Krishna Deva Raya

(r. 1509–1530) Most important ruler in
the Vijayanagar dynasty, the last of the
great southern Hindu kingdoms.
During his rule, Vijayanagar reached its
zenith. Krishna Deva Raya defeated the
Deccani sultans to the north, although
he reinstated them as vassals. He conquered the eastern coast all the way to
Orissa and maintained good trading
relationships with the newly-arrived
Portuguese, although he refused to
become involved in their politics. His
reign was a time of artistic achievement and general prosperity, evident
in the artifacts of the time. His successors were not as successful, however.
Less than forty years after his death,
the coalition of the Deccani sultans
defeated Rama Raja at the battle of
Talikota. The Vijayanagar kingdom was
completely destroyed.