CHAPTER 4—PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENTS

ON THE WESTERN COAST OF MAHARASHTRA during the 16th century was the Portuguese. They

secured firm footholds in the coastal belts of the districts of Kolaba and Thana and extended their

authority over Goa, Div and Daman. In doing so they followed a policy of political and religious

expansionism. They clashed with the Sultans of Gujarat who wielded authority over the territory

extending up to Mahim in Thana district in the first half of the 16th century. Later they came in

contact with the Sultans of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur. The occasions for their confrontations with

these Muslim Sultanates proved to be one sided affairs. Though less in number, they were fired with

a religious and political zeal. They enjoyed superiority in arms and ammunition and deployed and

manoeuvred their forces with easy facility. This gave the Portuguese a distinct advantage and edge

over their numerically superior Muslim rivals and enabled them to defeat the latter. It will be

interesting to detail here briefly the Portuguese conquests on the western coastal belt of Thana and

Kolaba districts in the early half of the 16th century1.

It may be recalled here that by the close of the 15th and the early years of the 16th century.

Gujarat extended its sway over the Konkan coast. In 1495 the Konkan was divided by Mahmud

Begada of Gujarat into five districts of which Thana was the head2. He also effected his designs

against Bassein (Vasai) and Bombay. He established a garrison at Nagothna and sent an army to

Caul3. At this time, according to Mirat-i-Ahmadi, Daman, Bassein and Bombay were included within

the Gujarat kingdom. Among the ports which yielded revenue to the Gujarat kings were Agasi,

Danda, Sorab (probably Sopara), Bassein, Bhivandi, Kalyan, Bombay and Panvel4. The early

Portuguese accounts as well as the accounts of the Italian traveller Varthema support the claim of

Gujarat to a large area of the north Konkan coast. The Portuguese make the Bet or Kalyan river the

border line

1 The confrontation of the Portuguese with the kingdoms of Ahmadnagar and Bijapur in the

16th century has been dealt with in the respective chapters pertaining to those Sultanates.

2 Briggs's Ferishta, III, 191-92.

3 Bird's Mirat-i-Ahmadi, 214.

4 All of these ports were not necessarily under Gujrat as in the same list are Included Dabhol,

Goa, Kalicat, Kulam or Quilon and the Maldives, Mirat-i-Ahmadi, 129-30.

152 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER

between Gujarat and the Deccan and notice that in 1530 there was a Gujarat governor at Nagothna

and that in 1540 there were Gujarat commandants of the hill forts of Karnala in Panvel and Sahksi in

Pen1. Varthema places Caul in Gujarat2.

At the end of the 15th century, when the coast line from Goa to Bassein had passed to

Bijapur and Gujarat, the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope and appeared on the Calicut

coast. The first Gujarat ships which were taken by them were restored unharmed with a friendly

message3. In 1510 Goa was captured by them from the Sultan of Bijapur. Ferishta says that the

Portuguese, observing their treaty had made no further encroachment on the Adilsahi territory4.

With the Nizamsahi kingdom of Ahmadnagar they maintained cordial relations. They attacked them

only on three occasions, and on each occasion in self-defence5. Mahmud Begada, however, could

not tolerate an alliance with the Portuguese. Being a staunch Muslim, he formed an offensive treaty

with the Egyptian Mameluke Soldan. The allies defeated the Portuguese at Caul but the Portuguese

retaliated soon after (2nd February 1507) by destroying the joint Gujarat, Calicut and Egyptian fleets

off Div. The Portuguese viceroy on his way to Cochin tried to befriend Ahmad Nizam Sah but

demanded immediate payment of 30,000 cruzodos and an annual subsidy of 10,000 cruzodos.

Perhaps, intimidated by the recent Portuguese victory, Ahmad Nizam Sah accepted their friendship

by agreeing to pay 2,000 cruzodos to the Portuguese. A Portuguese factor was later (1514)

appointed at Caul. The Portuguese tried to instigate the Hindu chiefs on the Thana coast against

Mahmud Begada and Mahmud is described as putting out disturbances at Bassein and effecting his

designs against Bassein and Bombay. In the same year the Portuguese secured supplies from the

fort of Mahim on their way to Div. The garrison at Mahim fled6. On the return of the victorious

Portuguese fleet the governor of Caul agreed to pay a yearly tribute7. A few years later the southern

boundary of Gujarat had shrunk from Caul to Bombay. In 1516 the Portuguese under Dom Joao de

Monoy entered Bandra creek and defeated the commandant of Mahim fort. In the same year they

established a factory at Caul and built a fort after secviring the permission of Burhan Nizam Sab. I8

who had

1 Faria-e-Souza in Kerr's Voyages, VI, 83.

2 Badger's Varthema, 114.

3 In 1502 Vasco-da-Gama's orders were that the ships of Cambay were to be let pass.

Da-Gama's Voyages, 376.

