The Vijayanagara Empire

While the Delhi Sultanate grew more unstable, a new centre of power rose in the south.

In the 14th century, two brothers, Harihara and Bukka Raya, first served as governors under Muhammad bin Tughlaq. In time they rejected Delhi's authority and set up an independent kingdom, which grew into the Vijayanagara Empire.

Notice how that happened: not an invasion from outside, but the Sultanate's own governors turning away from it.

Folklore explains where the capital was built. At Hampi (in present-day Karnataka), the brothers saw a hare turn round and chase a pack of hunting dogs: a picture of surprising strength and courage.

When they told their guru Vidyaranya, he saw it as a sign of courage and told them to build their capital on that very spot.

To the north, the Bahmani Sultanate was a major rival. It later broke up into five independent states, the 'Deccan Sultanates': Bijapur, Golconda, Berar, Ahmednagar and Bidar. Each was ruled by a former governor (tarafdar) who declared himself independent. The same pattern again: provinces breaking away from the centre.

Vijayanagara fought Bijapur and Golconda, and also the Gajapati rulers of Odisha in the east.

One small word carries a lot. 'Pati' means lord or master.

Each title names a different idea of what a king's power rests on.