Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal?

Answer: A. Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire granted the Portuguese permission to build a fort at Bhatkal. Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529 CE) of the Tuluva dynasty maintained pragmatic relations with the Portuguese, who were establishing trading posts along the western Indian coast. Krishnadevaraya allowed Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal (in present-day Karnataka coast) to facilitate trade, particularly in horses imported from Persia and Arabia — which were crucial for the Vijayanagara cavalry. **Distractors:** (B) Narasimha Saluva preceded Krishnadevaraya and the Portuguese arrived in 1498 too late for him to grant such permission. (C) Muhammad Shah III refers to Bahmani rulers, not relevant to Bhatkal. (D) Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur dealt with Portuguese at Goa, not Bhatkal. Source: syllabus Themes in Indian History Part II Ch 7 (An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara).