After nearly two decades of conflict with rebellious chieftains, the Vijayanagar Empire comese under the rule of Krishna Deva Raya, the son of Tuluva Narasa Nayaka, in 1509.

In the following decades the Vijayanagara empire dominates all of Southern India and fights off invasions from the five established Deccan Sultanates.

The empire reaches its peak during the rule of Krishna Deva Raya, when Vijayanagara armies are consistently victorious.

The empire annexes areas formerly under the Sultanates in the northern Deccan and the territories in the eastern Deccan, including Kalinga, while simultaneously maintaining control over all its subordinates in the south.

Many important monuments are either completed or commissioned during the time of Krishna Deva Raya.

Krishna Deva Raya ias followed by his younger half-brother Achyuta Deva Raya in 1529.

When Achyuta Deva Raya dies in 1542, Sadashiva Raya, the teenage nephew of Achyuta Raya, is appointed king, though real power is wielded by Rama Raya, Krishna Deva Raya's son-in-law.

When Sadashiva is old enough to claim absolute power, Aliya Rama Raya has him imprisoned and becomes the de facto ruler.

Eager to take advantage of the disunity among the Sultanates of Bijapur, Ahamednagar, Berar, Golkonda, and Bidar, Rama Raya involves himself in the political affairs of the powers across the Krishna river to the north.

His ploy of supporting militarily one Sultanate against another, often changing alliances, brings rich rewards for a while.

However, by 1563, exhausted with his intrigues, the bitter rivals from the north form an alliance.

They march against Rama Raya and clash with the Vijayanagara's forces in January 1565.

The capture and killing of Aliya Rama Raya in the famous Battle of Talikota, after a seemingly easy victory for the Vijayanagara armies, creates havoc and confusion in the Vijayanagara ranks, which are then completely routed.

The Sultanates' army later plunders Hampi and reduces it to the ruinous state in which it remains; it will never be reoccupied.

Tirumala Deva Raya, Rama Raya's younger brother, who is the sole surviving commander, leaves Vijayanagara for Penukonda with vast amounts of treasure on the back of fifteen hundred elephants.