"...of medium height, and of fair complexion and good figure, rather fat than thin, he has on his face signs of smallpox. He is the most feared and perfect king that could possibly be...he is a great rules and a man of much justice..."
- Domingo Paes, 1520
During his reign between 1509 to 1529, Krishnadevaraya, amidst successful military campaigns, was instrumental in building up Hampi as a city. Almost every temple or building seems to have an extension commissioned by him.
Domingo Paes visited Vijayanagar just after Krishnadevaraya's successful mission to Orissa, and has extremely colorful eye account in his journal
"The king is accustomed every day to drink a three quarter pint of oil before day light and anoint himself with the said oil. He covers his loins with a small cloth and take in his arms great weights make (sic) of earthenware. Then taking a sword he exercises himself till he has sweated out all the oil and then he wrestles with one of his wrestlers. After this labour he mounts the horse and gallops about the plain in one direction and another till dawn for he does all this before day break. Then he goes to wash himself; and after he is washed he goes to where his pagoda is inside the palace, and make his orisons and ceremonies, according to custom."
"It has on each side two figures of women very well made. In such a building he dispatches his work with those men who bear office in his kingdom, and govern his cities, and his favorites talk with him them. After the king has talked with these men on subjects pleasing to him he bids enter the lord and captains who wait at the gate, and these at once enter to make their salaam to him, The salaam, which is the greatest courtesy that exists among them, is that they put their hands joined together above their head as high as they can. Every day they go to make the salaam to the king"
Known both for his justice and diplomacy, he had extensive relationships with Europe, middle East and the Orient. He captured the port of Malabar so that he could keep a keen eye on the Arabian horse trade.
(Krishnadevaraya with a minister and riding a horse. Both images found in the Vitthala temple in Hampi)
