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Faith and learning or 'calm before the storm'? Given the young Rajah's proclivities, I would be highly amazed if it was the former.
Nice to see Vijay having a quiet and (somewhat) prosperous time for a bit - it will make a nice counterpoint once the ensuing violence breaks out.
PS: I apologize for not recognizing General Mooski's nationality.
My guess it will, unless the upcoming rajah manages to die way too early or discards the advice of the cow.
And yet the cow only offers advice...not certainty.
And the calm it may be but the storm can be no more than Vijayangar experienced the last time
Cracking stuff, very good updates. Narasimha is probably my favourite ruler of Vijaynagar thus far. He seemed a reasonable man, and has to be saluted for continuing when many would have simply given up. I hope things remain quiet until his son reaches majority, as Vijaynagar's recovery still seems rather fragile.
The road to recovery is a long and hard one I see. But as far as regencies go, I don't think the current one is such a poor one so far. I am glad you decided to keep going on. You can't reach the peak without crossing some valleys now and then.
So far I think Vijaya has been my favourite rajah, though I think perhaps maybe Narasimha received too little attention. Of course, his reign may have been less eventfull with the lack of war and conquests and such. And I think Narasimha could have been greater and more memorable if he had only lived on a little longer. Seems like switching dynasty did not cure you from the brief lives your monarchs are suffering from. Still, perhaps his son, or one of his advisors or perhaps the holy cow herself would fondly recall Narasimha if things go a little awry during the reign of his son or grandson.
Anyways, I really like how you keep managing to breathe life into your kingdom and its royalty. But I think I said that previously. Still, it kinda makes me almost want to follow your example.
So far I think Vijaya has been my favourite rajah, though I think perhaps maybe Narasimha received too little attention. Of course, his reign may have been less eventfull with the lack of war and conquests and such. And I think Narasimha could have been greater and more memorable if he had only lived on a little longer. Seems like switching dynasty did not cure you from the brief lives your monarchs are suffering from. Still, perhaps his son, or one of his advisors or perhaps the holy cow herself would fondly recall Narasimha if things go a little awry during the reign of his son or grandson.
Anyways, I really like how you keep managing to breathe life into your kingdom and its royalty. But I think I said that previously. Still, it kinda makes me almost want to follow your example.
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With an upcoming super military leader you could try to destroy the most powerful of the enemies then when weaker rules appear there are only weak states left in the neighbourhood.
COMMENTS: Unfortunately this next post will lack some meat when it comes to events and such. Nowadays when I play I keep a pad nearby for basic notes and have a screen print program running to take snapshots when there's something like an event I want to share.
Well....my screenprint program decided to take part of the day off and not tell me. I had 5 screenshots planned for this and it only saved two. Grrr.
*******
Enewald: Yes, while some of the events certainly add depth and detail, it does seem there are more bad ones than good. I imagine that's intentional since it's assumed you're good enough to make headway on your own. (They never expected a player like ME to show up!)
Stuyvesant: We delve a little more into Narasimha's personality next post. He is certainly a formidable warrior, but his time with Peperna has given him an appreciation for learning as well.
dinofs: I hope so too!
Qorten: The rajah wanted to chance dying early, but Peperna talked him out of it.
Chief Ragusa: Yes and no. I think he'd probably lean towards going after Muslim states....but if Mysore ever breaks vassalage, he might not even wait to get his armies in position before declaring war.
blsteen: Correct. I don't play ahead of where I post, so I don't know what'll happen. Plus, Peperna's advice isn't always sound. She's great for wisdom and spiritual advice, but probably not so great when it comes to war. (That's what Mooski is for! )
morningSIDEr: Narasimha's definitely up there. I'd say he's Vijay's second best ruler right now (and my third favorite.) It took him a few years to grow into the position but once he got his feet under him he ruled well. Historians in this world will probably give him low marks for losing one-third of the nation...but he held the rest of it together and began a sustainable recovery.
Tempiic: Vijaya is certainly my favorite so far - not only because he was successful, but because he was simply that memorable . His tendency to turn every military tactic into a sexual technique and systematically deflowering a sizable percentage of the nobility was a lot of fun.
In second place is Virupaksha I. While not quite as flamboyant as Vijaya, he made a mockery of the peace (or Mercedes Benz) symbol and at the end he really thought he was a god. Lots of points for style.
