Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali

The Vijayanagaran empire had risen as a bulwark against Muslim advances into South India, which it has completely controlled for over two centuries.

Karnataka and the rest of South India experience a major geopolitical shift when the Vijayanagara empire falls in 1565 to a confederation of Islamic sultanates in the Battle of Talikota.

The Bijapur Sultanate, which had risen after the demise of the Bahmani Sultanate of Bidar, soon takes control of the Deccan.

The excesses of Vijyayanagara’s ruling Hindu minister Rama Raya, carried out on the pretext of assisting Bijapur against Ahmadnagar in their wars, lead to a temporary but fruitful coalition among the five successor states.

It is likely that the sultans of Golconda and Ahmadnagar, who have lost much at the hands of the Rama Raya, are primarily responsible for the formation of an alliance that will destroy Vijayanagar's power forever.

At least four of the five sultans (Berar is questionable) have by 1564 begun their march on Vijayanagara.

Bijapur, ruled by the 'Adil Shahi Dynasty since 1489 and engaged in constant warring, forms a coalition with the three other Muslim Deccan states— ...

...Golconda, ...

...Bidar, and ...

... Ahmadnagar.

The alliance of the sultanates moves in January 1565 to overthrow the Vijayanagar empire, threatening from the south, at Rakasa-Tangadi (also known as Talikota).

The armies number several hundred thousand with large contingents of elephants; the battle seems to have been decided by the Muslim artillery and the capture and execution of Rama Raya.

The battle, which is decisive in breaking up the Vijayanagar Empire, a Telugu domination over the Tamil and Kannada South, also begins a final Muslim penetration that is to last until the end of the eighteenth century.

The Vijayanagaran capital is taken by the alliance of the sultanates following the massive and catastrophic defeat of the empire's armies.

The victors now proceed to raze, depopulate, and destroy the city over a period of five months.

The original capital is not reoccupied or rebuilt, nor will it be in the coming centuries, despite the empire continuing to exist hereafter during a slow decline.

Tirumala usurps the throne of the rump Vijayanagar Empire at Penukonda in 1570, officially inaugurating the Aravidu dynasty.

Rebellions and banditry have arisen in many areas.

Tirumala appeals to Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar for aid against a Bijapuri invasion that reaches Penukonda.

He now joins Ahmadnagar and Golconda in a campaign against Bijapur.

Tirumala accepts the new states of the Nayakas of the south, retains the allegiance of Mysore and Keladi, and appoints his three sons as governors of the three linguistic regions of his kingdom—Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil.

Tirumala retires in 1572, and his son Sriranga I tries to continue the process of rebuilding while struggling to maintain his place among the Muslim sultanates without any support from the major Telugu houses.

An invasion by Bijapur is repulsed with the aid of Golconda.