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Portuguese Ceylon
Early in November 1505, Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy of Portuguese India sent his son Dom Lourenço de Almeida with a fleet of nine vessels to attack the Moorish spice ships which were reported to be making for the Red Sea by way of the Maldives. Adverse winds drove Dom Lourenço’s fleet to the coast of Ceylon in the neighbourhood of Galle. After replenishing their stock of water and fuel, they set sail for Kolon Tota, always spoken of by the Dutch writers as Colombo.
The arrival of this flotilla of white men was immediately reported to the King’s Court at Kotte and it was decided to receive them amicably. A message was sent demanding of the strangers what they desired at the King’s port. Lourenço sent back a reply that he was a merchant, a servant of the King of Portugal, who had been driven out of his course to Ceylon, and that he would be glad to open a friendly trade.
The King directed the Portuguese to send a representative to discuss matters with him. An officer named Fernão Cotrim appointed as a factor set out with a native escort. The natives did not want the foreigners to know that their Capital was mere two hours’ journey from the sea. So the native escort took Fernão on a circuitous route. They travelled for three days crossing hills and fording many streams. “As the ‘Parangi’ went to Kotte” is the Sinhalese proverb that is still used in Sri Lanka preserving the memory of this ruse.
Fernão explained to the King’s Ministers the errand on which the Portuguese had come. He asserted that their only desire was for peaceful trade. Moreover, he assured the King that the Portuguese would undertake to protect his coasts against all enemies.
The offer found acceptance with the King and his Council, and they consented to the proposed terms. Fernão returned to the fleet and reported the success of his mission. The offer found acceptance with the King and his Council, and they consented to the proposed terms.
Fernão returned to the fleet and reported the success of his mission. Lourenço was highly pleased. To celebrate, he ordered a salvo of artillery to be fired. The terrified peaceful inhabitants of the port regarded it as a hostile demonstration.
Thus began the realm of the Portuguese Ceylon.
Gradually, the Portuguese occupied Kotte and went on to conquer the surrounding Sinhalese kingdoms. In 1565, the capital of Portuguese Ceylon moved from Kotte to Colombo.
Christianizing attempts by the Portuguese furthered friction with the native Sinhalese people.
Dutch Ceylon
The natives in Ceylon found the Portuguese rule was rather burdensome. So, the king of Kandy invited the Dutch to help defeat and liberate the country from the Portuguese. The Dutch signed the Kandyan Treaty on March 28, 1638 with King Rajasinghe II. Article XVII of the treaty stipulated:
“will not allow in his kingdom any priest, friar or ecclesiastic (Roman Catholic) personality, because they foster rebellions and are cause of the ruin of the kingdom, and will expel all those living there at present.”
After signing the treaty, the Dutch became the protectors of the country. They embarked on a war against the Portuguese. They captured the Portuguese forts, one by one.
The Dutch captured the Portuguese forts at Batticaloa on May 18, 1638, at Negombo in 1640, at Colombo on May 12, 1656 and finally on June 21, 1658, the last Portuguese fort at Jaffna fell into the hands of the Dutch. The Portuguese after being forced to sign a treaty with the Dutch left Ceylon.
There were 415 Churches and Chapels and about 70 thousand Catholics in Ceylon when the Portuguese left the island.
The Dutch drove out around 50 missionaries from Colombo and closed all the Catholic churches and chapels. From 1658 to 1687, the Dutch persecuted the Catholics. With the Catholics deprived of churches, priests, and the holy sacraments, the Dutch completely wiped out the practice of Catholicism in Ceylon.
Carmelites and other missionaries working in South India sent reports to the Propaganda Fide in Rome about the persecution of the Catholics in Ceylon. The authorities in Rome tried to find a solution. Pope Innocent XI requested Leopold I, Archduke of Austria to impress upon the Stadtholder William III of Orange (Dutch: Willem III van Oranje) ruler of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic to allow the entry of non-Portuguese missionaries sent by Rome. But the Dutch authorities in Ceylon were adamant in their refusal.
In the Dutch occupied Ceylon, Calvinism became the official religion of the island. The Dutch colonizers persecuted the Catholics. They arrested and tortured Catholic priests who dared to set foot on the island.
On learning the dire plight of the Catholics in Ceylon Joseph Vaz wanted to go to the island to help the Catholic people keep alive their faith in Christ. But the Padroado in Goa denied him permission as they feared that the Dutch would kill him.
Joseph Vaz came to know about the dire plight of the Catholics in Ceylon under the Dutch rule and that they were on the verge of giving up their faith. He wanted to go to the island to help the Catholics there to keep alive their faith in Christ. But the Padroado in Goa denied him permission as they feared that the Dutch would kill him.
Determined to risk his life and undertake the perilous journey, Vaz made no plans nor cared about the provisions for his journey.
Joseph Vaz relinquished his post of Provost of the Goan Oratory and asked Father Pascoal da Costa Jeremias to act as the new Provost.
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Next → Part 5 – Travel to Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
← Previous: Part 3: The Apostle of Kanara
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