4 Briggs's Ferishta, III, 34.

5 In 1530 when the Gujrat King forced Ahmadnagar to break with the Portuguese ; in 1572

when the Sultans of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Calicut joined against the Portuguese ; and in 1594

when Burhan Nizam Shah II of Ahmadnagar attempted to fortify Korle hill at the mouth of the Chaul

river.

6 In 1530 when the Gujrat King forced Ahmadnagar to break with the Portuguese ; in 1572

when the Sultans of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Calicut joined against the Portuguese ; and in 1594

when Burhan Nizam Shah II of Ahmadnagar attempted to fortify Korle hill at the mouth of the Chaul

river.

7 Ibid, 120.

8 Ibid, 191, 192.

HISTORY – MEDIAEVAL PERIOD 153

succeeded his father Ahmad Nizam Sah. The Portuguese governor entered into a treaty with

Burhan Nizam Sah and immediately commenced building the fort on the northern margin of the

creek about half a league to the South. Among the stipulations of the treaty was the one concerning

the importation of horses for the use of Burhan Nizam Sah who agreed to assist the Portuguese

against the Gujaratis1. Malik Eiaz, the Gujarat governor of Div sent a fleet to stop the building of the

fort but had to withdraw2 The Portuguese could now freely sail to Bombay. In 1526 the Portuguese

established their factory at Bassein3. In 1528 an action was fought between the Gujarat fleet under

Ali Sah and the Portuguese fleet under Sampayo in the Bombay harbour. All Gujarat ships except

seven were captured by the Portuguese. Putting Da Sylveira in command Sampayo returned to

Goa. Da Sylveira, after resting his men at Bombay, attacked Nagothna and burnt six Gujarat towns.

He then went up to Bassein and plundered that port. He defeated Ali Sah who had come at the

head of 3,500 men, with great slaughter. Now Thana came under Portuguese protection when the

lord of Thana, a Hindu chief, agreed to become their tributary. In 1530, Da Sylveira. on his way back

from plundering Surat and Rander, destroyed the towns of Daman and Agasi and carried successful

raids on the coastal possessions of Ahmadnagar.

In 1531 the Portuguese made great preparations for the capture of the Gujarat possession of

Div. They gathered 400 ships and an army of well over 20,000 men. This expedition made no

impression on the strong fortifications of Div. Nuno, who was in command, left for Goa, leaving

Saldhana to plunder the Cambay ports. On his way south he destroyed Balsar, Tarapur, Kelva

Mahim and Agasi4. In 1532 the Portuguese attacked Bassein. Though it was defended by 12,000

men under arms, the Portuguese dashed against it and took it by assault. The coastal towns

between Bassein and Tarapur were burnt. In the same year Nuno again requested the Gujarat king

to allow the Portuguese to build a fort at Div. Bahadur Sah of Gujarat refused. His difficulties with

Humayun, however, enabled the Portuguese to capture Daman by entering into negotiations with

Humayun. Bahadur Sah, in order to wean away the Portuguese from Humayun, entered into a

humiliating treaty with the Portuguese, one of the terms of which was the cession of Bassein and its

dependencies. It may be mentioned here that when Bahadur Sah was engaged in war with the

Moghals, Burhan Nizam Sah taking advantage of his difficulties decided to capture the fortresses of

Sanksi and Karnala on the southern frontiers of the Gujarat Kingdom. Accordingly he marched

against them and captured them. The commandants

1 History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein, pp. 36 (n).

2 Da Cunha's Chaul and Bassein, 36, 37.

3 Ibid, 171.

4 Faria in Kerr, VI, 223.

154 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER

of the forts sought the assistance of Dom Francisco, the Captain of Bassein on condition that they

would hold them in the name of the Portuguese. Accordingly Francisco marched with 3,000

Portuguese and other native soldiers, and hy escalating the walls captured the forts. Burhan Nizam

Sah sent troops to devastate the adjoining territory and besieged the fort of Sahksi. But he was

repulsed with heavy losses and was forced to conclude peace with the Portuguese. The forts

remained in Portuguese possession for some time but the Portuguese governer Dom Estavao

considering that Burhan Nzam Sah was their ally ordered the reluctant Dom Francisco to hand over

the forts to Burhan Nizam Sah in lieu of an additional subsidy of 5,000 pardos in gold.

