Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal ?
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Answer: A. The Portuguese, who were rivals of the Bijapur Sultanate, had friendly relations with Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara (ruled 1509-1529). He allowed them to build a fort at Bhatkal, on the coast of present-day Karnataka, which was in his territory, in return for their supply of horses and help against Bijapur.
Watch for: Bijapur was the coastal neighbour, but it was at war with the Portuguese; their ally was Vijayanagara.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Wrong because Narasimha Saluva ruled before the Portuguese were established on the west coast.
- C. Wrong because Muhammad Shah III was a Bahmani ruler who died in 1482, before the Portuguese arrived.
- D. Wrong because Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur was an enemy of the Portuguese, who took Goa from him.
Source to check: Satish Chandra, History of Medieval India (Orient BlackSwan), chapter on the Vijayanagara empire; NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part II, Chapter 7 'An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara'
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.