If you want to try to write in this style...go for it! I know I'd read it. Personally I try to get at least some idea of what my ruler is like and keep it in mind as I play, then really keep it in mind as I write up what happened.
Surt: That is a very good idea. Let's see what happens.
Well....my screenprint program decided to take part of the day off and not tell me. I had 5 screenshots planned for this and it only saved two. Grrr.
*******
Enewald: Yes, while some of the events certainly add depth and detail, it does seem there are more bad ones than good. I imagine that's intentional since it's assumed you're good enough to make headway on your own. (They never expected a player like ME to show up!)
Stuyvesant: We delve a little more into Narasimha's personality next post. He is certainly a formidable warrior, but his time with Peperna has given him an appreciation for learning as well.
dinofs: I hope so too!
Qorten: The rajah wanted to chance dying early, but Peperna talked him out of it.
Chief Ragusa: Yes and no. I think he'd probably lean towards going after Muslim states....but if Mysore ever breaks vassalage, he might not even wait to get his armies in position before declaring war.
blsteen: Correct. I don't play ahead of where I post, so I don't know what'll happen. Plus, Peperna's advice isn't always sound. She's great for wisdom and spiritual advice, but probably not so great when it comes to war. (That's what Mooski is for! )
morningSIDEr: Narasimha's definitely up there. I'd say he's Vijay's second best ruler right now (and my third favorite.) It took him a few years to grow into the position but once he got his feet under him he ruled well. Historians in this world will probably give him low marks for losing one-third of the nation...but he held the rest of it together and began a sustainable recovery.
Tempiic: Vijaya is certainly my favorite so far - not only because he was successful, but because he was simply that memorable . His tendency to turn every military tactic into a sexual technique and systematically deflowering a sizable percentage of the nobility was a lot of fun.
In second place is Virupaksha I. While not quite as flamboyant as Vijaya, he made a mockery of the peace (or Mercedes Benz) symbol and at the end he really thought he was a god. Lots of points for style.
If you want to try to write in this style...go for it! I know I'd read it. Personally I try to get at least some idea of what my ruler is like and keep it in mind as I play, then really keep it in mind as I write up what happened.
Surt: That is a very good idea. Let's see what happens.
Chapter VIII: Narasimha II
Part 2: Second Verse, Same as the First (1467-1471)
The Boy Rajah
Swami Maneesh Shenoy's regency continued for another five years as his rajah grew into manhood. Narsimha II showed signs of being the ideal warrior-scholar; a muscular, good-natured youth who earned the envy of other men and the piqued interest of ladies. He married his Travanacoran bride some time in 1469. There are indications he might not have been as chaste as his wife would have liked, though he managed to avoid the excesses of Emperor Vijaya.
By 1469 none of his tutors could best him in a fair fight, and by the time he ascended in 1471 he was regularly beating three or more of these tutors at once. Narasimha's scholars trained his mind almost as well: He understood strategy and logistics. He read the Indian classics such as the Bhagavad Gita and Vijayte. He debated with Shenoy and other religious authorities, never quite reaching their competence but at least following their lines of reasoning.
Narasimha only had two major faults: First, his time isolated from life in Vijayanagara seems to have stunted his speech. It took him an extra split second to form words and by then his quick mind had already moved on to another topic. The end result was a tendency to stutter over anything but the most mundane conversations.
Second, his tutors were too adept at keeping him isolated from the rigors of duty and princely obligation. Narasimha understood there was suffering and hardship in the world, but as he grew up these were mere concepts and mental exercises ... as were such issues as administration, warfare and faith. He grew up virtually care free and so it would take time for him to understand what needed to be taken seriously.
Still, these were minor issues: People could put up with a stutter if he didn't turn into another Mallikarjuna II, and experience would answer for any naivety. Whether he turned into a warrior king or pursued more scholarly aims, people in general looked forward to his ascension with anticipation.
He just had to grow up first.