The defeat of Bahadur at the hands of Humayun forced him to agree to the Portuguese

condition of building a fort at Div, The Portuguese in return are said to have helped Bahadur to free

Gujarat from the Moghals. Bahadur Sah, however, repented for his concession and invited the

Sultan of Turkey and the Chief of Aden to attack the Portuguese. In 1536 he went to Div and paid a

visit to the Portuguese governor Nuno Cunha. There, Bahadur was treacherously murdered. In 1540

Mahmud Sah III, the Gujarat Sultian besieged Bassein but was defeated and forced to withdraw. A

few years after, in 1546, the Sultan of Gujarat again tried to capture Div but failed in his attempt. In

1547 on account of the strained relations between the Portuguese and Ibrahim Adil Sah, the former

entered into friendship treaties with the Raja of Vijayanagar and Burhan Nizam Sah (6th October

1547). One of the conditions of the treaty stipulated that there was to be friendship between him

(Burhan Nizam Sah) and the Portuguese who were to help each other, when necessary, against all

the Kings of India with the exception of the King of Bijanaga (Vijayanagara). The Portuguese

governor of Indian possessions also bound himself not to make peace with the Adil Sah without

previously giving notice of the same to Iniza Moxa (Nizam Sah). In the following year the

Portuguese viceroy Dom Joao de Castro received envoys from the Zamorin, Canara, Nizamaluco,

Cotamaluco and other princes who wished to ratify the former treaties of peace. Burhan Nizam Sah

often employed Portuguese in his services and one Simao Peres, a Portuguese renegade was

appointed by him as one of his ministers and a General of his army. In 1556 the Portuguese

captured the hill fort of Aseri and the important station of Manor on the Vaitarna river1. After the

death of Burhan Nizam Sah, the Portuguese governor Francisco Barreto being not quite sure of the

continued friendship from Husain Nizam Sah, the son of Burhan, decided to secure the promontory

of Korlai and fortify in into an outwork of defence for the city of Caul. To secure the approval of

Husain Nizam Sah, an ambassador was sent to the Nizamsahi Court. Husain Nizam Sah,

however, refused to comply with the

1 Nairne's Konkan, 44.

HISTORY – MEDIAEVAL PERIOD 155

request considering that the object ot the Portuguese was to levy duties on merchandise leaving or

entering the port and deprive him of this important item of revenue1. He also imprisoned the

Portuguese envoy and sent his General Farhad Khan along with Rumi Khan and Maulana Sah

Muhammad Ustad with 30.000 men directing them to build as early as possible an impregnable

fortress there2. The Portuguese governor of Caul was alarmed at these activities of the Nizamsahi

general. He made representations to the Portuguese viceroy and obtained a fleet under the

command of Alvaro Peres to blockade the port till he (the viceroy) arrived to stop the progress of the

work begun.

Soon after, the viceroy Francisco Barreto arrived with a well equipped fleet of 4,000

Portuguese troops, besides the natives, and prevented the construction of fortification by a

continuous charge of bullets, Husain Nizam Sah, with a view to stop the conflict sent his envoy to

the viceroy with the following message "that he was a friend to the King of Portuguese, having

inherited that feeling from his predecessors, who had given them a place where they had already

built a citadel, a gift which he certainly never thought of revoking but that he had reasons to

apprehend that, allowing them to build a new fort would eventually lead them to place them under

his yoke and deprive him of the custom duties which belonged as hitherto to him alone as sovereign

of the place" 3.

The Portuguese viceroy was convinced of the argument and concluded peace on the

condition that the construction of the fort should be suspended and Korlai should remain as it was

before. In 1560 Cangiz Khan, one of the leading Gujarat nobles, ceded to the Portuguese, the belt

of coast from the Vaitarna to Daman in return for help in taking Surat4. In 1569 the Portuguese

attacked the Jawhar Kolis and passed through their country as far as the foot of the Sahyadris.

