According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were expert in which of the following areas?
- Wrestling
- Astrology
- Accounting
- Soothsaying
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2, 3 and 4
According to the Portuguese chronicler Fernão Nuniz, who visited the Vijayanagara Empire during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, women in the royal household were trained and employed in diverse professional roles. His accounts specifically mention their expertise in wrestling, astrology, accounting, and soothsaying, highlighting the progressive attitude towards women's education and professional engagement in the empire.
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Women were skilled in wrestling and martial arts, serving as guards and warriors in the royal palace.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Women practiced astrology and were employed as astrologers in the royal court.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Women were trained in accounting and managed financial records in the palace administration.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Women practiced soothsaying (divination) and fortune-telling at the royal court.
📝 Short Notes: Women in Vijayanagara Empire
- Foreign Accounts: Portuguese travelers like Domingo Paes, Fernão Nuniz, and Italian Niccolò de' Conti provided detailed accounts of women's status in Vijayanagara.
- Royal Employment: Women served in various professional capacities in the royal household including guards, wrestlers, accountants, astrologers, musicians, and dancers.
- Literary Patronage: Krishnadevaraya patronized female poets and writers; several women contributed to Telugu and Sanskrit literature during this period.
- Military Roles: Women were trained in martial arts and archery; some served as bodyguards to queens and royal women.
- Economic Independence: Women engaged in trade, owned property, and had inheritance rights, showing their economic agency.
- Social Status: Despite progressive roles in certain areas, practices like Sati and restrictions on widow remarriage also existed in the empire.
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