COLOMBO:
The city of Colombo, the main city of today's Sri Lanka, was founded by the Portuguese.
The first Portuguese attempt to settle in Colombo was done in 1518, when the Viceroy Lopo
Soares de Albergaria, landed at Colombo with a large fleet. Here the Portuguese soldiers
began to build a small fort named Nossa Senhora das Virtudes or Santa Barbara. This first
fort was a triangular in shape surmounted by a central tower. It had short life, because
the Sinhalese soon besieged the fort, and around 1524 the Portuguese were forced to
dismantle it.
The second attempt was made in November 1554, Duarte de Eca with 500 soldiers built a new
fortress in Colombo. So, November 1554 can be fixed as the date of birth for the city of
Colombo.
In July 1565, the Portuguese decided to transfer the Court and the capital of the Kingdom
of Kotte to Colombo, thus Kotte was abandoned.
"Columbo, from being a small stockade of wood, grew to be a gallant city fortified
with a dozen bastions; it is true these were six-sided after the ancient fashion, and of
small size, but they were conveniently situated."
"Its artillery consisted of two hundred and thirty-seven pieces of three kinds, from
ten up to thirty-eight pounds, all mounted."
The town, "is situated on a bay capable of holding a large number of small ships, but
exposed on the northern side; and its line of circumvallation stretched over one thousand
three hundred paces."
"On the Punta do Recife, which is to the south, there was a large breastwork named
Santa Cruz, provided with the heaviest kind of artillery; this commanded and defended the
whole of the harbour. From here the open city extended to the south through what was know
as the Galvoca which on account of the ridge of rocks required no ramparts; at the end of
this and right on the sea was a bastion. The ditch commenced at its foot and ran on with a
new rampart and another bastion called Mapane, where there was a gate with a drawbridge,
the two continuing side by side till they reached the lake, being finished off by the
bastion of St. Gregorio. From the sea up to this point was the best fortification which
the city had, and it was in no way inferior to that of the lake itself, which encircled it
for a distance of four hundred paces and was more than two leagues in circumference and
abounded with crocodiles. One hundred paces beyond this bastion was another alongside of a
large house and a powder factory."
"From here there started a brook which traversed the middle of the city, and was
provided with two bridges. A low wall ran down side by side with the lake till it reached
the bastion of St. Hieronimo, where the lake ended. In the middle of this stretch rose the
bastion of Madre de Deus; beyond was the Porta da Reina, and close ti it the bastion of
St. Sebastiao, from the foot of which there started a moat which was continued past the
base of the bastion of St. Estevao and finished at the gate and bastion of Sao Joao with
another drawbridge. This was the most northerly point of the city, and from here a strong
stockade of pointed beams ran along the shore as far as the sea. At this point the bay
opened and there was a handsome breastwork in front of the college of the Society; beyond
lay the bastion of the Custom House, and so the rampart ran till it finished with the
breastwork of Santa Cruz."
"There were in the city nine hundred families of noble settlers and more than one
thousand five hundred of various handicraftsmen and tradesmen, all within the walls; two
parishes, the Mother Parish and that of Sao Lourenço; five convents of the religious
orders, those of Sao Francisco, Sao Domingos, St. Augustinhos, that of the Capuchins, and
the College of the Fathers of the Society (Jesuits), who held classes in Latin and
Morality; the house of Santa Misericordia, and a Royal Hospital, with seven parishes
outside the walls."
GALLE:
"The fortress of Galle was built on a point of land with the sea on two sides; on the
north was a steep line of rocks, and there it had no other defence. On the south side was
the bay, protected by a palisade of pointed beams; while a line of ramparts with its moat
and three bastions cut across the land side from sea to sea, with a gate and drawbridge in
the middle; the position was well protected with this fortification."
Galle, during Portuguese time "was merely a fortress" and not a city as Colombo,
inside the fortress lived two hundred and sixty two families of Portuguese and six hundred
of various handicraftsmen, the Captain of the garrison, the Adjutant and a parish priest.
As Colombo, Galle too had the house of Santa Misericordia, the Hospital, the Custom House
and also a convent, that of Sao Francisco.
CALITURE:
"Caliture, was a very small fortress built on a hill at the mouth of a river of the
same name."
