Q9
1 markMCQSection A

The battle at Talikota (Rakshasi Tangri) was fought between which two of the following groups ?

An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara
Battle of Talikota (1565)

Options

(A)Between Krishnadeva Raya and rulers of Madurai, Ikkeri and Mysore
(B)Between Rama Raya and rulers of Bijapur, Gingee and Bidar
(C)Between Krishnadeva Raya and rulers of Golconda, Kolar, and Chandragiri
(D)Between Ram Raya and rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar
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.
TalikotaRakshasi Tangadi1565Rama RayaDeccan SultanatesBijapurGolcondaAhmednagar

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark for selecting option (D) — Ram Raya versus the rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar.
  • 2No 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.

Analysis & 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.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Choosing Krishnadeva Raya as the commander — he had died in 1529, long before Talikota in 1565.
  2. 2Assuming Vijayanagara fought a single Sultanate; it was actually a combined alliance of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bidar.

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.

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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.