Related Research Articles
Burgher people, also known simply as Burghers, are a small Eurasian ethnic group in Sri Lanka descended from Portuguese, Dutch, British and other European men who settled in Ceylon and developed relationships with native Sri Lankan women. The Portuguese and Dutch had held some of the maritime provinces of the island for centuries before the advent of the British Empire. With the establishment of Ceylon as a crown colony at the end of the 18th century, most of those who retained close ties with the Netherlands departed. However, a significant community of Burghers remained and largely adopted the English language. During British rule, they occupied a highly important place in Sri Lankan social and economic life.
The Kingdom of Sitawaka was a kingdom located in south-central Sri Lanka. It emerged from the division of the Kingdom of Kotte following the Spoiling of Vijayabahu in 1521. Over the course of the next seventy years it came to dominate much of the island. Sitawaka also offered fierce resistance to the Portuguese, who had arrived on the island in 1505. Despite its military successes, Sitawaka remained unstable, having to contend with repeated uprisings in its restive Kandyan territories, as well as a wide-ranging and often devastating conflict with the Portuguese. Sitawaka disintegrated soon after the death of its last king Rajasimha I in 1593.
The Governor of Ceylon can refer to historical vice-regal representatives of three colonial powers:
Dharmapala or Dom João Dharmapala Peria Bandara was last king of the Kingdom of Kotte, in present-day Sri Lanka, from 1551 until 27 May 1597. He is also known as Dom João Dharmapala, the first Christian king in Sri Lankan history. He is widely despised by the majority Buddhist Sinhalese for having betrayed his religion of birth i.e., Buddhism and converted to the religion of the foreign conquerors, who carried a reign of terror. Dharmapala allowed Buddhist Temples in his Kingdom including the highly venerated Temple of Kelaniya to be ransacked and burnt down by the Portuguese.
Jayavīra Banḍāra was King of Kandy from 1511 to 1551. He succeeded his father Senasammata Vikramabahu as king and was succeeded by his son Karalliyadde Bandara. During the reign of Banḍāra, Catholic friars appeared at court and some conversions took place in the kingdom.
Karalliyadde Banḍāra was King of Kandy, who ruled from 1551 to 1581. During his reign Banḍāra publicly embraced Catholicism, brought to the island by the Portuguese. He and his infant daughter princess Kusumāsana Devi fled the kingdom with his retinue. The princess was later baptized by the Portuguese and called Dona Catarina. He succeeded his father Jayavira Bandara as king and was succeeded by his daughter Kusumasana Devi.
João Henriques was the first Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Henriques was appointed in 1551 under John III of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1551. He was succeeded by Diogo de Melo Coutinho.
Afonso Pereira de Lacerda was the fifth captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Lacerda was appointed in 1555 under Sebastian of Portugal. He served as captain-major until 1559. He was succeeded by Jorge de Meneses Baroche.
Pedro de Ataíde Inferno was the 8th Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Inferno was appointed in 1564 under Sebastian of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1565. He was succeeded by Diogo de Melo.
Diogo de Melo was the 9th Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Melo was appointed in 1565 under Sebastian of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1568. He was succeeded by Fernando de Monroy.
Fernando de Albuquerque was the 13th Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Albuquerque was appointed in 1575 under Sebastian of Portugal. He was Captain-major until 1578 and was succeeded by Manuel de Sousa Coutinho.
Manuel de Sousa Coutinho (1540–1591) was the 14th Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Coutinho was appointed in 1578 under Sebastian of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1583. He was succeeded by João de Correia de Brito.
João de Correia de Brito was the 15th Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Brito was appointed in 1583 under Philip I of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1590. He was succeeded by Simão de Brito.
Pedro Homem Pereira was the 17th and last Captain-major of Portuguese Ceylon. Pereira was appointed in 1591 under Philip I of Portugal, he was Captain-major until 1594. The office of Captain-major was abolished and he was succeeded by Pedro Lopes de Sousa as Governor of Portuguese Ceylon.
The siege of Kotte from November 1557 – November 1558 was a battle part of the Sinhalese–Portuguese War. A 50,000 strong Sitawaka army led by King Mayadunne besieged Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Kotte Kingdom, for 12 months against a combined force of Portuguese and Lascarins led by Captain-major Dom Afonso Pereira de Lacerda. After receiving reinforcements from Mannar, Portuguese made a sally and succeeded in forcing the besiegers to withdraw. This siege marked the beginning of a series of battles between Portuguese and Sitawaka forces, and ultimately ended as Portuguese abandoned Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte in 1565.
Pedro Lopes de Sousa was the 1st Governor of Portuguese Ceylon. The office of Captain-major was abolished in 1594 and de Sousa was appointed in the same year under Philip I of Portugal. He died that year in the Campaign of Danture.
Sinhalese–Portuguese conflicts refers to the series of armed engagements that took place from 1518 to 1658 in Sri Lanka between the native Sinhalese kingdoms and the Portuguese Empire. It spanned from the Transitional to the Kandyan periods of Sri Lankan history. A combination of political and military moves gained the Portuguese control over most of the island, but their invasion of the final independent kingdom was a disaster, leading to a stalemate in the wider war and a truce from 1621. In 1638 the war restarted when the Dutch East India Company intervened in the conflict, initially as an ally of the Sinhalese against the Portuguese, but later as an enemy of both sides. The war concluded in 1658, with the Dutch in control of about half the island, the Kingdom of Kandy the other half, and the Portuguese expelled.
This is a bibliography of works on Sri Lanka.
References
| |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