The Muslims Awaken
Shenoy's foreign policy in the second half of his regency would be taken up entirely with the Muslim north. Expelling Sufi missionaries from court then banning a number of imports (like poppy) convinced Delhi Sultan of Sultans Aladdin Alam II that the time for peacefully integrating his Hindu neighbors had past. He struck at Gondwana hoping for an easy prize. It quickly turned into a region wide firestorm made worse when the Shah of Bengal attacked Assam. (DELHI, Timurids, Sind vs. GONDWANA, Assam, Rajputana and Orissa.) (BENGAL, Bahmanids, Gujarat vs. same except Orissa)
Shenoy surprised his neighbors by offering support to Gondwana and Orissa against future aggressors. It was a bit like the proverb about closing a barn door once the horse had already escaped, but it did result in some residual goodwill between the remaining Hindu states. Not so in Khandesh, where the sultan warned that they would 'contain' any Vijayanagaran aggression if they sought to expand the war further. (Guarantee Orissa and Gondwana. Warned by Khandesh)
The Pradhana replied by calling up reserves for the first time in many years and manning the border. In the end it amounted to nothing: Gondwana escaped unscathed though Rajputana lost land to Gujarat. In the end, however, it still proved very useful.
Killing Time
In September 1467, Shenoy discussed involving their eleven year old rajah in future debates within the Pradhana. He probably intended it as a compliment to his lord, but there was more: Shenoy turned eighty that year and the rigor of leading the government was getting to him. He hoped that if Narasimha could be properly prepared then he could seize the reins of state early, in fact if not necessarily in name.
Instead it turned into the biggest blunder of his career. Letting the rajah take back a share of his power early did not interest the Pradhana one bit. Initially the aristocratic faction simply walked out, but returned when it became obvious that even Shenoy's fellow clerics stood against him. Even as Shenoy recanted however, the argument spread into the countryside where local gouda (feudal lords) feared losing the privileges they'd fought a generation to secure.
Over the next few weeks these lords pooled their resources and unified under one of Emperor Vijaya's late bastards, Venkata. Venkata promised a return to the glory days of empire and proved his sincerity by besieging the Imperial capital itself.
It would be young Narasimha who answered the challenge by speaking to students at the army academy Venkata's father built:
Narasimha II said:
It's said that his stuttering and pauses didn't do the young prince any favors, yet he bore a confidence and expectation of victory (possibly borne from his lack of real battle experience) that reassured officers and soldiers little older than himself. (Cavalry Sortie with 3000 soldiers in Kondavidu)
The Adhikan expressed a great deal of horror upon learning the eleven year old Narasimha planned to lead the attack himself. Maneesh Shenoy flatly forbade him. Narsimha replied that since he was rajah, he could do what he wanted...and what did the old man plan to do about it? Records indicate he relented only after a long communion with his pet cow in the gardens. Relented to not actually fight, but he insisted on planning strategy.
(Note: Some of what follows is simply untrue - a best attempt to integrate what little I could find on the ancient city with the fact that EU3 (and MM) puts the city in the wrong province. Vijayanagara belongs in Bangalore province, if not Mysore. Similarly the map represents an area several hundred miles from the actual ruins where I would have put Vijayanagara if it was indeed in eastern India.)
15th century Vijayanagara was built on the south side of the Tungabhadra River within a series of hills and ringed by walls. Its predecessor, now simply Old Vijayanagara, had been built in rocky, forbidding terrain on the north side of the river. In time natural granite deposits supplied much of the temples and later city walls, while the rough terrain itself posed a significant obstacle to an attacking army.
This was important: Bukka and Harihara I didn't found Vijayanagara as a trading outpost but as a fortified headquarters for their fledgling empire. As the city grew, it became obvious the north shore couldn't provide enough food. Fertile land was readily available on the other side of the river however, so much of the urban population moved south with the 'Old' city turning into a temple quarter.
Through the late fourteenth century 'New' Vijayanagara quickly fortified and created a layered defense. Small outposts in various villages provided local defense while larger forts guarded the river approaches several kilometers from town. Three gates defended the 'New' city: Even then you only gained access to outlying quarters. Reaching the central marketplace required going through a second gate, while a third one defended the palace grounds.
Under Narasimha's careful reforms and Shenoy's administration, Vijaya Nagara met its former height of 35,000 souls and started to push beyond. Fortunately the city's fathers anticipated something like this so overcrowding wasn't a serious problem yet.
In the first days of his rebellion Venkata attempted to make it a problem by herding outlying villagers towards the gates. (Un)fortunately, garrison commanders had century year old (and thus inviolable) orders to not let anyone in with hostile forces so close. This heartless, but somewhat necessary, measure was intended to help preserve the city's food and water reserves as long as possible. Those who could fled along the riverline eastward. Those who couldn't huddled by the walls.
