Aspirant Academy
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RAS question

Krishnadevaraya, the greatest Vijayanagara ruler, belonged to which dynasty?

Correct answer: (D) Tuluva.

Krishnadevaraya, the most famous ruler of Vijayanagara, belonged to the Tuluva dynasty.

  1. (A)

    Aravidu

  2. (B)

    Saluva

  3. (C)

    Sangama

  4. (D)

    Tuluva

Explanation

Krishnadevaraya ruled from 1509 to 1529 and belonged to the Tuluva dynasty of Vijayanagara. NCERT places him after the Sangama and Saluva phases: the Sangama dynasty controlled the empire till 1485, the Saluvas held power till 1503, and they were then replaced by the Tuluvas. This sequence explains why Tuluva is the right answer, not just a familiar name from Vijayanagara history. Krishnadevaraya's reign is also marked by his literary and cultural profile: he wrote the Telugu work Amuktamalyada, patronised art and literature, and is associated with the Ashtadiggajas, the eight great poets of his court.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Aravidu is wrong because NCERT places the shift to the Aravidu lineage after Krishnadevaraya's death, with central control moving to it by 1542.
  • (B) Saluva is wrong because the Saluvas were the second ruling line and, according to NCERT, remained in power only till 1503 before the Tuluvas replaced them.
  • (C) Sangama is wrong because it was the first Vijayanagara dynasty and exercised control only till 1485, before the Saluva and Tuluva phases.

Concept

This tests the dynastic chronology of the Vijayanagara Empire, a recurring RAS theme because questions often turn on matching major rulers with their ruling lineages. Krishnadevaraya is especially important because his reign links political expansion with Vijayanagara's cultural and literary peak.

Source

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