A Forgotten Empire-Vijayanagar

A Forgotten Empire-Vijayanagar

Episode 1

The two Portuguese chronicles,a translation of which into English is now for the first time offered to the public,are contained in a vellum-bound folio volume in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris,amongst the manus of which institution it bears the designation "PORT.NO.65."The volume in question consists of copies of four original documents;the first two,written by Fernao Nuniz and Domingo Paes,being those translated below,the last two (at the end of the MS.)letters written from China about the year 1520A.D.These will probably be published in translation by Mr.Donald Ferguson in the pages of the INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

The first pair of original papers was sent with a covering letter by some one at Goa to some one in Europe.The names are not given,but there is every reason for believing that the recipient was the historian Barros in Lisbon.

Both these papers are in the same handwriting,which fact --since they were written by separate Portuguese merchants or travellers at Vijayanagar in different years,one,I believe,shortly subsequent to 1520A.D.,the latter not later than about 1536or 1537--conclusively proves them to be copies of the originals,and not the originals themselves.[2]I have inserted a facsimile of two pages of the text,so that no doubt may remain on this point.The first portion consists of the conclusion of the text of Fernao Nuniz;the second of the covering letter written by the person who sent the originals to Europe;the third of the beginning of the text of Domingo Paes.

Paes being the earlier in date (about 1520)I have given his account of personal experiences first,and afterwards the historical summary composed by Nuniz about the year 1536or 1537.

I have stated that the person to whom the documents were sent from Goa was probably the celebrated historian Barros.He is alluded to in the covering letter in the words:"It seemed necessary to do what your Honour desired of me,""I send both the summaries ...because your Honour can gather what is useful to you from both;"and at the end of the long note on "Togao Mamede,"king of Delhi,quoted in my introduction,"I kiss your Honour's hand."Since the first DECADA of Barros was published in 1552,[3]this argument is not unreasonable;while a comparison between the accounts given by Nuniz and Barros of the siege and battle of Raichur sufficiently proves that one was taken from the other.But we have fortunately more direct evidence,for the discovery of which we have to thank Mr.Ferguson.I have mentioned above that at the end of the MS.volume are copies of two letters concerning China.These were written subsequent to the year 1520by Vasco Calvo and Christovao Vieyra.Mr.Ferguson has pointed out to me that,in the third DECADA(liv.IV,caps.4,5),after quoting some passages almost verbatim from this chronicle of Nuniz regarding Vijayanagar,Barros writes:

"According to two letters which our people had two or three years afterwards from these two men,Vasco Calvo,brother of Diogo Calvo,and Christovao Vieyra,who were prisoners in Canton,etc...."He also mentions these letters in two subsequent passages,and quotes from them.This renders it certain that Barros saw those letters;and since they are copied into the same volume which contains the chronicles of Nuniz and Paes,we may be sure that Barros had the whole before him.It is of little importance to settle the question whether the chronicles of Nuniz and Paes were sent direct to Barros --whether,that is,Barros himself is the addressee of the covering letter --or to some other official (the "our people"of the passage from Barros last quoted);but that Barros saw them seems certain,and it is therefore most probable that the Paris MS.was a volume of copies prepared for him from the originals.

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5 Episode 5
6 Episode 6
7 Episode 7
8 Episode 8
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10 Episode 10
11 Episode 11
12 Episode 12
13 Episode 13
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39 Episode 39
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50 Episode 50
51 Episode 51
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53 Episode 53
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63 Episode 63
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111 Episode 111
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119 Episode 119
120 Episode 120
121 Episode 121
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125 Episode 125
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127 Episode 127
128 Episode 128
129 Episode 129
130 Episode 130
131 Episode 131
132 Episode 132
133 Episode 133
134 Episode 134
135 Episode 135
136 Episode 136
137 Episode 137
138 Episode 138
139 Episode 139
140 Episode 140
141 Episode 141
142 Episode 142
143 Episode 143
144 Episode 144
145 Episode 145
146 Episode 146
147 Episode 147
148 Episode 148
149 Episode 149
150 Episode 150
151 Episode 151
152 Episode 152
153 Episode 153
154 Episode 154
155 Episode 155
156 Episode 156
157 Episode 157
Episodes

Updated 157 Episodes

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