Venkata didn't have enough men to invest Old Vijayanagara as well, so he had to live with only a partial siege with supplies streaming across the Tungabhadra River. Further, while the rebels were busy building riverboats north of the city they hadn't yet finished any. This meant small parties could use sally ports in the river-side towers to gain access to water while fishing to their heart's delight.
In short, Narasimha didn't need to force the issue. Vijayanagara could have held for as long as it took for the Imperial army to return from Telingana. The young prince wasn't inclined to wait however.
His strategy called for stripping the city garrison of anyone old enough to fight: It was very much an all or nothing proposition. This new command would organize into three regiments with two poised at the south gate and one at the west.
In late afternoon friendly riverboats left their fishing stations north of Tatiparthi and rushed towards the city at full sail. Alarmed sentries reported this to Venkata, who reasoned they probably weren't running back just to drop off fish. He couldn't chance even a few hundred men landing beyond the walls to challenge his flank, so he redeployed to cover the river.
After sunset it grew dark quickly: Clouds covered stars and moon both so the only light came from enemy bonfires. The south gate quietly opened and began spewing soldiers who formed in ranks. By the time Venkata's men awoke to their danger over one thousand Vijayanagarans were in the field. They simply swarmed towards the bonfires as the rest of their comrades flooded in after them.
What followed was sheer brutality, a nighttime battle at point blank range with only a scrap of cloth around their arms to tell friend from foe. Venkata's southern regiment broke almost immediately and fled towards the relative safety of their commander.
The rebels in the center weren't fools and anyway they had a few minutes to roll to their feet, grab their weapons and perhaps even splash water on their faces. The second clash near the city's western gate was much more even. Even so, their army began to edge backwards with the battle moving inside their camp itself.
Venkata's north, realizing they'd been duped, hurried into the fray and now it was Narasimha's men edging backwards foot by foot, flashing combat in the firelight. With only a split second to tell friend from foe both sides made tragic mistakes but anyone who paused to regret their actions paid with their lives.
As the tide threatened to turn, city commanders opened the west gate and Narasimha's reserve, the youngest and/or least experienced of the city watch, slammed into Venkata's flank. Ultimately this was too much: His left flank shattered followed quickly by the rest. Many escaped into the surrounding trees or villages but the bastard son of Vijaya wasn't one of them. He was found with his back to the fighting and a friendly knife in his back.
In two or three hours the 'Rajah's Sword' lost one-third of their army including injuries. Venkata didn't lose quite as many - darkness being a wonderful thing for fleeing a determined enemy - but the rebellion died with him.
Last Touches
Most of the survivors quietly rejoined society but a handful made their way across the subcontinent to Goa and stole a ship. After acquiring a crew they promptly began raiding the Deccan Coast. (At this point in time I have quite a few 'Rampant' Pirate incursions. Time to do something about them.)
Swami Shenoy then did what none of his predecessors had: In past years the powerful merchant guilds would have tried to stop him, but as it stood they were nearly powerless. He convinced the council to pass a law allowing the local Adhikan, at their discretion, to simply close port. They then had to choose one or two days when ships could land freely paying current portage fees. On other days, they could charge whatever they chose in addition to portage fees or forbid ships from launching or landing altogether. In those cities that took advantage of this law - Madras and Madurai being the first - it coerced merchants into traveling in protected convoys to land at a certain port on a certain day. This in turn encouraged pirates to pursue lone wolves and smugglers who quickly saw the wisdom of submitting to the Adhikan's policy and joining a convoy.
This received lukewarm praise from the nobles, who saw an initial spike in paid fees dry up except for the occasional foreigner who didn't know the new rules. The merchant houses resented being manipulated and coerced, especially as Shenoy hadn't lifted his ban on Muslim products, but relented as piracy died down. As for said pirates, after running low on smugglers and lone wolves they sailed for other shores. (Restrict Naval Activity: This is one of those decisions I meant to take a picture of: IIRC it's a sharp blow to local trade income (which I'm not benefiting from right now anyway) and a slightly increased RR for no immediate benefit - it affects local piracy levels. By 1471 Piracy is controlled (or uncontrolled, which is an improvement from Rampant) everywhere which raises income.)
Shenoy's last great challenge came in 1468 from Raichur. Since 1466 the Pradhana taxed Raichur at a much more lenient rate following a wave of locusts that devastated their crops. The local Adhikan begged off again in 1467 citing the same reasons. Shenoy didn't object to giving Raichur a year to rebuild and didn't contest the claim. When he asked to be pardoned for a third straight year he sent a team of agents to investigate.
