Bukka

Who was Bukka?

Bukka was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire from the Sangama Dynasty. Bukka patronised Telugu poet Nachana Soma.

The early life of Bukka as well as his brother Hakka (also known as Harihara I) are relatively unknown and most accounts of their early life are based on various theories (see the Vijayanagara Empire article for more extended descriptions of these). One such theory states that Bukka and Hakka were born in the Kuruba clan and were commanders in the army of the King of Warangal. After the King of Warangal was defeated by Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Bukka and his brother were taken prisoners and sent to Delhi. Both were forced to convert to Islam. Bukka and his brother eventually escaped and retained their Hindu traditions and founded the Vijayanagara Empire under the influence of the Brahmin sage Vidyaranya. Another account says that the brothers were instead in connection with the Hoysala Empire and were born from present day Karnataka near the Hampi territory, and they were the successors to the Hoysala territory by natural process. Though the exactness of both theories are still debated upon, either way Bukka and his brother were praised for their success in battle as well as the first rulers of the Empire.