The battle at Talikota (Rakshasi Tangri) was fought between which two of the following groups ?
The battle at Talikota (Rakshasi Tangri) was fought between which two of the following groups ?
Options
Official answer
The correct option is (D) Between Ram Raya and rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar.
Why:
- The Battle of Talikota (also called Rakshasi-Tangadi) was fought in 1565 between Vijayanagara, led by its chief minister Rama Raya, and a combined alliance of the Deccan Sultanates.
- The victorious alliance included Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar and Bidar, which led to the sack and abandonment of the capital city.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark for selecting option (D) — Ram Raya versus the rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar.
- 2.No mark for any other option; the year 1565 and the Sultanate alliance are the deciding facts.
Hint
Think of the 1565 battle that ruined Vijayanagara — the Deccan Sultanates had joined hands against Rama Raya.
Quick oral answer
The 1565 Battle of Talikota was fought between Vijayanagara's minister Rama Raya and the united Deccan Sultanates of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar, and it led to the sack of the imperial capital.
Common mistakes
- 1.Choosing Krishnadeva Raya as the commander — he had died in 1529, long before Talikota in 1565.
- 2.Assuming Vijayanagara fought a single Sultanate; it was actually a combined alliance of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar.
Analysis and explanation
This question tests knowledge of the event that ended Vijayanagara's glory.
Concept:
- By the mid-16th century, the aravidu dynasty's Rama Raya was the effective ruler, playing rival Sultanates against one another.
- The Sultanates united and crushed Vijayanagara at Talikota in 1565; the city was pillaged over the following months and largely deserted.
Why (D) is correct:
- It correctly names Ram Raya and the core alliance of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar (with Bidar).
Why the distractors are wrong:
- (A) Krishnadeva Raya (d. 1529) had died decades earlier; Madurai, Ikkeri and Mysore were Vijayanagara's own nayaka chieftaincies, not the opponents.
- (B) Names Rama Raya but wrongly lists Gingee (a nayaka territory) and omits the main Sultanates — an incomplete, incorrect set.
- (C) Again wrongly credits Krishnadeva Raya and lists Kolar and Chandragiri, which were Vijayanagara possessions.
Interesting facts
After the defeat at Talikota in 1565, the victorious armies looted Vijayanagara for months, reducing one of the world's largest medieval cities to ruins.
Rama Raya was captured and executed on the battlefield, which broke Vijayanagara's resistance almost instantly.
Question details
Q9 of 41 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- History
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section A
- Marks
- 1
- Type
- MCQ
- Chapter
- An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara
- Topic
- Battle of Talikota (1565)
- Bloom's level
- remember
- Syllabus topic
- Theme 7: An Imperial Capital — Vijayanagara: Rise and Fall, Conflict with the Deccan Sultanates
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
In which year was the Battle of Talikota fought?
It was fought in 1565 CE between Vijayanagara, led by Rama Raya, and the allied Deccan Sultanates of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar.
Why is it also called the Battle of Rakshasi-Tangadi?
The battle took place near the villages of Rakshasi and Tangadi (Tangri), so it is sometimes named after that location instead of the nearby town of Talikota.