The nayakas were:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Military Chiefs of the Vijayanagara Empire
The nayakas were military chiefs in the Vijayanagara Empire who usually controlled forts and had armed supporters; they usually spoke Telugu or Kannada.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.3 The rayas and the nayakas … Among those who exercised power in the empire were military chiefs who usually controlled forts and had armed supporters. These chiefs often moved from one area to another, and in many cases were accompanied by peasants looking for fertile land on which to settle. These chiefs were known as nayakas and they usually spoke Telugu or Kannada. Many nayakas submitted to the authority of the kings of Vijayanagara but they often rebelled and had to be subdued by military action.…” |