Sriranga Deva Raya

Sriranga Deva Raya (a.k.a. Sriranga I) (r. 1572 – 1586 CE) was the second Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Aravidu Dynasty. He reigned from the fortress of Penukonda. Sriranga succeeded his father, Emperor Tirumala Deva Raya. After the fall of Vijayanagara to the Turko-Persian Sultanates of Deccan, he carried out the restoration of the empire from Penukonda. His reign was marred by repeated invasions and subsequent losses of territory to his Turko-Persian Muslim neighbours.

In 1576, the Turko-Persian Sultan of Bijapur Ali Adil Shah I laid siege to Sriranga's capital fortress in Penukonda for three months, but at the end the emperor defeated the invading sultan which helped his general Savaram Chennappa defeat the Bijapur army.

In 1579, the Turko-Persian Sultan of Golconda raided and plundered the rich temple of Narasimha at Ahobilam. By 1580, the Kondaveedu province was lost to the same. Sriranga successfully recaptured Ahobilam.

He died in 1586 CE, without an heir and was succeeded by his youngest brother Venkatapathi Raya, the governor of Chandragiri.