The reformed Adhikan were supposed to gather local taxes from the Gouda and send them on in return for a share to be used for local maintenance. The Adhikan fulfilled his duties admirably except for the part about sending taxes on - or using funds to help villages thrive for that matter. He'd built a palace that rivaled young Narasimha's and manned the forts Narasimha I built with thugs used to press even more money out of the locals.
Raichur was indeed still starving. This time it wasn't a swarm of locusts. (Event: Cruel Noble. The options are basically 'Ignore It', 'Kill the Noble' or 'Repay the Peasants.' Killing the noble increases my RR)
It didn't take long for the Pradhana to figure out that when an Adhikan is found hanging from a tree by his entrails it's probably not suicide. Nothing could be proven, but the council suspected Shenoy ordered the assassination. It would take two years for him to recover their trust. (Aristocrats to Furious, Bureaucrats to Disgruntled, Clergy to Disgruntled. Back to Disgruntled/Neutral/Neutral by 1470)
During those two years the religious faction continued to lead but sporadically with no united voice. This could have been the aristocrats' best chance to retake the council, but instead they simply grew obstinate and blocked anything that required a vote. The bureaucrats had no dominate leader nor agenda. For two years the Pradhana drifted, but by now Vijayanagara was strong enough where an unresponsive government wasn't instantly fatal. The only action they took during this time worthy of note was to censure and remove a gouda in Konkan after he beat a child to death in front of his entire village as a warning against 'criminal thoughts.' (Petition for Redress: Granted - Free Subjects +1, Prestige -5)
Narasimha Takes Over
Despite a few problems late in his 'reign,' Swami Shenoy's regency would be remembered with great complacency by those who lived through it. No one event stands out: Shenoy wouldn't make the history books as a great warrior or diplomat, and even his reputation as a holy man suffered somewhat, but in many small ways he improved Vijayanagara and prepared a worthy birthright for the young Narasimha. (Event: Peace and Prosperity. +5 Prestige) (Stability rises to +2)
Shenoy died in August 1470 at age 83. By now Narasimha regularly attended and led the Pradhana, though for eight months he wisely kept his own counsel and let his elders rule in his stead.
In April 1471, Narsimha summoned envoys from Vijayanagara's nobles as well as the Pradhana and other leading citizens for a great celebration. A parade three kilometers long wound its way through the streets of the capital with entertainers, animals and soldiers in attendance. Somewhere in the first third of the parade rode Narasimha II on top of a large elephant and surrounded by rank upon rank of the elite 'Rajah's Sword.' After his formal coronation at the Temple of Vishnu he turned to his followers:
Narasimha II said:
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Narasimha II's rule at least started promising. Hope he makes it a long and prosperous one, eh?
Charm and gregariousness ... from a Dip 3 King? What did he do? Impress them all with a display of swordsmanship? With his luck he could probably diploannex both Mysore and Travanacore.
Curious to know how you stand tech wise against your fellow Indian states.
Time to put Khandesh and Deccan in their place.
Curious to know how you stand tech wise against your fellow Indian states.
Time to put Khandesh and Deccan in their place.
The boy has already proven his military mettle and his regency has left the country in a decent shape. And there's already an heir! Things are looking quite solid for Vijayanagar, maybe it's time to become an Empire once more?
I agree; you should make the most of Narashima's 9MIL!
His 5ADM and especially 3DIP can hurt. I'm always happy when it's at least 5ADM anyway, as this enables you to enact advanced buildings... But here comes the question: do you have any spare cash? Also does Narashima's mediocre 5ADM cripple your adm efficiency?
With pirates I believe any, even a 1-star, naval advisor may be a considerable help. Sometimes I hire one, it's relatively cheap for the decrease in piracy that I seem to notice. I'm not sure about this so if anyone can prove me wrong, please do.
An excellent description of the battle against Venkata's forces, hopefully the first of many victories for Vijaynagar under Narasimha. I rather hope Vijaynagar can reclaim some of her old lands whilst he rules.
I think thats putting it lightly!
I think thats putting it lightly!
Delay in game
Sorry for the non-update.
It may be a little while before I push on with this. There are some issues offline that I'll be dealing with over the next few weeks.
Will add more when I can. Thanks everyone.
Sorry for the non-update.
It may be a little while before I push on with this. There are some issues offline that I'll be dealing with over the next few weeks.
Will add more when I can. Thanks everyone.