PORTUGUESE INDIA
THE PORTUGUESE IN THE BAY OF
BENGAL
Written
by Marco Ramerini
Portuguese settlements in
the bay of Bengal.
In the
Bay of Bengal there was a rather peculiar form of Portuguese settlements. Indeed, that
coast was not conquered, militarily that is, like the Malabar coast, but was colonized,
pacifically, by groups of "Casados" (married men of the reserve army), beginning
in 1520s.
SAO TOME’ DE MELIAPORE (Madras)
The main installation
was the town of Sao Tomè de Melipore (near today’s Madras) where there was (and
still is) the grave of the apostle Saint Thomas. In 1522-23 the Portuguese built a church
there and, around it, a colony was started. In 1523 a new city was born. In 1537, Sao
Tomè was populated by 50 Casados. By 1544 their number had doubled. Then the Jesuits
settled there in 1548/49.
In spite of this fast development, in the years between the foundation of Sao Tomé (1522)
and 1560s., the Portuguese's activity was mainly concentrated in the settlement of
Paleacate (Pulicat) founded in 1518, where in 1545 were settled 600 - 700 Portuguese
Casados.
In the relation of Cesare Federici (1560) the town of Sao Tomé is described as "la
più bella di quante ne sono in quelle parti dell'India".
In 1580, the town of Sao Tomé had four churches that of : Sao Tomé, Sao Francisco, Sao
Joao Baptista and Misericordia. Outside the town were the churches of : Madre de Deus, Sao
Lazaro, Nossa Senhora da Luz and Nossa Senhora do Monte.
At the beginning of 1600, Sao Tomé had a population of about 600 Casados.
On 9 January, 1606, the Diocese of San Thomé de Meliapur was erected. In 1607, Sao Tomé
is declared city and a "Camara Municipal" is created.
In 1614, the inhabitants raised fortifications and all the populations: Portuguese
administration, "casados", soldiers, native Christian population resided within
the walled city.
The city had a "capitao-mor" (captain major) and a Bishop and in 1635 there were
as many as 10 churches.
In 1646 Sao Tomè was besieged by Mir Jumla of Qutbshahi.
The period between 1656 and 1662 is an obscure period, and in 1662, Sao Tomé was
conquered by Qutbshashi of Golconda.
From 1662-1672 Sao Tomè remained in Qutbshahi hands.
In 1672, the French, under Admiral de la Haye, conquered Sao Tomè but after two years of
occupation on 6 September 1674 they surrendered the city to the Dutch who, in turn, handed
it over to the Qutbshahi on 10 October 1674.
In 1687 a tenuous Portuguese administration was re-established. In January 1697, the
fortification were pulled down; the only privilege that remained to the Portuguese
residents in 1702 was to display the flag on Sundays and Holidays.
Portuguese influence came to an end on 21 October 1749, when the English (in principle
Portuguese allies) occupied Sao Tomè.
Other Portuguese settlements were at Negapatam, Porto Novo, Masulipatam, Pulicat, Ugolim (
near today’s Calcutta ), Chittagong, Syriam ( near today’s Rangoon ), Dianga (
in Arakan ).
NAGAPATTINAM
The
Portuguese colonized Nagapattinam at the same time as Sao Tomè (1520s. - 1530s.). It was
the best port of the entire Coromandel coast, ten villages (Nagappattinam Port, Puthur,
Muttam, Poruvalancheri, Anthonippettai, Karureppankadu, Azhinji Mangalam, Sangamangalam,
Thiruthina mangalam, Manjakollai, Nariyankudi) were taken control of by the Portuguese
traders. At the end of 1540s., the Franciscans and later the Jesuits settled in the
town. Several were the churches built in the city: Madre de Deus, Sao Jeronimo, Paulistas,
Sao Domingos, Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, Sé.
In 1577, there were in Nagapattinam 60 casados, 200 Eurasians, 3000 Christians Indians. In
the years 1642-43 Nagapattinam was fortified and a customs-house was also built. On 23
July 1658 a Dutch fleet under the command of Jan van der Laan conquered the fort.
In the 1590s the Portuguese settled north of Nagapattinam in a port they named Porto Novo
(New Harbour), this port was the place where the Portuguese moved-in after the Dutch
conquest of Nagapattinam.
NORTH BAY OF BENGAL
Map of the Portuguese
settlement in Bengal.
The first Portuguese
expedition in Bengal landed in Chittagong in 1517. This port was the most important of
all; the Portuguese called it "Porto Grande" (Large Harbour).
After this first visit, the Portuguese sent to Bengal, annually, a ship with merchandise.
In 1536-37 the King of Bengal gave the custom house of Chittagong (Porto Grande) and
Satgaon (Porto Pequeno) to the Portuguese and also permitted to build
"feitorias" (trading post) in both towns.
UGOLIM,
SATGAON, BANDEL
The destiny of the first
settlement in Satgaon is obscure. But in the 1579-80 Antonio Tavares founded Ugolim
(Hooghly) at the mouth of the Ganges near the first settlement of Satgaon. The town grew
rapidly, the religious orders erected many churches, and, in 1603, it had about 5000
Portuguese inhabitants. Satgaon was again under the authority of the Portuguese from
1590s but Ugolim outshinned this settlement.
