The Novas Conquistas or "New Conquests" are a group of seven ''

concelho Concelho () is the Portuguese-language term for municipality, referring to the territorial subdivision in local government. In comparison, the word ''município'' () refers to the organs of State. This differentiation is still in use in Portugal ...

s'' (administrative subdistricts or municipalities) of

Goa and Damaon Goa, Daman and Diu (, ) was a union territory of the Republic of India established in 1961 following the annexation of Portuguese India, with Maj Gen K P Candeth as its first Military Governor. The Goa portion of the territory was granted ful ...

, officially known as Portuguese India. They were added into Goa in the eighteenth century AD, a comparatively later date than the original three ''concelhos'' that make up the ''

Velhas Conquistas {{Unreferenced, date=November 2008 ''As Velhas Conquistas'' or "the Old Conquests" are a grouping of the areas in Goa which were incorporated into Portuguese India early in the sixteenth century AD; as these areas underwent urbanisation they were ...

'' or "Old Conquests". The seven ''concelhos'' of the ''Novas Conquistas'' are

Pernem Pernem or Pedne (pronounced ) is a town and a municipal council in North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It is the capital of the Pernem Sub-District Geography Pernem is one of the twelve sub-districts of Goa. Pernem sub-district ...

, Bicholim, Sattari, Antruz ( Ponda),

Sanguem Sanguem () is a city and a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. Notable landmarks include the Sagameshwar Temple, Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park and the Salaulim Dam. Geography Sanguem is locat ...

(modern-day

and

Dharbandora Dharbandora is a sub-division and Taluka of Goa, India. At present, it has a population of 30,000 to 40,000 people. History The creation of a new Dharbandora Taluka, the 12th Taluka in Goa, was announced by the Chief Minister of Goa Digambar K ...

talukas A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

''),

Quepem Quepem is a town with a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. The town is the administrative headquarters of the Quepem taluka (sub-district). History The town was established by a Portuguese noble man Deão J ...

, and

Canacona Canacona () is a city and a municipal council in the district of South Goa, Goa state, India. Canacona taluka includes Patnem, Chaudi, Poinguinim, Loliem-Polem, Agonda, and Gaumdongre. Chaudi is the headquarters and the most developed town ...

Silvassa Silvassa (Indo-Portuguese; ''Vila de Paço d'Arcos'') is a city and municipality in western India, and the headquarters of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli district. It was a part of the former Portuguese Goa and Damaon, and is today the largest ci ...

was a newly conquered area in the territory of Damaon, Diu& Silvassa In writing postal addresses, the ''Novas Conquistas'' were abbreviated "N.C."

History

In December 1764

Hyder Ali Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...

, the king of

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

, sent his general Fazalullah Khan northward into Soonda via Bednur, where landowners who resisted his administration met severe retribution. Fearing capture, the Raja of Soonda fled to Goa, surrendering his territories below the Western Ghats to the Portuguese in exchange for sanctuary and a fixed annual stipend. The lower territories including the port of

Sadashivgad Sadashivgad is a village located in Karwar, Uttara Kannada district, in the state of Karnataka in India. Significant and picturesque, it is now a popular tourist destination located by the Kali River (Karnataka), Kali river bridge, which has be ...

near

Karwar Karwar is a seaside city, ''taluka'', and administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district lying at the mouth of the Kali river on the Kanara coast of Karnataka state, India. Karwar is a popular tourist destination and with a city urba ...

were absorbed into the Kingdom of Mysore.''Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians'', Alan Machado Prabhu, I.J.A. Publications, 1999, pp. 168 These new areas granted by the Raja of Soonda were incorporated into

Portuguese Goa Old Goa ( Konkani: ; pt, Velha Goa, translation='Old Goa') is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi ''taluka'' (''Ilhas'') of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. The ...

. Later in 1783 the Kingdom of Sawantwadi, in order to get Portuguese help against Kolhapur, ceded some parts of Pernem, Bicholim and Sattari to Portugal. The remaining part of Pernem (including Terekhol Fort) was ceded in 1788 and thus came to be known as the ''Novas Conquistas'' (New Conquests). Unlike the Velhas Conquistas, these areas remained predominantly Hindu because the Portuguese government had dismissed the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

(the missionary order responsible for the majority of the

Christianization of Goa The indigenous population of the erstwhile Portuguese colony of Goa, Daman and Diu underwent Christianisation following the Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510. The converts in the ''Velhas Conquistas'' (Old Conquests) to Roman Catholicism were t ...

) in 1759.

References

{{reflist

History

References

See also