Portuguese Possessions in India - July 1954

The Portuguese were the first European to come to India to trade with Indian merchants. Vasco Da Gama was the first Portuguese to land at Calicut on 11th May 1498. The Zamorian, the Hindu ruler of Calicut welcomed the Portuguese and granted permission for trade. But the Arab and Persian traders, who had the monopoly of Indian trade, successfully prejudiced the mind of Zamorian. The Zamorian asked the Portuguese to pay usual custom duty, which infuriated them. After a long skirmish, the Portuguese were constrained to return to Portugal. The next expedition, under Alverez Cabral reached Calicut in September 1500. Once again, Cabral was opposed by Arab merchants. Vaso da Gama again came to Calicut with twenty heavily armed ships and established the first factory at Cochin in 1503, which was followed by another factory at Cannanore in 1505. But they were out manoeuvered by Calicut. The Portuguese sent Francisco Almeida as the first Portuguese Viceroy in India by second half of 1505. Constant conflicts went on in between the Portuguese and Arab merchants. Though he was defeated at Chaul, 30 miles south of Bombay, he successfully defeated the Arabs at Diu Island and thus laid the foundation of Portuguese rule in India.

Afonso de Albuquerque, the next Governor captured Goa on 1st March 1510. Diu, an islet on the Southern fringe of Kathiawar peninsula, was captured by the Portuguese in 1534 from Bahadurshah, Sultan of Gujarat. In 1535, Bassein and Bombay were ceded to Portuguese by Sultan of Gujarat. Daman was noticed by the Portuguese in 1523, but could not be captured till 1556. By this time, all major towns, north of Goa were conquered by the Portuguese, who became supreme naval power of that region.

Their territories also included Bulsar, Umergaon, Danu - the present Dahanu, Trapar - the present Thana, Bangora, Trombay, Mayagaon and Carania - the present Karanja. The Portuguese also captured Salsette, Mahim, Agashi and Bombain. They built several forts and 30 factories to consolidate their power and increase their trade.

By 1600, the Dutch began to rise and the Portuguese power began to decline. By 1650, the Portuguese lost their control in Persian Gulf, Ceylon, the China Sea and many other places. Bombay was ceded to the British King Carles I in 1661, as part of the dowry on his marriage to Catherine of Portugal. In 1737, the Portuguese lost Salsette to the Marathas. In 1739, Bassain and in 1740 Chaul was lost. Thus the Portuguese lost all their possession in India except Goa, Daman and Diu by 1740. Dadra and Nagar Haveli were added to their possession by 1783, it lies near the West coast, surrounded by Gujarat in West, North and East and by Maharashtra in West and South.

The interesting story of Dadra and Nagar Haveli starts from 1262, when Maharana Ramsingh laid the foundation of Ramnagar, which comprised 8 paraganas. Nagar Haveli was one of the paraganas. It is recorded in the book “Dadra And Nagar Haveli - Past and Present” by P. S. Lele, that Nagar Haveli was the capital of Ramnagar, which was shifted to Nagar Fatehpur in 1360. Slowly the Kingdom of Ramnagar was extended from Valsad to Mahim Kelwe, except the Port of Daman, which was controlled by Sultan of Gujarat. The Port of Daman was acquired by the Portuguese in 1556. The Rana Jaydeo of Ramnagar entered into alliance with Portuguese, who allowed them to collect ¼ of the revenue of Daman. But he was defeated by Marathas in the fag end of 1670. After 20 years, in 1690, the Rana of Ramnagar conquered Ramnagar from Marathas. Fighting went on for another 60 years when Rana of Ramnagar was completely defeated and Dadra & Nagar Haveli (D&N) was handed over to the Marathas as compensation. In 17779, D & N was handed over to Portuguese by the Marathas to compensate their losses. By 1783, the Portuguese took possession of all 72 villages of Dadra (3 village) and Nagar Haveli (68 village & 1 town) and placed them under the administration of the Governor of Damaun. Thus D & N became a part of Portuguese possession in India. The headquarter of D & N was Silvassa, the only town of D & N.

Readers are requested to send their query/comments to Mr. Ashok Kumar Bayanwala, 96, Swastik Society,Navarangpura, AHMEDABAD-380009, INDIA or email to Prashant H. Pandya

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