It may be mentioned here that after their success in the battle of Talikota, the Muslim Powers

decided to turn against the Portuguese. A coalition which took about five years to materialise, was

formed between Bijapur and Ahmadnagar and the Zambrin of Calicut against the Portuguese. Plans

were drawn for the distribution of their expected conquests of the Portuguese territory. Accordingly,

in 1570 Adil Sah marched to open the siege of Goa and Murtaza Nizam Sah marched towards Caul

to besiege it. The Portuguese viceroy, to reinforce the garrison at Caul, sent a fleet with 600 men

under Dom Francisco. He him-self left Goa in September 1570. The Nizamsahi general, Farhad

Khan, who had marched to besiege Caul had an army of

1 History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein, p. 46.

2 Ibid, p. 46.

3 Ibid, p. 46.

4 Watson's Gujrat, 56.

156 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER

20,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry and 25 elephants, He moved into the environs of the town sending

4,000 horsemen to cut off the supplies of the enemy and prevent the arrival of reinforcement from

Bassein and Karanja. The Portuguese governor of Caul, raised fortifications to repulse the attack of

Nizamsahi forces. The position of the Portuguese was strengthened with the arrival of Dom

Francisco. They beat back the attack of the Nizamsahi forces and inflicted heavy losses upon them.

The battle had lasted for three hours. Now Murtaza Nizam Sah arrived with 74,000 horse, 1,00,000

foot, 16,000 sappers, 4,000 smiths and other artisans, 360 elephants, an infinite number of

buffaloes and oxen and 40 pieces of cannon. Farhad Khan, Ikhalas Khan and Zamiri Khan took up

positions surrounding the town from all sides, whereas the flotilla sent by Zamorin to assist Murtaza

Nizam Sah was directed to engage the Portuguese in the port of Caul. The Portuguese decided to

defend the fort of Caul against heavy odds and the Portuguese viceroy turned down all suggestions

to abandon Caul. Zamiri Khan opened the assault on a position defended by Henrique and

Fernando, two Portuguese Officers, but was repulsed with the loss of 300 men. An attack against

the monastery of Sao Francisco was similarly beaten off by the Portuguese Commander Alexandre

de Sousa. On the next day the Nizamsahi troops attacked the Portuguese positions with great

vigour but the Portuguese fought valiantly sallying forth from the fort and covering the field with the

dead bodies of the enemy. The ranks of the defenders had considerably thinned and they had to

give up the fort and the monastery of Sao Francisco. The attack on Caul synchronised with that of

an attack on Bassein. Once again the Nizamsahi army was defeated. It then withdrew towards

Karanja. Commanded by Estevam Perestelo, the Portuguese fell upon the Nizamsahis with such

force that they fled leaving behind a number of dead and wounded. At Caul, the Nizamsahis

directed heavy fire against the town causing much damage to life and property. The bastion of the

cross was levelled to the ground. The contest, however, continued unabated. In the meanwhile, the

rainy season was approaching and Murtaza Nizam Sah decided to continue the siege by raising

earth-works. The Portugues, however, under the command of Alexandre de Sousa and Dom

Menezes attacked the Nizamsahi encampment and destroyed a part of the earth-works. Murtaza

now directed his army to launch a general attack on all the Portuguese possessions. But the attack

was beaten back. Preparations for continuing the siege however, continued and were completed by

the Nizamsahis Farhad Khan now made secret overtures of peace to the Portuguese without the

knowledge of Murtaza Nizam Sah. Suspetcing that Farhad Khan had accepted bribe, Murtaza

imprisoned Farhad Khan and decided to attack the place and effect a large breach in the fortification

to enable his soldiers to pass through it. On 29th June 1571, Murtaza Nizam Sah gave the signal for

attack. A furious and hotly contested battle took place. "The days were darkened by the flames of

burning buildings, the

HISTORY – MEDIAEVAL PERIOD 157

slaughter and confusion being great on all sides"1. The drunk elephants being scorched and

wounded ran madly in the field trampling their own men. Till sunset the battle raged with the

Portuguese still entrenched firmly and slaying about 3,000 of the enemy. Both the sides had

suffered heavily in this unequal contest and were now eager to conclude peace. Negotiations soon

began and a treaty of offensive and defensive alliance was signed between Ahmadnagar and the

Portuguese. Murtaza now raised the siege and returned to Ahmadnagar by the end of June 1571.

