power and was beloved by the people, thence-forward this kingdom of
Bisnaga was called the kingdom of Narsymga."

The problem of Narasimha's relationship to the old royal line has never
yet been satisfactorily solved. He belonged to a family called SALUVA,
and we constantly hear, in the inscriptions and literary works of the
time, of powerful lords who were relations or descendants of his. Thus
our chronicle has much to say about the Saluva Timma, whom Nuniz
calls "Salvatinea," who was minister to King Krishna Deva Raya. An
inscription of the Saka year 1395, which corresponds to A.D. 1472 --
73, speaks of Narasimha as a great lord, but a great lord ONLY,[168]
and so does another of A.D. 1482 -- 83.[169] In one of A.D. 1495 -- 96,
however,[170] he is called "MAHA-RAYA," or the "king." But although
the exact date of the usurpation and the exact relationship of the
usurper to the deposed king may be difficult to ascertain, the fact
remains that Narasimha actually became sovereign about this time,
that Muhammadan aggression was stayed by his power and the force
of his arms, and that the empire of Vijayanagar was under him once
more consolidated.

The account of this period as given by Firishtah differs
altogether from that of Nuniz, and gives rise to much confusion and
difficulty. And as to the relationship of the succeeding sovereigns,
Narasa, Vira Narasimha, Krishna Deva Raya, Achyuta, and Sadasiva,
the native inscriptions themselves are totally at variance with one
another. Some few points, however, in the general scheme of history
of the second dynasty are quite certain, and these may be shortly
summarised. The last kings of the first dynasty were recognised down to
ABOUT the year 1490 A.D. Narasimha and Vira Narasimha ruled till the
accession of Krishna Deva Raya in 1509; Achyuta succeeded Krishna in