In the medieval era, the Delhi Sultanate repeatedly invaded South India, which led to widespread rebellion and the birth of the Vijayanagar Empire. The history of these invasions involve many fascinating events and leaders, like Alauddin Khilji, Malik Kafur, Muhammed bin Tughlaq, Prataparudra, and Harihara.

Today, the ruins at Warangal and Hampi (a UNESCO world heritage site) offer a glimpse into the grand history and drama surrounding the Vijayanagar Empire and its long-time rival, the Bahmani Sultanate. But most visitors have only a vague understanding of the Indo-Turkic Delhi Sultanate’s role in creating this new and prosperous political order -- one that would ultimately prove among the greatest in the subcontinent's long history.

Welcome to my animated history video about this interesting era. Enjoy!

#delhisultanate #vijayanagarempire #indianhistory

For further reading, I highly recommend "Rebel Sultans" by Manu S. Pillai. I would caution readers against John Keay's work, as -- despite the fact that it is well-researched -- he tends to ignore context when interpreting primary sources, such as inscriptions and court proclamations. In that way, Keay's scholarship is reminiscent of most British Raj historians studying Indian history in the 19th and 20th centuries.