The defeat of the Ahmadnagar forces could be attributed to the hollowness of the alliance forged

against the Portuguese and the duplicity and the dubious role of Farhad Khan and Ikhalas Khan, the

Habsi officers of Ahmadnagar. The success of the Portuguese enabled them to establish their sway

on the western coast. Their trading stations included Daman, Bassein, Caul, Salsette, Dabhol,

Karanja and many other places. In 1583, on his final conquest of Gujarat, Akbar attempted without

success to conquer Bassein and Daman. The Portuguese power was at its zenith now. For a period

of fifty years or more they had lost none of their possessions on the Konkan coast. However, the

Portuguese received a serious setback with the appearance of the Dutch on the scene. The

Moghals with their southward expansion also posed a great threat to the Portuguese.

During the reign of Burhan Nizam Sah II hostilities again broke out between Ahmadnagar and

the Portuguese. Burhan Nizam Sah was forced to fight the Portuguese when the latter plundered a

vessel bringing a large number of pilgrims. Fahim Khan, the Nizamsahi governor of the district,

failing to recover goods seized by the Portuguese reported the matter to Burhan Nizam Sah. Burhan

Nizam Sah called for a plan of the villages of Revdanda and Caul and the hill of Korla overlooking

the sea between Caul and Revdanda. He decided to build a fort at Korla with a view to close the

way of supplies to the Portuguese. The Portuguese, however, obtained their supplies from other

forts and continued to harass the Muslim population by resorting to terror and massacre. Burhan

Nizam Sah showed great concern at the tragedy which was occurring at Caul2. He declared a holy

war against the Portuguese in spite of most of his troops being away in Berar, and in spite of his

strained relations with Ibrahim Adil Sah of Bijapur. A force commanded by Farhad Khan and

consisting of officers such as Itimad Khan, Sujat Khan, Taj Khan, Bijli Khan, Bahadur Khan, Nasirul-

mulk, Anne Rav, Kamil Khan, Mustafa Khan and Saikh Farid Raja set out towards Caul. Bahadur

Gilani was appointed governor of Korla and ordered to blockade Revdanda. A Portuguese attack on

Revdanda was repulsed with a loss of 300 men. Elated at the success of his officers, Burhan Nizam

Sah, instead of a follow up action, engaged in revelry and buried

1 History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein, p. 55.

2 Briggs, III, p. 284.

158 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER

himself in wine and women at Ahmadnagar, not sparing even the families of his nobles. The

officers, resenting the behaviour of Burhan Nizam Sah, neglected their duties and looked for an

opportunity to retire to the capital to save the honour of their families and depose the King. This

gave the Portuguese time to store supplies into the fort at night. A convoy carrying 4,000 men soon

arrived. On the next morning the Portuguese proceeded to deliver an attack on the fort. On the

approach of the Portuguese, the Nizamsahi army fled in confusion towards the fort. They were

closely followed by the Portuguese who gained entrance into the fort and slew 12,000 of the

Nizamsahi army. They set fire to the fort and destroyed it completely1. Now Burhan Nizam Sah

appointed Fahim Khan, the governor of the district, to assist Farhad Khan in besieging the fort of

Caul. Troops under Bakhtiyar Khan,, Asad Khan and Rumi Khan, three experienced officers were

also sent as reinforcement. In April 1592, the Nizamsahi army opened the siege of Caul. The

Nizamsahi troops plundered the environs of Caul and continuously bombarded the walls of the fort.

The Portuguese had now a strength of 1,500 men. They sallied forth, attacked the besiegers, and

defeated them with heavy losses. The besiegers had, therefore, to abandon the siege. In 1594

Burhan Nizam Sah again assembled an army to attack the Portuguese but the invasion was

postponed because of the rebellion of Ismail Adil whom Burhan wanted to support against his

brother Ibrahim Adil Sah II. The period that followed the death of Burhan Nizah Sah was full of

turmoil and confusion in the kingdom of Ahmadnagar. This gave the Portuguese a respite and an

opportunity to pursue their own course of action in their possessions on the western coast. The

Moghals now stepped in the Deccan and the Portuguese, whose position had become as critical as

that of Ahmadnagar, tried unsuccessfully to forge an alliance between the Deccan powers against

the Moghal invaders. The perpetual discord prevailing among the Deccan Sultanates, however,

blinded them to the fate which lay in store for them. The occupation of Ahmadnagar by the Moghals

did not finally extinguish the Nizamsahi Kingdom. It was given a fresh lease of life by Malik Ambar.

