Ahmad Shah III was succeeded by Muhammad Shah III. He reigned for nearly 20 years. Through his extensive conquests he regained many lost territories, the most famous being his raid on Kanchipuram.
Under the rule of the Vijayanagar empire, irrigation became prominent. The development of irrigation took place mainly during the rule of Deva Raya I. New tanks were built and dams were constructed across the river Tungabhadra.