"The princes of the Bahmani maintained their superiority by valour only; for in power, wealth and extent of the country, the Rayas of Bijarnagar (Vijayanagar) greatly exceeded them".

Who among the following made this statement?

About the Author: FerishtaMuhammad Qasim Hindu Shah, popularly known as Ferishta, was a 16th/17th-century Persian historian who served at the courts of the Deccan Sultanates (specifically Bijapur).Famous Work: He wrote the Tarikh-i-Firishta (also known as Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi), which is one of the most comprehensive sources for the history of the rise of Muslim power in India and the Deccan kingdoms.Context of the Quote: Ferishta, despite being a court historian for a successor state of the Bahmanis, was often surprisingly candid about the immense wealth and military might of the "Rayas" (Kings) of Vijayanagar. Overview of the Conflict The history of these two empires is defined by their competition over the fertile Raichur Doab (the land between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers).Feature Vijayanagar Empire Bahmani SultanateFoundation1336 (Harihara & Bukka)1347 (Alauddin Bahman Shah)Capital Hampi (Vijayanagara)Gulbarga (later Bidar)Main Advantage Immense wealth, control of ports, and vast manpower. Superior cavalry and early adoption of gunpowder/artillery. Fate Collapsed after the Battle of Talikota (1565).Disintegrated into five smaller Sultanates (Bijapur, Ahmednagar, etc.) by 1527.Quick Check: Why not the others?Nicolo Conti (A): An Italian traveler who visited Vijayanagar in 1420; his writings focus more on social customs and the city's structure.Abdur Razzaq (C): A Persian ambassador who famously said of Vijayanagar: "The eye has not seen nor the ear heard of any place resembling it upon the whole earth."Nuniz (D): A Portuguese horse trader and chronicler who provided detailed accounts of the history and military of Vijayanagar later in the 16th century.