Malik Arhbar did not ignore the past history of the Portuguese nor their recent attitude towards the

Nizamsahi Kingdom in its struggle with the Moghals. Guided by the instinct of self-preservation the

Portuguese sought an alliance with Malik Arhbar and obtained from him the right of collection of half

of the land revenue in the vicinity of Caul. However, the highhanded behaviour of the Portuguese

towards the rayats caused rack-renting, violence and bloodshed. Traders as well as peasants fled to

Revdanda, Dabhol and other adjacent villages. Manur Khan, the local officer, brought the matter to

the notice of the Portuguese captain who agreed to return the excess revenue collected from the

peasants. Conditions soon returned to normal. In 1605 the Portuguese again made heavy

1 Briggs, II, p. 286.

HISTORY – MEDIAEVAL PERIOD 159

exactions from the rayats and spread violence and terror. Disgusted at their obnoxious behaviour,

Abdul Karim, the provincial governor of Caul, with the assistance of the Dutch fitted out a fleet of

thirty sails against the Portuguese and plundered all their ships that came their way1. The

Portuguese retaliated by attacking many villages, killing the inhabitants and burning houses. An

attack on Caul was planned by the Portuguese and a force of 350 men marched towards upper

Caul. The Muslim garrison drew up in battle array but was defeated and put to Might. The

Portuguese Captain Dom Francisco Rolim then set fire to the residence of Abdul Karim and

devastated the surrounding country. Both sides now made preparations for a full scale war. Several

skirmishes took place but the issue could not be decisively fought. The impending campaign of

Khan Jahan Lodi, however, forced both the parties to conclude peace.

During the conflict between the Moghals and the Deccan powers the Portuguese directed all

their energies to knit the Deccan powers into a close bond of friendship against a common enemy

and opened negotiations with Bijapur and Ahmadnagar to confirm the alliance which they had

formerly entered into. Nevertheless minor incidents did continue to occur.

Trouble also arose at Caul in 1612-13 when the thanadar of Caul brought about the

assassination of Balthsar de Almeida, the commander of the fort of Caul. The Portuguese in

retaliation, opened the gates and put all Muslims to the sword. Thereupon Abbas Khan, the

Nizamsahi general, marched with a body of troops to Karanja which he plundered. When the

Nizamsahi army was busy in collecting their booty, the Portuguese fell upon them and killed a

number of them. Enraged at this, Malik Ambar decided to attack the Portuguese strongholds of

Salsette, Bassein and Agasi. He however, failed to capture them. The following year, the Moghals

besieged Daman, Div and Caul and desolated the country. They had to be bought off2.

In 1615 the Portuguese, Burhan Nizam Sah III and Adil Sah concluded a treaty ratifying the

terms of the treaty of 1571. The relations between the Portuguese and Ahmadnagar continued to be

cordial till 1625 when trouble again arose in Caul resulting in the annexation of Dabhol by

Ahmadnagar. After the death of Malik Arhbar, the political fabric of the Nizamsahi kingdom of

Ahmadnagar began to crumble. The Moghal advance now began to imperil the safety of the

Portuguese. In 1634 the Portuguese concluded a favourable treaty with the Moghal emperor. For

the next 35 years, though they suffered heavily at other places, they stuck on to their possessions

on the Konkan coast, without loss in area. In November 1664 the island of Bombay passed from the

Portuguese to the English. It was ceded to the English by the king of Portugal as part of the dower

of his sister Katherine who was given in marriage to the

1 Nairne's Konkan, p. 47.

2 Nairne's Konkan, p. 36.

160 MAHARASHTRA STATE GAZETTEER

king of England. The English and the Portuguese now combined to fight the growing menace of the

Dutch, but the friendship that worked so well in Europe, could not succeed in India. The main

reason was the anger of the local Portuguese for the cession of Bombay to the English. The

friendship, therefore, soon turned into deep hatred and enmity. The period that followed saw the

keenest rivalry between the English and the Portuguese and also the rise of the new naval powers.

The Marathas and the Siddis entered the fray for supremacy over the sea. The Portuguese lost

heavily in this struggle for supremacy and their power declined completely from the western coast in

the early forties of the eighteenth century.

The identification of the Portuguese authorities with the proselytising activities of the

missionaries created a strong feeling among the rulers and the population of the Deccan. But their

downfall was primarily due to the rise of the English and the Dutch on the West coast.