Administration in Vijayanagar Empire : Medieval Indian History

The Bahamani administration was modelled in the Islamic pattern The king was the supreme power in the state, he was the ruler, judge, administrator, military leader, sometimes even his own authority. His duties were all embracing, he was regarded as the shadow of god on earth.

The external symbol of the kins sovereignty were the throne, the chutr or the royal umbrella, the royal standard of issuing gold coins, the stiking of the royal naubat( drum) five times a day and the reading of khutba in the name of sovereign.

The early hours of morning were spent in the company of learned men and poets and also received reports from various messengers of the kingdom.

The king maintained an army of reporters under the supervision of the prime minister. Their duties were to repot to the king all the happenings in different parts of the country and to carry letters fromthe officers to these parts to the capital.

On every day of the week except Friday the king held a Darbar .The king was the supreme power. In theory, his authority was unlimited, but in practice he depended on the advice of his ministers in deciding state policy.

Land revenue was fixed generally one sixth of the produce. The expenditure of the government includes personal expenses of Vijayanagar army was well-organized and efficient.

Top-grade officers of the army were known as Nayaks or Poligars. They were granted land in lieu of their services. These lands were called amaram.Soldiers were usually paid in cash.