Sinhalese-Portuguese War
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Were a series of wars between the native kingdoms of modern-day Sri Lanka and the Portuguese Empire.
Chronology
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Were a series of military campaigns by the Sinhalese Kingdom of Sitawaka to expand its territories.
February 1588: A large Portuguese fleet of eighteen galleys commanded by Manuel de Sousa Coutinho arrived in Colombo, after raiding Sitawakan shores in northwestern Ceylon.
January 1539: Kingdom of Raigama annexed by Sitawaka in 1538.
January 1566: Areas annexed by Sitawaka from the Kotte Kingdom by 1565.
January 1566: By 1565 the Portuguese were unable to hold the capital city of Kotte. They abandoned Kotte and moved to Colombo (which was guarded by a powerful fort and the Portuguese navy) with their puppet King Dharmapala.
June 1587: Siege of Colombo 1587-1588.
January 1588: Areas annexed by Sitawaka from the Kotte Kingdom by 1587.
The Sinhalese Kingdom of Kotte became a Portuguese protectorate.
January 1552: The portuguese assisted and protected the kingdom of Kotte against the growing influence of the kingdom of Sitawaka.
Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom.
January 1618: With the death of Pararasasekaran in 1617, Cankili II, an usurper, took control of the throne after killing the regent nominated by the Ethirimanna Cinkam.
January 1561: The king of Jaffna, Cankili I, managed to escape and regained the capital through a pact that he made with the Portuguese. He subsequently incited a peoples' rebellion against the Portuguese, resulting in their withdrawing their forces from Nallur.
December 1591: The Portuguese captured the kingdom of Jaffna, killed the king, and installed Ethirimana Cinkam as the new ruler.
October 1560: The Portuguese invasion of Jaffna kingdom in 1560 AD was the first expedition against the Jaffna kingdom by the Portuguese Empire. It was led by Viceroy Dom Constantino de Bragança. The Portuguese conquered northern Jaffna kingdom including Nallur, and the island of Mannar. The king of Jaffna escaped in the interior (Vanna).
July 1619: By June 1619, there were two Portuguese expeditions: a naval expedition that was repulsed led by the Varunakulattan, also known as Khem Nayak, and a land expedition by Phillippe de Oliveira and his army of 5000 was able to defeat Cankili. Cankili, along with every surviving member of the royal family, was captured and taken to Goa, where he was hanged. Jaffna was annexed to the Portuguese Crown.
October 1591: The Portuguese, led by André Furtado, mounted a military campaign against the Jaffna kingdom from Mannar.
In 1592 the Portuguese unsuccesfully invaded the Sinhalese Kingdom of Kandy.
January 1593: In 1592 the Portuguese intervened in Kandy, placing their protégé Yamasinghe Bandara on the throne.
January 1593: The Kandyans forced the Portuguese to withdraw from Kandy.
Portuguese conquest of the Sinhalese Sitawaka and Riagama Kingdoms.
January 1594: In 1593 Sitawaka forces attempted to re-take Kandy, but were repulsed and their king Rajasinha I died of disease contracted during the fighting. One of the rival claimants to his throne defected to the Portuguese, enabling them to take complete control over Sitawaka.
Was a Portuguese military campaign in the Sinhalese Kingdom of Kandy.
July 1594: The Portuguese entered Kandy, without encountering any resistance, to find the Royal Palace abandoned and partly burned.
October 1594: At Danture, the Portuguese forces were attacked as they retreated. The organised columns disintegrated in the forest and most were wiped out. Sousa surrendered with the remaining 93 European troops. In a departure from usual Sinhalese warfare, the prisoners were tortured and mutilated. Sousa died of the wounds he sustained during the fighting. With the exception of a patrol sent back to the lowlands during the early part of the campaign, only three Portuguese soldiers escaped back to Colombo.
Were a series of minor conflicts between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy.
January 1617: Parts of Sabaragmuwa and Matara were conquered by Senarat.
January 1604: In 1603, Portuguese General Dom Jerónimo successfully captured the Kandian fort at Balana, solidifying Portuguese control over the territory.
January 1604: The Kingdom of Kandy successfully defended itself against the Portuguese attempt to subjugate Balana. The rebellion among the Lascarins, led by historical figure King Vimaladharmasuriya I, played a crucial role in forcing the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo.
January 1617: In December 1616 a much greater revolt broke out in eastern Seven Korales, led by a disgraced grain measurer who claimed to be the grandson of Rajasinha, late prince Nikapitiya Bendara.
February 1617: Despite initial cordiality, Senarat quickly grew distrustful of Nikapitiyas' success and attitude towards Kandy. Fearing a future rival, he withdrew all his aid and ordered Kuruvita Rala to suspend operations while he attempted to gain a truce with the Portuguese.
August 1617: By this sudden turn of events, in August 17 an agreement between the Portuguese and Kandy was reached and a treaty put into effect. In negotiating with the Portuguese, Senarat proved rather capable, refusing most of Portuguese demands but stil had to formally pledge vassalage to the King of Portugal, agree not interfere in missionary work in Kandy (Senarat even entrusted his children to be educated by Franciscans), offer several noblemen as hostages in Colombo and pay two large elephants a year as a token tribute. The Portuguese on their part agreed to a formal alliance and recognized Senerat as the rightful King of Kandy.
October 1617: With the coming of favourable winds in March 1617, important Portuguese reinforcements had arrived in Colombo. In June, developments in Jaffna favoured the Portuguese as Cankili I usurped the throne through a coup and in exchange for Portuguese recognition, agreed to prevent supplies and weapons from reaching the rebels from there. Between July and September the Portuguese were able to recapture the Seven Korales.
January 1616: In December 1616 a much greater revolt broke out in eastern Seven Korales, led by a disgraced grain measurer who claimed to be the grandson of Rajasinha.
November 1616: In late 1616 an uprising broke out in Sabaragamuwa.
January 1617: This in turn caused Kuruvita Rala, a native from Kotte, to rebell in indignation against Senarat.
Was a Danish military operation in Sri Lanka against the Portuguese Empire.
January 1621: Senarat placed great expectations on a Danish alliance against the Portuguese and agreed to sign a treaty and grant them the port of Trincomalee.
January 1621: Just two weeks after the treaty was signed, the Danish evacuated Trincomalee.
Was a Dutch military operation in Sri Lanka against the Portuguese Empire.
May 1638: The VOC and Rajasinha II of Kandy signed a treaty in May 1638.
January 1659: In 1658, the Dutch made an agreement with Nayaka of Thanjavur, by which ten villages were transferred from the Portuguese to the Dutch Nagapattinam Port, Puthur, Muttam, Poruvalancheri, Anthanappettai, Karureppankadu, AzhingiMangalam, Sangamangalam, Thiruthinamangalam, Manjakollai, Nariyankudi.
January 1659: Tuticorn captured by the Dutch in 1658.
January 1641: Negombo conquered by netherlands.