A few kilometers north was the community of Bandel where the Order of the Agostinians
built a friary in 1599 (this convent still exists in Bandel, although it was rebuilt), to
which was attached the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario. The Portuguese of Ugolim
extended their settlements sixty leagues inland from the banks of the river. Since the
beginning of the XVII century they had the Bengal trade in their hands.
In Ugolim the religious orders erected many churches, a hospital, a Casa de Misericordia
(Institution of charity) and a school.
The Portuguese never fortified Ugolim and when the Mughals besieged the city it had only
an earthen parapet. The siege began on 24 June 1632 and the Portuguese defenders were only
three hundred and about six hundred native Christians. The defenders held out for three
months, but, on 25 September 1632, the Mughals launched a violent attack and captured the
town. The Portuguese lost about 3000-5000 men included the civil populations. On the
Mughals side the losses were enormous.
Only three thousand Portuguese survivors, and they escaped to Saugor island where they
built a fortress.
By July 1633, only a year after the siege of Ugolim, the Portuguese settled again in
Ugolim (the Shah Jahan conceded to them a grant of land there). The motive of this return
remains unexplained. Notwithstanding this move, the Portuguese never regained their past
power.
In 1666, a witness reported that at Ugolim there were about 8.000 or 9.000 Portuguese and
Eurasians, and the Augustinians and the Jesuits possessed large churches.
In 1680, in all Bengal there were no less than 20.000 Portuguese Mestiços (people of
mixed blood).
CHITTAGONG
(CHATIGAM), DIANGA, SANDWIP
The settlement of
Chittagong (Chatigam) grew into a great trading center. The Jesuits erected two churches
and a residence. About 1590, the Portuguese also captured the fort of Chittagong and
made the island of Sandwip a tributary. In 1598, there were 2.500 Portuguese and Eurasians
in Chittagong and Arakan.
In 1602, Sandwip was conquered by Domingo Carvalho and Manuel de Mattos. This island was
however lost a short time later (1605 ?).
Towards the end of XVI century, the Portuguese also settled in Dianga (today's Bunder or
Feringhi Bunder), opposite to Chittagong across the southern bank of the Karnaphuli River.
In 1607, the King of Arakan massacred about 600 Portuguese inhabitants of Dianga.
The Portuguese settled again in Dianga after 1615.
Despite the Dianga massacre, a small number of Portuguese managed to escape, and settled
in a island at the mouth of the Ganges. One of them was Sebastiao Gonçalves Tibau; that
later in 1607, leading 400 Portuguese, attacked and conquered (for the second time)
the island of Sandwip. He ruled the island like an independent King having under his
command a force of 1000 Portuguese. Tibau also seized the islands of Dakhin Shahbazpur and
Patelbanga. In 1615, Tibau moving-on to conquer Arakan, asked help from Goa that promptly
came. On October 1615, the Portuguese fleet attacked the Arakanese fleet that was
reinforced by a Dutch fleet. They won the battle and the majority of the
Portuguese army returned to Goa. Soon after, in 1616,Sebastiao Gonçalves Tibau was
defeated by the King of Arakan that invaded Sandwip and took possession of the island.
After Tibau’ s defeat, the Portuguese in Eastern Bengal (out of the control of Goa)
devoted themselves to piracy. They allied with the King of Arakan and settled in Dianga
and Chittagong. From there, in 1665, when the Mughals took Chittagong, they moved to
Ferenghi Bazar (South of today's Dacca), where Portuguese descendents still reside to the
present day.
MINOR
SETTLEMENTS IN BENGAL
The Portuguese settled
at Dacca about 1580. The remains of the Portuguese trading factory, close to the church of
Our Ladies of Rosary, were still evident in 1919 .
Other small Portuguese settlements thrived in Bengal. At the end of XVI century, in
Sripur, Chandecan, Bakla, Catrabo, Loricul (where, at the end of XVIII century, the ruins
of a Portuguese church were still evident ) and Bhulua, where at the end of XVII century,
many peoples spoke Portuguese.
In 1520 s. some Portuguese settled in Hijili (Hidgelee or Angelim), here they possessed a
large tract of land. The Augustinians built two churchesin Hijili.
Hijili was lost in 1636. In 1919, the ruins of the Portuguese settlement were still
visible.
In 1838, at Merepore (three kms south of Hijili) a community of Christians, who claimed to
be descendents of the Portuguese from Goa, was found.
At Tamluk (Tambolim), in 1635, was built a church and as late as in 1724 the Portuguese
had churches and traded there.
At Balasore, there were small Portuguese settlements. In 1880, a small chapel was still
standing. It has disappeared by now.
PIPLI
(Orissa)
The first settlement in
the Gulf of Bengal was established in Orissa, at Pipli, by some Portuguese escaped from
Sao Tomè in 1514. Pipli was an important trading center, and the Augustinians had built a
church and a residence. At the beginnings of XVIII century, a large Portuguese and
Eurasian community populated Pipli.
SYRIAM
(Myanmar-Burma)
In the year 1602, the
King of Arakan granted the port of Syriam (today’s Rangoon), in Pegu, to Felipe de
Brito e Nicote for his services. There the Portuguese built a fort and a custom house.
Syriam remained in the hands of the Portuguese untill 1613 when the King of Ava captured
it.
The Portuguese settlements in the Bay of Bengal reached their apogee in the first decade
of XVII century.
