversive attack. Suddenly Ramaraya found his rear surprised by the two Moslem divisions in his ranks turning against him. All Moslem troops of Vijaynagara army had opened a vigorous rear attack on the Hindus and captured several artillery positions. Several cannon shells landed near Ramaraya’s elephant and he fell from it as his mount was struck by a cannon shard. Ramaraya tried to recover but Nizam Shah made a dash to seize him.

On the D-day Tirumala was standing before Adil shah, Venkatadri before Qutb shah and Ramaraya was facing Nizam shah. Ramaraya had ordered his soldiers to capture Qutb shah and Adil shah and behead Nizam shah. First honors were enjoyed by Hindu forces.

At one point of time Nizam shah and qutb shah thought of running away from the battle field. Tirumala and Venkatadri had given such a mortal blow to both of them. Suddenly there was confusion in the ranks of Hindu troops. They were dumb struck that they were being attacked from behind. That was the deciding moment of the war. Two Muslim soldiers, the Gilani brothers had betrayed the Hindu troops. They were expelled from Adil shah`s army for betraying him but were offered higher status in Ramaraya`s army !!

A day before the war, they were secretly invited by the Muslim troops and were instigated to betray Hindus. Same thing happened. No one knew what was going on and that was a total intelligence failure on the part of Ramaraya. Canons fired continuously from the frontend leaving thousands of Hindus dead and at that point of time an elephant belonging to Ahmadnagar pushed Ramaraya out of his litter. He was taken prisoner and was produced before Adil shah. In no time Ramaraya was beheaded and his head was exhibited to the troops. Seeing that their king was dead, in utter confusion as well, the Hindu troops turned their back to the warfield and ran away.

There was no one to lead the troops, though the army consisted of lakhs of soldiers. They had come travelling almost for 160 km from the capital city. The Muslim soldiers chased Hindu troops and butchered them on their way. More than one lakh soldiers were killed that day.

The people at the capital city received the news that Ramaraya was killed and the army had lost the war. But they wouldn`t believe the news because they had neither seen such a scenario not heard the news of vijayanagar being defeated in the war for that past 200 years. But when the troops entered the city along with Tirumala and Venkatadri with their heads down they could hardly believe what they were seeing. Tirumala and Venkatadri slipped into palace and took whatever they could before Muslims came and killed them too. They fled along with their family members. Those who remained loyal to throne followed them and the rest who dint want to leave their beloved motherland stayed there and waited for Muslims to enter and kill them. There was a pitched battle at that juncture also, but in vain.

The Muslim troops waited and rested outside the capital for three days. And those three days saw the never before scenario of theft and robbery in a city where Gold and diamonds were sold on road sides !

After three days, Muslim troops entered the city. There was no one to stop them. They looted, plundered and destroyed the city. Men, women and children were killed without any mercy. Shops, temples and houses were burnt and the sacred Hindu idols were destroyed. This destructive episode continued for six months relentlessly. The havoc was complete. The scenes showed the magnitude of hatred Muslims had for Hindus.

Robert Sewell in his book "The Forgotten empire" concludes thus - With fire and sword, with crow bars and axes, they carried on day after day their work of destruction. Never perhaps in the history of the World has such havoc been wrought, and wrought so suddenly, on so splendid a city, teeming with a wealthy and industrious population in the full plentitude of prosperity one day, and on the next seized, pillaged and reduced to ruins, and scenes of savage massacre and horrors begging description.