"It had two small bastions with four iron cannon, a garrison of one company of
infantry, a chaplain and magazine of stores and ammunition"
NEGOMBO:
"Negumbo, had a Captain with some invalids soldiers; was a square enclosure of stone
and mortar with two redoubts both of which were small and plain, with five iron cannon, a
chaplain, and a magazine of stores and ammunition."
MALWANE:
"Malvana, stood on the bank of the river about three leagues from Columbo, and was
also small with a square redoubt, not protected on the flank"
Malvana, had its Captain, a chaplain, and a garrison of soldiers; there were also a
church, and a magazine of stores and ammunition.
BATTICALOA:
"Batecalou, was built on a point of land and protected a bay capable of receiving
vessels with high sides. It was a square structure with four bastions of acient design
armed with a dozen iron cannon, and ita garrison consisted of a Captain and fifty soldiers
with twenty settlers, a condestable, a chaplain, a church and a magazine of stores and
ammunition"
TRINCOMALE:
"Trequimale, was a triangular fortress with three bastions carrying ten iron cannon,
built on a hill at a point of land adjoining the sea, close to the Baia dos Arcos. A
Captain was in charge of it with fifty soldiers, and there were also a condestable,
sixteen settlers, a chaplain, a church and a magazine of stores and ammunition"
JAFFNAPATAM:
"Jafanapatao, a quadrangular fortress, had fout bastions and four half-moons or
cobelos in the middle of the line of ramparts, all of which were built of pumice
stone" (maybe coral stone).
"In Jafanapatao, resided the Governor, the town was one side outside the walls of the
fort and there lived "three hundred families of Portuguese, and seven hundred of
handicraftsmen, with the Convents of Sao Francisco and Sao Domingos, the College of the
Society, the Mother Church, the House of Santa Misericordia and the Hospital. Two leagues
away, at the mouth of the channel, was a fort with good artillery and garrisoned by a
company of infantry. The full number of men for the defence of Jafanapatao was two hundred
Portuguese forming six companies, with some native Lascarins"
MANNAR:
The fort of Manar, was built on the island of the same name and the territory pertinent to
Manar comprised also the lands of Mantota on the main island.
"It was a very small fortress, four sided, with two small redoubts on the two
opposite angles overlooking the strait. It had no garrison of infantry, but stretched
alongside of it was a settlement of one hundred and fifty families of Portuguese and two
hundred of handicraftsmen; a Captain also resided here"
MENIKKADAVARA: (Dissava of Four Korales)
Menikkadavara, was situated in the Four Corales and was the main camp base for defending
the Seven Corales and for opposing the Kandian Kingdom, the walls of the camp were made of
earth.
"Manicavare, was further the residence of the Dissava"...."who always had
in hand in time of peace three or four thousand Lascarins with their officers, which
number could be greatly increased in the event of war"
The Portuguese forces stayed in Menikkadavara "consisted of twelve companies of three
hundred and fifty Portuguese soldados under the command of the Captain Major of the field,
and there were also a Sergeant-Major, two Adjutants, a Captain of Munitions and a
Franciscan monk as chaplain"
SABARAGAMUWA: (Dissava of Sabaragamuwa)
"In Sofregao there was another camp controlling all the territory as far as the
frontiers of Uva; this consisted of four companies of one hundred and fifty Portuguese
infantry under the command of the Dissava of the district, with an Adjutant, a Franciscan
monk as chaplain, and four or five thousand well-equipped Lascarins"
Also the walls of this camp were made of earth.
MATARA: (Dissava of Matara)
The Dissava of Mature district resided at Mature, "with one company of infantry, a
Franciscan monk as chaplain, and three or four thousand Lascarins"...."His
jurisdiction extended as far as the frontiers of Uva and Batecalu and along the sea-shore
up to Columbo"
SEVEN CORALS: (Dissava of Seven Korales)
The fourth Dissava, was that of the Seven Corals, ha was at the head of a company of
infantry, three or four thousand Lascarins, and a chaplain.
"His jurisdiction extended from the frontiers of Candia and Matale as far as the
mountain of Grudumale"
BELIGAO:
Another camp with earth walls was at Beligao.BOOKS ABOUT PORTUGUESE IN ASIA:
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